NF camp/camping limits

[Lefty]

When I lived near Vancouver Washington. Many people exceeded camps stay limits in National forests. And it seemed to me the poor folks who lived 'and camped where the reason such laws existed.
While hunting the desert I was quite consistently setting camp fully in 20-21 minutes , broke down and loaded in 22-24 minutes. I didnt want others if they happened by to see my camp.

Two years ago I kept a tent up for the whole 30-day season in one location Drive up Friday evening hunt , hunt Saturday and head home early Sunday morning.
I have friends that set up a big camp Most nights someone is in camp for the full season and often the weekend before the hunt.

How long are you camps set up, for the hunt

[wawhitey]

I think 2 weeks is reasonable, especially if its where nobody will find you.

[Indian Summer]

In Montana I would set up camp in late August and pull it around Thanksgiving at the end of November. Of course that one was a designated site on my USFS user permit and I had to pay the assigned site fee of $260.

The limit is 14 days after which you have to move the camp 5 air miles. I've ever had a reason to keep my personal camps in any longer but if I did I'd leave it. If there's one thing worth betting on it's that the Forest Service is too lazy to pay attention to that stuff and enforce it.

Even if they do tag a camp the 14 days only starts once the tag is posted on your tent with the required removal date.

[saddlesore]

I don't leave camps unattended. Typically mine are up three days before elk season and come down a day after. (13 days)
With the pot industry going so good in Colorado,you don't leave anything out.

Along the Colorado/New Mexico border, it's even risky to leave your vehicles unattended. The locals are 99% Hispanic and 99% of those hate gringos and go back 6-10 generations or more. The neighbor hunts down there, has had his truck stripped twice, and horse trailer broken into.
Even a casual encounter usually doesn't go well unless they can see you are armed

[Swede]

The locals are 99% Hispanic and 99% of those hate gringos and go back 6-10 generations or more.

That is very interesting. My wife is 100% Hispanic and her family is 100% Hispanic. I was never shown more genuine Christian love from my birth family than I have received from my family by marriage. I don't think being Hispanic is the issue. If they have been there 6-10 generations then they are Hispanic Americans. If they do serious illegal acts they are crooks just like anyone else.

If you keep your camp clean and neat, and you are not in a limited use developed campground, the F.S. is not likely to ask you to leave. In Oregon and Washington (Region 6) the limit is three weeks, but I commonly stay for five weeks at my camp location. I believe they are wanting to avoid is squatters, excessive disturbance and trashing out a place.

[saddlesore]

Swede.I think the big difference is you are married into it. It does make a difference.
While living in NM I hunted with a friend that was 1/2 Italian and 1/2 Spanish. Me being Italian ,we got along great.However,whenever we went hunting,I was not suppose to talk. Even though I spoke some Spanish, I was not convincing. He on the other hand spoke it fluently.We got on a lot of private land with him getting the access.

There is reservoir down that way( Sanchez) that has some of the best pike fishing in the state. It is not a good place to take your family.

[Swede]

Saddlesore, my friend; I appreciate you and your knowledge. You have shown us some true hunting insight. That said, I must respectfully disagree with your take on Hispanics. I know you only wrote about people along the 300 mile Colorado/New Mexico border, but what you said has no basis in fact, and it is not representative of the Mexican Americans in our Country.
I have spend my life since turning 21 with my Hispanic wife and around many other Mexican Americans. As a whole, they are no different than any other Americans. The vast majority are very good people that want the same things we all want out of life. In my wife's family alone there are many patriots with a college education. Three are or were ministers, 2 are or were pilots for United Air Lines (one out of Denver by the way), a doctor, civil engineer, several registered nurses, pharmacists, lab techs, etc. etc. Most of the people in her birth family are devout Christians. Unfortunately some are not born again believers. In that they are like other Americans.
I have never even thought that 99% of Mexican Americans are either crooks or that they hate "gringos" as you described them. Claims of such just sound bigoted. Some Hispanics wonder what is it with white Americans that they now dislike them. In this time of tension between different groups of peoples in our country, many Hispanics including citizens are feeling stressed and under siege. The rhetoric has gotten out of hand. My wife has gotten a passport for the first time because she feels the need for it in the Country she was born in and always lived in. She carries it with her in case she gets pulled over, or in case she needs to prove her citizenship for any other reason.
In other words it is time to knock off the divisive rhetoric. It is offensive and adds nothing to the hunting dialog.

Your Friend: Swede

[N&N Waterfowl]

Saddlesore, my friend; I appreciate you and your knowledge. You have shown us some true hunting insight. That said, I must respectfully disagree with your take on Hispanics. I know you only wrote about people along the 300 mile Colorado/New Mexico border, but what you said has no basis in fact, and it is not representative of the Mexican Americans in our Country.
I have spend my life since turning 21 with my Hispanic wife and around many other Mexican Americans. As a whole, they are no different than any other Americans. The vast majority are very good people that want the same things we all want out of life. In my wife's family alone there are many patriots with a college education. Three are or were ministers, 2 are or were pilots for United Air Lines (one out of Denver by the way), a doctor, civil engineer, several registered nurses, pharmacists, lab techs, etc. etc. Most of the people in her birth family are devout Christians. Unfortunately some are not born again believers. In that they are like other Americans.
I have never even thought that 99% of Mexican Americans are either crooks or that they hate "gringos" as you described them. Claims of such just sound bigoted. Some Hispanics wonder what is it with white Americans that they now dislike them. In this time of tension between different groups of peoples in our country, many Hispanics including citizens are feeling stressed and under siege. The rhetoric has gotten out of hand. My wife has gotten a passport for the first time because she feels the need for it in the Country she was born in and always lived in. She carries it with her in case she gets pulled over, or in case she needs to prove her citizenship for any other reason.
In other words it is time to knock off the divisive rhetoric. It is offensive and adds nothing to the hunting dialog.

Your Friend: Swede

Couldn't have said it any better!!!

[WapitiTalk1]

Get it back on track folks. The OP's topic/question was "How long are your camps set up, for the hunt"?

Wapiti Talk is place to talk hunt planning, preparation, and in the field tactics. Keep anything that borders on political discussion or personal opinion that may be interpreted as offensive to a person/persons in your pocket please. Nuff said, right? Carry on

[Elkduds]

Thanks to everyone who elected to be respectful on this topic. Sometimes we may not know our statements may be perceived as offensive. On most other forums, there would have been a sh!tstorm, but not here n WT. That is one big reason I value this forum.

RE the topic: 2 weeks is plenty, no telling if someone else wants their turn. There is rarely enforcement available in the spots I see camps left for a month.

[>>>---WW---->]

Two weeks is the norm in Colorado. I think that rule is to help prevent squatters. Personally, I have only been checked twice by forest service personal. The first time was by an older fellow. I told him I was planning to be there the entire season and assured him I was a hunter, not a squatter. He stopped by every day after that for coffee. LOL! Nice guy that knew how to work with people.

The second time I was checked by a young guy that had a lady ranger he was trying to impress with him. They were bent on doing everything by the book. I told them the season would be over in 16 days and would appreciate it if they would allow me the extra 2 days if needed to complete my hunt. They were both reluctant but finally agreed. However I left out the part that I had already been there for 12 days. LOL! What ever works!!!!!

[CurlyTail]

Colorado is much more likely to enforce the 14 day limit than Wyoming in my experience.

I was scouting the NF in western Wyoming and I could not believe how laid back the forest service was about camping and camp sites. Even though NF Campgrounds were around, they told me that "dispersed camping" was the normal and OK. Basicly any little pull off you could set up a tent was OK. I found all sorts of campers that had been towed up, set in a primo camp site, and obviously left for the entire summer. I did not like that myself, as I always want an area to be free of evidence of other people when possible, plus I do not like that they hog the best spots all summer.

Try camping in the NF along the front range of Colorado. No overnight camping without a permit. Permits limited in number and not free - about like trying to camp in Rocky Mountain National Park - no fun at all!