If you haven’t read part I, read HERE.
I watched the 2 men for a little while longer and followed by putting my glass down. Though they were watching me, I didn’t feel intimidated by them. However, I didn’t like the idea that I could be watched from the road, especially from a road with relatively high traffic. I finished my camp by placing my camp chair next to the fire ring – a camp isn’t complete without a chair. I kept my camp simplistic for multiple reasons, as I didn’t want to leave anything of high value out in the open with the high traffic in the area, and I was also only staying a single night.
I decided to make my way away from the main road more, in attempt to find a different camping spot that I couldn’t be watched from the road. I wasn’t going to do this in the first place because the new area is where I planned to do my evening scouting and predator calling, but it also presented a good, clear area for a camp spot.
I drove down the road a decent way to find a different camping spot, both for my single night and for my future hunt, but the road had been affected greatly by recent rains. In school, we spoke a decent amount about sheet erosion, a phenomenon that occurs when rains come down ferociously and displace soil particles, inducing erosion that takes the soil away in sheets. This leaves plants and rocks in a “pedestal” position, supported only by a pedestal of soil that wasn’t eroded away. Well, pedestals in this area were anywhere from 1”-4”, meaning that a huge amount of erosion occurred. This moves a huge amount of material and creates further ditches and gulleys, which forced me to drive very slowly and carefully.
I got to what would be my next camping spot to find someone already camped there, right at the base of a mountain that I was going to call for foxes and coyotes. I turned around and went back to my original camp.
Stopping at my camp, I was content with my setup. As mentioned, I’d only be staying here for one night, so it didn’t need to be elaborate. It was at this moment that I decided to not hunt this spot. It wasn’t even hunting season and the roads and camp sites were filled with other people. Granted, more people move deer around, but I’d rather not deal with high hunting pressure and compete with others for the opportunity at a deer. Rather than scouting, I decided to focus the rest of my evening looking for predators. I knew of a badger den only a few miles away, and figured it would be a good starting point for predators.
Once again, I ran into the horseback riders on my way to the badger den, reaffirming my decision to not hunt deer here. I got to where I thought the badger den was, parked, and began my hike.
The grass was much taller than it was the last time I was there, creating an environment that was foreign to my eye. I searched and searched for the badger den, and just could not find it. I set upon a hillside over where I thought it might be, and started to call for predators.
After a 25 minute stand and zero action, I put my pack back on and headed back to my vehicle. The sun was starting to set, and I had only about 20 minutes of daylight left. I decided to try for some road snakes, hoping that they would be on the dirt road for the last bit of heat that may remain on the road.
I drove roughly 15 miles as the sun finally set behind the far mountains. I slowly made my way back to camp, taking pictures along the way, all while being snake less. The cattle were in abundance along the road, including some of the biggest bulls I’ve seen in this area, forcing me to take my time as I drove.
I approached my camp in complete darkness, illuminated by nothing but my headlights. It was at this moment that my eye caught a change to my camp, something of which was different than the last time I’d seen it only a couple of hours ago.
I drove up to my tent being thrown into the large fire ring, along with my cot inside, and finished with my chair being thrown on top.
The wind wasn’t even strong enough to blow over my chair, let alone to blow over my tent that had a cot inside, corners stake, and rocks on the corners. Someone had come to my camp while I was gone, and was trying to send a message.
I drove a slow circle in my vehicle, checking for any signs of lingering people that may still be watching me. I saw no signs and followed by getting out of my vehicle, flashlight out, gun drawn. I made another short scan of the perimeter, only to find nothing once again. The ground I was on was a hard-pack dirt/sand mixture, and held no tracks.
I first removed my chair from atop my tent and put it inside the vehicle. I then checked my tent – the zipper was closed. I checked inside to find my cot still intact and not broken, but the rocks that were inside were removed. I quickly broke down my cot and threw it in my vehicle. I followed by breaking down my tent, of which had a small rip and a slightly bent rod, but was otherwise fine.
I followed by leaving the camp quickly. There was no telling what the intentions of the people were, but I wasn’t trying to play games alone and in the darkness. I’m assuming that someone was trying to send a message for me to get out, whether it be from the nearby rancher or another hunter.
Regardless the intentions, these kind of actions give outdoorsman everywhere a bad name. Each day, our right to hunt, fish, and explore the outdoors is trying to be taken away. We, as outdoorsman, must stick together to keep these rights, but malicious acts as these send the very opposite message, and only give those against us more ammo to fight.
To the person/s that did this, all I have to say is that karma will have you.