sknhgy 

First off, let me say I like to hunt. In fact, I was bow hunting for deer this morning. This afternoon, I thought I would do a little scouting. This is in about a 1000 acre public property area that mainly is used for hunting. I'm in Illinois, in a very choice deer hunting county.
Anyway, I'm crusing on my Trek mtb on the edge of the property, down a dirt farm road that is closed to vehicular traffic. I noticed some movement from the corner of my eye. There was a hunter in a tree stand. At the instant I first looked at him his bow was pointing in my direction and he was in the process of pointing it away from me. He became quite agitated, and was almost frantically waving me off and telling me I was screwing up his hunting. I thought it was strange that he was even moving his bow.
I could have gone past him. Instead, I mumbled something about "excuse me" and turned around and went back the way I came. I didn't have to go down that road. I was just cruising; and I had every right to be where I was.
I'm hoping that maybe he at first thought I was a deer, even though I was out in the open. I think its strange how some people get so possive, intense, or whatever about hunting. Many a time I've been hunting and someone has walked by me. I just figure that's part of it if you're on public ground.
Anyone else have something like this happen? I told a friend about it and he thought he may have run into the same guy and had an issue about a duckblind. The guy was parked on some private ground adjacent to the hunting area so it's not too hard to get an idea of who he is.

Dannihilator

Never had those issues.

LowCel 

Never had any problem with hunters. I do make sure I wear brighter colors this time of year though.

Twins Fan

I've never actually had face to face encounters, but on a couple occasions I have spotted small signs in the woods saying there was bear hunters in the area.

DonValley

No Hunters, but I think I disturbed some Fornicators last week!

taylor p

he probly saw a deer comeing, if you screwd it up while i was about to shot a deer i be mad

FreeRidin'

Damn I would have been pretty scared.

I have not been confronted by a rear hunter, but I have been chased by paintballers.

JagdNeun

He probably just had some deer either browsing close or have just come through the area. I bet after he gave it some thought he probably wished he would have been more cordial. If Im ever in a situation like that I just think about the game that you might have pushed my way. I try and stay out of the woods early morning and afternoons, and ride around the middle part of the day if I can. I also try to hit the trails on a Sunday when no hunting is allowed. Your spooking less game on the bike and leaving less scent in the area than a hunter on foot. He needs to chill out.

EJ123

Why do animals have to be hunted?

DirtPedalerB

If not hunted they will regularly become hood ornaments.

Zeggelaar

I would most certainly make tracks far and fast from any "rear" hunter I met out there. It does not sound like it would be a pleasant encounter.

Lovin

You should have stopped, peed where you stood. Then left.

hehe

2manybikes

Caution: Remove arrow from chest before getting back on the bike.

Michigander

Thats never happened to me, but I have had bikers screw me up when I was hunting. I've also had other hunters screw me up when I was hunting. Its part of using public lands.

tandemonium

I've bumped into a few bow hunters hidden in trees. They have alway been polite and asked me to travel in a certain direction so as not to interfere with their hunt. As a result I now wear orange and have bell hanging from the handle bar during hunting season.

Blazinall91

sorry. PETAesque people bug me in the fact that they see hunting as senseless murder. Sorry, but the hunting is actually a conservation method for controlling population of game animals, otherwise overpoplulation happens and they die of other less humane means. Try it, you live in Texas, you'd have an easy time getting involved, it's actually quite nice and venison ( deer meat ) is a nice addition to a pot of chili

FreeRidin'

Haha they most love you! Good idea non the less.

wompwomp

Ditto! For my birthday a couple years back some of my friends made venison chili and jerky; definitely one of the best things ever.

damnable

Hmmm, human hunting as a part of the circle of life. What you say is technically true. As long as people are experienced enough so that the animal is in as little pain as possible. But...think, the overpopulation/underpopulation (depending on the animal) situation is most likely caused by human interference in terms of things like over hunting at a certain time and habitat destruction. Animals are forced into a place that is too small for them, with the wrong food chain, so that either there is not enough food for them, or there is no natural predators or pathogens to 'control' the population.

Edit - Addition: This would only hold true to native species. Non-native species that do not conform to a sustainable habitat should be culled entirely. Should you hunters ever come to Australia, you are obliged to bring with you, a golf club.

Blazinall91

exactly why we need to hunt, you're aren't going to change where humans choose to develop land and where they aren't, so when land is disrupted, and populations of animals begin to over grow their habitat, it should be controlled. would you rather have an animal starve to death, die of malnurishment, disease or would you rather have it meet a swift end from a well placed arrow or bullet?

damnable

You aren't going to change where wildlife oringinally developed their habitat the own niches. So when land is disruped, and populations of humans begin to over grow their cities, it should be controlled.

YoKev

Because they taste good.

Little Leo

tree huger

Well you guys dont live in Wisconsin. We put paper bags spray pointed orange over are deep ordaments in our yards. That way they dont get shot at.

As for friendly hunters, there was that asian dude that masacured abunch of people.

I do not leave the house during deer season.

JeniCincinnati

They can be testy can't they?

I've never come across it while riding, but had it happen when running AKC hunting dog trials. Had a turkey hunter come out yelling about all the horses and dogs ruining his hunt. Well we paid to be there too and it's public land. Funny though, as soon as he left, two toms crossed the road 10 feet from where he just yelled at us!

Too funny!

This girl hunts! So does her dawg!

Jeni

wethepeople

Because we need to eat.

And by eat I mean eat tasty meat, none of that rabbit food.