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daffish
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daffish
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 12:45 pm 
I recently came across an abandoned (hunter’s?) campsite with a lot of abandoned gear. Several dry bags with hammocks? Tent? A dry bag with a high-end camp chair A huge rigid case (~3’ x 18” x 18”) filled with misc gear – old boots, first aid kit and more stuff An ammo case with radios, flashlight, headlamp, and a fresh package of batteries plus more stuff. A trash bag with a cheapo synthetic sleeping bag stuffed inside Various tarps, ground cloths and sleeping pads Plus, the usual trash. All of this was scattered around and left out in the open. Not carefully put away under the tarps or grouped together under trees.
abandoned gear
abandoned gear
The location is only about 1.5 miles in from the trailhead in a DNR Conservation Area. Horses are not allowed on these trails but more importantly, there was a huge blowdown across the trail on a steep hillside that had a well-trodden path uphill where one had to squeeze through past the trunk. I don’t believe a horse (or any pack animal with packs on) could get past that. So how did they get all that gear in? Helicopter? Human carry? At first, I thought that it was a recent abandonment due to weather issues, but now I wonder. That gear could have been there a long time. Years? Now with the snow ready to fall, it will probably be there through the winter buried under the snow. So, what is the protocol on taking found gear? My pack was too small to fit anything else in it and at the time I thought the owners had only recently left it and might come back during the next good weather break. It’s in a very well-hidden location and maybe they return yearly to have all the stuff there waiting for them? Except that the stuff is strewn about and trashy.

"Be moderate in everything, including moderation" Horace Porter
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Ski
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 12:53 pm 
I would suggest you first refer to THE RULES OF THE ROAD!!!

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Waterman
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 1:33 pm 
Plenty of folks on this site are willing to haul trash out of the hills. The fact that it is so close to the road would make this a quick recovery. Would you be willing to go back? Is it more than what 1 or 2 people could carry? PM me with the details. I have a vacation coming up soon.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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RichP
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 3:06 pm 
This practice must be getting more common. I just packed out a (long abandoned) junky camp in Idaho with 5 other hikers. Tent, sleeping bags and trash scattered about. Plenty of empty whiskey bottles too.

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Bootpathguy
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 4:43 pm 
Thats too bad. A hunters cache discovered by a bear?
daffish wrote:
a fresh package of batteries
Regardless, I very much doubt its abandoned. I've never abandoned a trail camera but the people who "cleaned up my abandoned gear left out in the woods" did a good deed that will surely guarantee them a ticket to heaven. Abandoned is a term sometimes used by folks to make themselves feel guiltless about taking other people's hard earned stuff when they are not around. I've accidentally discovered 2 hunter caches in the woods. I personally, would re-cache the gear as best as I could.

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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Randito
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 6:01 pm 
Caching gear for more than 48 hours is illegal in many areas. Folks leaving gear out in the woods that believe they are entitled to have their stuff unmolested are misguided.

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daffish
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daffish
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PostSat Oct 24, 2020 10:29 pm 
Bootpathguy brings up some good points as I never considered a bear disturbing the items. I didn't find any food among the gear though. But regardless of the legalities of how long someone can cache equipment, what is a reasonable amount of time before a cache becomes trash? If you wait long enough (decades), then even trash becomes protected historical artifacts. While not common, but not really rare either, I have come across half buried tarps, sleeping bags, and other assorted junk laying under a layer of tree debris and duff. Mostly near remote back country lakes where it's common to find cooking utensils hanging in a tree. (I certainly am not carrying out that cast iron skillet.) What ever happened to "Pack it in, Pack it out"?

"Be moderate in everything, including moderation" Horace Porter
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moonspots
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 7:09 am 
daffish wrote:
But regardless of the legalities of how long someone can cache equipment, what is a reasonable amount of time before a cache becomes trash?
I guess I'd call the local Sheriff, or Rangers if that's more appropriate and ask them. If I were taking a quiz on the subject, my answer would be "C - wealthy out of state hunters who didn't need any of that stuff and just left it 'cause that was easier than pack-it-out". rant.gif

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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kitya
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 1:41 pm 
From the photo it doesn't look like a bear's job at all. Bears rip stuff apart, not scatter. Also they are pretty good in figuring out stuff that smells like food and not touching what doesn't. Randito is right. Caching gear unattended for more than 48 hours is illegal in national forest without specific authorization. Also even attended, the gear should not stay more than 14 days in any ranger district, even if it is used by different people. Gear in violation of these rules should be impounded. If I find hunters gear in the woods I always try to take it out to the trash, where it belongs.

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car68
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 4:05 pm 
Any chance this "cache" is in King County?

I'm the guy 911 calls.
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Bootpathguy
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 5:12 pm 
kitya wrote:
From the photo it doesn't look like a bear's job at all. Bears rip stuff apart, not scatter
That statement couldn't be further from the truth
kitya wrote:
they are pretty good in figuring out stuff that smells like food and not touching what doesn't.
You contradict yourself Looks like the bear figured out what didn't smell like food and didnt tear it apart after he scattered it. The OP didn't mention anything about discovering any food. I assume the bear didn't either. The bear moved on and didn't waste any energy "ripping stuff apart"

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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forest gnome
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forest gnome
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 6:13 pm 
Booty pathguy..stop picking peoples sentances apart puuullleezzz.... While obvious it wasn't torn up by a bear...fresh enuf they could be back ...but as pointed out YA CAN'T LEAV YOUR CRAP IN DA WOODS. . Unless your a gnomeeee...then it mayb okie...till it snows and ya really have a git it...

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ejain
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ejain
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 6:14 pm 
If you are going to stash gear, at least put up a visible note stating when the gear was left, and when it will be removed. e.g.

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Anne Elk
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 7:06 pm 
My first thought was that it might be hastily abandoned gear left by some workers connected to an illegal grow operation, except that the location is wrong - too easily accessible. I have an active imagination. clown.gif

"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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BigBrunyon
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PostSun Oct 25, 2020 7:23 pm 
At them blm type free campin' you get the chair jackers. These guys'll take your chair your usin' to hold the deal.

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