JerseyGirl88

First time posting here, but I have a question about hunting ettiquette. My house backs up to a wildlife management area so I have the wonderful luxury of easy access to deer hunting. I'm relatively new to hunting (started with rabbits 7 years ago and got into deer about 4 years ago, just got my archery license this year). I have a climbing stand but have been working the same general spot since I started. I had seen an old ladder stand, but have never seen anyone go to it, and this year I've been out a lot. I try and keep an eye on it and have typically tset up about 100 yards away, regardless if anyone is there or not. Well last night, as I was climbing down from the tree, I started hearing a guy (who I did not see until this moment) yell to, I assume his kid, that he's had the stand up for f***ing five years and what kind of a**hole would set up right here. So I yelled out "hello?" and he starts yelling at me that I should have walked around to make sure no one else was here, and that he's been here for 5 years and it's his spot. I told him I never saw him, I can't see the stand from this spot, and that I also have been around a bunch the last few years, too. Then it appeared that he was waiting by his car to confront me further, but I just simply took the trail back to my house and he sped away. I decided to move my spot to avoid more confrontation, but, as a new hunter, I do want to know if I broke hunter ettiquette. To me, it doesn't seem right to set up a stand for years and claim the spot as your own, especially if you aren't going back very often. I also think he should have just talked to me, because I would be more than willing to work around him. But as I mentioned, I'm still new so I'm trying to learn as much as possible! Thank you!