Sharing the Wild with Fellow Travelers

The following is a guest post by Shepard Humphries, owner of the Jackson Hole Shooting Experience, the newest advertiser on our Things To Do page on TetonHikingTrails.com:

Many of the great hiking trails across the country go through areas in which other people are enjoying activities, including mountain biking, photography, long range shooting, rock climbing, ATV riding and other adventures. I love that well-intentioned, peaceful people can joyfully share space with others.

It is heartwarming to watch people interact with each other in the wild and it is wonderful how polite and respectful most people are of others and their preferred style of recreation. While there are sometimes some bad eggs that make the people in their particular sport look like jerks, the vast majority of people get along well with each other.

I recall coming down a mountain trail with a friend on our mountain bikes about 20 years ago, and because of the incline and the single track it was difficult to stop quickly in that area. Some people out walking their dogs were near the trail and stepped to the side to let us go by -- however, they did not call their dogs off of the trail. My friend wrecked his bike as a result.

We were all wrong in this case. My friend and I should have been bicycling more slowly so that we could keep control of our bikes and the hikers should have been more empathetic and taken proactive steps to clear the trail for two guys having a great time getting their adrenaline kicks. This incident was a great lesson for me, and now I am more courteous when I am out walking my own dog. I have not cycled for many years now, but if I pick it up again, I will be more careful around others.

My current favorite outdoor sports are long range shooting and ATV riding, frequently enjoyed together. I encourage other ATV riders to slow down when passing hikers or other recreators. The dust from ATVs and their weight and speed make it much safer and more polite to slow down and be respectful. While I am not a hunter, I appreciate that many conservationists do enjoy hunting big game or waterfowl and I make special efforts not to unnecessarily annoy them by the noise of my vehicle.

Long range precision rifle shooting is a detail-oriented sport enjoyed by some of the brightest shooters. It is considered to be “the golf of shooting sports.” Unlike the sometimes reckless target shooters with shotguns, pistols or hunting rifles shooting cans and old microwaves at close range, long range precision shooting is almost always done by experienced people with a contemplative nature. Just as a car driving 70 miles an hour can pass within a couple feet of another car driving 70 miles an hour in the opposite direction, it is also safe for long-range shooters to enjoy their sport near other recreational activities.

Long range precision rifle shooters can usually be identified by their posture and the gear they have with them. If you see a person lying down to shoot or a tripod with a spotting scope beside a shooter, there is a very good chance that the shooter is experienced and responsible. This is not always the case, however, but if you see this you will have a good indication that you will be safe. On the other hand, if you see people throwing beer cans while loud music is playing and people are yelling, it would be wise to change your course to get around that group as they will frequently be a higher risk.

Whether or not a group looks responsible, they are probably decent folks that do not want to purposely injure anyone else. This is why it is important, just like hiking in grizzly country, to make yourself known! A long-range shooter, even at 1 mile away, will probably not miss the target by more than 10 yards. When I am instructing clients or friends, I am always sure to remind them to frequently scan the area for other people that might be enjoying other activities. Our long range school also uses sound suppressors with most of our rifles.

As long as shooters can see you, almost all of them will stop shooting until you have passed by the danger area. If they see you and continue shooting in your direction, be as wary of them as you would be of a teenage boy with a new sports car and stay away from the area! Most long range shooters are careful planners and will probably have extra hydration with them as well as a GPS, so if you are ever running low on water or are lost, come up and chat with them and I bet they will offer you some water and directions.

When photographers are shooting photos, they are used to other people walking by. Most photographers would prefer that you keep walking right down the path normally rather than doing unpredictable things like trying to stay out of their frame by walking through the woods right behind them. Just keep doing your normal thing and make eye contact and perhaps they will squint and send you the universal human signal of, “Would you mind waiting just a moment to walk through here please?”

It would, of course, be in poor form for you to take longer than necessary to be in the area that they are shooting. If you can move out of their shot and find a different place to set up your picnic lunch, they would probably very much appreciate you.

There are other etiquette guidelines beyond the few mentioned here that outdoor users should follow, including allowing the uphill walker or bicyclist the right of way and using good common sense in general. We are all human critters out trying to enjoy a good time in nature in our own ways, and while we might not understand or appreciate other users’ recreation preferences, good people treat other people well and that is what I choose to do.

I hope to see you on the trail and make a new friend, but be careful… if you ask a question about long range ballistics, I will likely blabber away for many minutes sharing my excitement for my preferred activity with you!

By Shepard Humphries

The millionaire’s shooting coach Shepard Humphries is a Wyoming long range shooting instructor, husband, father, grandfather, philosopher, entrepreneur and friend to just about everyone he meets. Based in Jackson Hole Wyoming, Shepard serves on the board of the non-profit Jackson Hole Shooting Sports Foundation and is the President of the firm he founded in 2010, the Jackson Hole Shooting Experience. He serves UHNWI with his shooting experiences on private properties throughout the western US. His hobby is performing voluntaryist work in the human rights arena, and his passion for fine wine, peace, Austrian economics and excellence in life and livelihood make for fun conversations with friends new and old.




Jeff
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