How to scare other campers away

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MSkiba

Settler
Aug 11, 2010
842
1
North West
So there is this lovely bit of forest Ive been going too for over 15 years. The problem is in the last 2 years I keep seeing fire pits all over the place with cans, plastic, metal and even a freekin' mattress burnt on top not to mention lots of young trees cut down and just left there unused. Just a big pile of rubbish, and it is spreading.

Once I was there at the same time as these young numpties were camping but I descided to stay consealed in my little secret camp spot.

I was going to clean up after them, but that would teach them the wrong lesson, also, there is so much crap, were talking 10 full bin liners of rubbish that I wont handle myself.

How would you deal with it?

Visit them in the middle of the night with a balaclava and a machette to scare them? Stick a laminated note onto their old firepit? report to authotities?

I told myself next time they are camping I will zip tie their tent zips. But how would you deal with it?
 

Melonfish

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 8, 2009
2,460
1
Warrington, UK
I'd report to the authorities. taking any action yourself is liable to get you in alot of bother, especially zip tying their tents shut (which is a cracking idea btw)
i'd say if they are leaving a mess when you see them, call the authorities and have them shifted by the local fuzz, the downside to this is they may then watch this area and you may loose your own ability to stop there for a while. i take it this is a public wood you stay in?
 
if you were to take photographs of both the numpties and their refuse when they are done then send it to the authorities you should be fine
anything else nowadays and you open yourelf to all sorts of potential hassle right upto legal troubles, no matter how sweet it might feel at the time to appear from the dark side of thier fire in a ghillie suit screaming and waving assorted sharp things at them whilst gibbering about satan wanting their souls (please note this isnt a suggested course of action...honest :lmao:)
 

MSkiba

Settler
Aug 11, 2010
842
1
North West
Hmm I see. I gues it comes down to it that I dont know if its the same people making the mess and it would be hard to take a photo of their faces in the dark (specially when they will be drunk judging by the amount of cans left behind everytime. I think the best thing to do in this situation would be to approach them and just have a friendly chat and voice my concerns and offer some simple solutions (like bring a bin liner and take ur rubbish home).
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
We have a constant problem with campers on Crompton Moor near me and so far the council has proved totally ineffective in dealing with the problem.

Largely we just have to clear up the mess they leave but occasionally we find them still asleep in the morning and I usually call the police in.

Waking up to a 6' copper with a fixed penalty ticket is a major discouragement.

One of the locals has taken to dumping anything of value left outside the tents onto the embers of the fire if it's still burning. So far this has included shoes, backpacks and even a ghetto blaster on one occasion. It's not something I would do but I'm sure that is just as discouraging.
 

Bigfoot

Settler
Jul 10, 2010
669
4
Scotland
Call the Police in the first instance, even in remote areas they will respond (eventually!).

I have lifted and filled sacks of refuse left behind by "wild" campers (aka young folks drunk on cheap cider and god knows what else) at many remote spots in Scotland, which seems to be desecrated on an increasingly regular basis by these selfish arses (can I say arses on this forum?). I do not recommend trying to tackle anyone whilst they are in the middle of their stupid antics, you will just get drawn into aggro and be outnumbered, so that approach is pretty dangerous. On places near Loch Lomond, (Luss etc) the police are pretty quick to respond as they are actively trying to discourage yobs coming up from Glasgow to create mess and havoc. The situation on the east side of the loch got so bad that camping of any kind is now banned there. On Loch Etive, which is a bit more remote, I stumbled upon a whole bunch of folk (not youngsters) who were basically trashing the place, using the loch as a latrine, burning everything they could find. I didn't call the Police at that point but went back the next day to help clear the mess. Later I spoke to a Bobby I happened to meet in Glencoe and he told me that I should have reported it straight away. I will next time.
 

xairbourne

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
296
23
Pontypool
www.youtube.com
Come from the darkness, run through the camp jumping and shouting " I AM THE MUSHROOM GOD" and disappear into the darkness. Taken a little bit from crocodile dundee and The fast show. Should sober them up and make them sleep with one eye open...lol
 

Loenja

Settler
Apr 27, 2008
718
1
forest row
make some noise in the surounding bush to keep them thinking about what in there(when there drunk it should have the desired effect.)
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
Scrape you fingers down their tents slowly and then completely disappear when they investigate. Either that or record the howl of the werewolf in American Werewolf in London. Then play it back really loudly when they turn in. That'd freak em out.
 

Melonfish

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 8, 2009
2,460
1
Warrington, UK
spook tactics aren't too bad, as long as you're not directly interacting with them you can make noise etc. i like the idea of gnomes though. imagine them waking in the morning accusing each other of pulling this prank only to find out that NONE of them did it.
you may need help though 2-3 people laying as many gnomes as possible.
 
Why not take the weirdly overly welcoming route? Couple of examples...

Friend always used to want to get four seats to himself on the train. When anyone walked through the carriage looking for somewhere to sit he would adopt a wide eyed grin and beckon them over to sit next to him, patting the seat....

The father of an old Swedish girlfriend of mine did a lot of summer sailing in the Stockholm archipelago. When they had found a nice little island to themselves for the night, and another boat would drift in looking to anchor, he would get the whole family to quickly strip off and run to the edge of the water waving enthusiastically to them to come in .

Not sure how you would apply this type of tactic in your situation though! And danger is you will eventually find some weirdo who joyfully takes up your invitation.
 

teknohippy

Tenderfoot
Aug 25, 2010
74
0
Watford & Apsley, Herts
You need a good costume I think:

146785.jpg
 
spook tactics aren't too bad, as long as you're not directly interacting with them you can make noise etc. i like the idea of gnomes though. imagine them waking in the morning accusing each other of pulling this prank only to find out that NONE of them did it.
you may need help though 2-3 people laying as many gnomes as possible.

Yup and if they are staying for another night and have placed the gnomes to one side, move them back again or replace them the next night with more sinister/armed ones and closer to the tent.
tiki%20garden%20gnome%20%283%29.jpg


As long as they dont get a copy of:

9781580084635.jpg
 

Loenja

Settler
Apr 27, 2008
718
1
forest row
or just nick their shoes etc and hang them in a tree,
that makes for an interesting morning
 
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Another thing you could try is record some scenes from band of brothers/the pacific and play it back really loud and when the sound a shell hits the ground and you get the dirt falling back to the ground noise throw a handful of sand in the air at their tent. Makes it seem more realistic. :D
 

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