The wife and I went out camping for the first time in a few years. We have a place 2 hours outside the city near Mt Rainier WA, where we go shooting a few times a year etc. It’s a somewhat lesser known spot where you find the a few casings from people shooting and a leftover burn pit/campfire remains. It’s maybe a 50 foot by 30 foot area. Nothing huge.
We got there early. Set up camp and enjoyed the day. The wife and I are laying around and we put a movie on our projector, and kicked back. Halfway through the movie we hear a engine approaching. It is now around 7:30-8pm, still broad daylight here in PNW. This white van pulls up and parks like 15 feet across from our tent. Their engine is pretty loud. They just sit there idling for a few moment then you hear their side door open and let a dog out and it barks at us because strangers, and movie noises coming from a tent. We are in the middle of nowhere. Not campgrounds, not reserved areas, literally in the middle of the woods. We are maybe 10-15 miles nearest to a very tiny town. We bring guns with us to shoot some targets while out there. My wife already feels taken aback like why are you camping right next to us. I anxiously approach their van as I feel weird to even have to confront them in the first place.
The conversation went as follows: Dog runs over to me barking as I approach their van. A young 20 something y/o lady steps out looking bewildered. I start with “Hello! I wanted to let you know that we’re about to shoot our guns here in a moment. We have a few buddies coming out tomorrow morning to join in with us. So it’s gonna be pretty loud for you guys and the dog.” she responded with “Oh… Well this is a common camping spot and we stay here every summer….” I responded by pointing to the large burm and the shells on the ground saying “It’s also a common shooting area and has been for over a decade. We’re also going to be watching movies late into the night on our projector and sitting out by our portable propane fire well into the morning. There is MANY other spots ahead, and back down the road that are not occupied as you must have seen on the way up here.” I walked away back to our tent.
Once they took off I went ahead and pulled our tundra into that spot they sat in so we were kinda crowding the surrounded area now instead.
My wife was just confused as to why they would even impose on someone else when the spot is already taken. Thinking about it my whole life you see a spot taken you move onto the next even if it was the better spot you wanted oh well first come first serve. I would never just park next to someone else especially if they’re tent camping. Especially being in a Van/RV. That is just rude in my mind. This isn’t a campground. This is the literal middle of nowhere in the woods and you chose the 1 spot that has people.
How does everyone feel about this situation are we the a-holes? I’m just curious what everyone’s take is on camping etiquette when not at campgrounds.
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The wife and I went out camping for the first time in a few years. We have a place 2 hours outside the city near Mt Rainier WA, where we go shooting a few times a year etc. It’s a somewhat lesser known spot where you find the a few casings from people shooting and a leftover burn pit/campfire remains. It’s maybe a 50 foot by 30 foot area. Nothing huge.
We got there early. Set up camp and enjoyed the day. The wife and I are laying around and we put a movie on our projector, and kicked back. Halfway through the movie we hear a engine approaching. It is now around 7:30-8pm, still broad daylight here in PNW. This white van pulls up and parks like 15 feet across from our tent. Their engine is pretty loud. They just sit there idling for a few moment then you hear their side door open and let a dog out and it barks at us because strangers, and movie noises coming from a tent. We are in the middle of nowhere. Not campgrounds, not reserved areas, literally in the middle of the woods. We are maybe 10-15 miles nearest to a very tiny town. We bring guns with us to shoot some targets while out there. My wife already feels taken aback like why are you camping right next to us. I anxiously approach their van as I feel weird to even have to confront them in the first place.
The conversation went as follows: Dog runs over to me barking as I approach their van. A young 20 something y/o lady steps out looking bewildered. I start with “Hello! I wanted to let you know that we’re about to shoot our guns here in a moment. We have a few buddies coming out tomorrow morning to join in with us. So it’s gonna be pretty loud for you guys and the dog.” she responded with “Oh… Well this is a common camping spot and we stay here every summer….” I responded by pointing to the large burm and the shells on the ground saying “It’s also a common shooting area and has been for over a decade. We’re also going to be watching movies late into the night on our projector and sitting out by our portable propane fire well into the morning. There is MANY other spots ahead, and back down the road that are not occupied as you must have seen on the way up here.” I walked away back to our tent.
Once they took off I went ahead and pulled our tundra into that spot they sat in so we were kinda crowding the surrounded area now instead.
My wife was just confused as to why they would even impose on someone else when the spot is already taken. Thinking about it my whole life you see a spot taken you move onto the next even if it was the better spot you wanted oh well first come first serve. I would never just park next to someone else especially if they’re tent camping. Especially being in a Van/RV. That is just rude in my mind. This isn’t a campground. This is the literal middle of nowhere in the woods and you chose the 1 spot that has people.
How does everyone feel about this situation are we the a-holes? I’m just curious what everyone’s take is on camping etiquette when not at campgrounds.
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> I had to ask the van lifers if they would leave, and I feel like that might make me the asshole because it is a public forest.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
Who tf brings a projector to watch movies while camping
NAH. I don’t know about camping etiquette specifically but looks like they listened to you and left. You felt awkward to have a polite confrontation but it worked out well.
NTA. Especially since you were kind, and let them know you were going to be shooting guns and having other folks join – it’s not unreasonable of you to let them know you needed the space. Also, who just lets their dogs out in the woods at a clearly occupied campsite?!
NTA. They were camping on top off you when there was plenty of other sites. Think you handled diplomatically.
If it’s a spot in the middle of nowhere, who owns it?
If it’s public land or you’re both on someone’s land illegally, ESH and also YTA because it’s not your land, you didn’t rent or reserve it, so they have the same right to it as you do. You have no claim to it. They’re not claim jumping you.
Who just sets up spot in the middle of nowhere to camp without getting permission? In the South, if you tried that on “in the middle of nowhere land” owned by myself or ppl I know, your random shooting shells are going to be child’s play. Especially during hunting system.
If this is your land or owned by a friend that lets you stay there, then n t a but I doubt that’s the case.
NTA
NTA and I’d be taken aback too. I know the Rainer area and the hunting customs, and all the shooters are careful about anyone around. That’s really weird. Did you get stalker vibes from these guys?
NTA. These are the same people who sit right next to you on an otherwise empty bus, or pee at the urinal right next to the one you’re using. Setting up camp in an already occupied campsite is wild.
NTA. The point of dispersed camping is that it is dispersed… you go find your own piece of paradise.
Depends entirely on who owns the property, whether or not ANY of you have permission to be there, and whether or not there’s some kind of…anything… to prevent you from killing some random passerby on the other side treeline during your target practice.
This patch in the middle of the woods is owned by someone – be it private property, state owned land, or federal land & there are laws in place about tresspassing on all of them.
Same people who park right next to my car when I park it as far out in the lot as possible. Good for you. NTA
Nah – I wish I was as confident as those people. They didn’t do anything wrong and neither did you. Now if they had said no and you fought about it, then it’s a problem.
Sounds like they were checking out your goods, especially pulling up in a van like a couple of hippies.
A white VAN is the start of every horrible movie. NTA but yikes.
NTA – I imagine the arrangement is like the Boundary Waters in MN here (you buy a pass into the land, and you find an open campsite (none are assigned or reserved, and there are some “unofficial” campsites scattered around). First come gets the claim. Rolling up to a spot that’s very obviously already claimed and just staying is super rude. You weren’t hostile – you just pointed out that you were already there and will be continuing to use the site.
I have found this to be a common theme with Gen Z. There is a pronounced lack of social awareness when dealing IRL.
So, this was on your own private property? How dare they 🙄
Technically if it’s not an official campground they had every right to park wherever they wanted, they could’ve also taken your comment about shooting guns as a threat if they felt like it, just be careful in the future his you interact with people when it comes to situations like this, don’t act like parking in the middle of nowhere first means no one can park anywhere near you just because you don’t like people being that close
NTA. I noticed this phenomenon a lot when backcountry camping and hiking. There’s not a soul for miles around. You find the perfect spot to hang out for lunch, or to set up camp. Up comes some people and they’re like, “Oh! There’s someone else here! Looks like a good spot!” And post up right next to you. Happened to me so many times!
I think it’s because a lot more people who aren’t very experienced in being outdoors are getting out, maybe because of social media. Maybe because everything is getting more expensive and camping is relatively cheap and low barrier to entry. It’s not inherently a bad thing, but they’re not educated on proper etiquette, and sometimes are too scared to camp alone so they want to be near other people like it’s some crowded national park camp ground.
NTA This is some criminal minds type behavior. My alarm bells would be going off. This is like a person sitting down next to you on and empty bus or train, hair raising behavior, and it’s as rude as using the urinal next to the one that already occupied.
NTA
Some people really are just that clueless. It’s the same type who sit next to you in an empty theater or take the bathroom stall next to you in a completely empty restroom.
Speaking up right away was smart.
Was she alone, other than her dog? Maybe she was uncomfortable alone and thought she’d be safer there.
Nta you don’t camp right near someone if there’s other spots wtf that’s just weird. Good on ya moving em along right away