I've never had a real problem but have seen some asked to leave. Those were people living in the forest well past the 14 day limit. I just got back from a 5 week boondocking trip, turkey hunting. I have talked to the Forest Service police about hunting past the 14 day limit and have always been told no problem. I did have an encounter a few weeks ago. Seems someone who was camped near where I was set up, before I got there had thrown out about a gallon of spagetti. The ranger thought I had done it, after showing him my garbage can and recycle box I always carry all was ok. He said nothing in the woods would eat pasta or Mexican food. I think he was correct mold was growing all over the spagetti. He did say they turned a blind eye toward some things, bones, most vegetables ect though you could be fined even for them. Any thing like that is usually gone before daylig.ht, you just have to put up with skunks, racoons and an ocassional bear or coyote
I usually call the Ranger station of the area I am going to not just to get basic info the first time but to check for fire bans and other changes each time after. I never want to be where we are not wanted.
2011 GulfStream Amerilite 25BH
2007/2003 Ford Expedition
Nights camped in 2011 21
Nights camped in 2012 16
I've been dry camping and boondocking on public land for probably thousands of trips over 50 years and not once have I been ticketed or asked to leave. But I stay on public lands, not parking lots, urban areas, rest stops or places posted against camping. There are some rules for that, but they're minimal and straightforward.
If, as someone suggested, you're confusing boondocking with staying in parking lots or urban areas that's a different animal altogether. Then you have issues with private property and various city codes and regulations that can vary all over the landscape. So you need to ask what rules might apply to what you propose to do. I'd think in most cases you'd just be asked to move on, but in some cases one could get ticketed, especially if it's posted.
rfryer wrote: I've been dry camping and boondocking on public land for probably thousands of trips over 50 years and not once have I been ticketed or asked to leave. But I stay on public lands, not parking lots, urban areas, rest stops or places posted against camping. There are some rules for that, but they're minimal and straightforward.
If, as someone suggested, you're confusing boondocking with staying in parking lots or urban areas that's a different animal altogether. Then you have issues with private property and various city codes and regulations that can vary all over the landscape. So you need to ask what rules might apply to what you propose to do. I'd think in most cases you'd just be asked to move on, but in some cases one could get ticketed, especially if it's posted.
Boondocking to me is what rfryer is talking about;
staying out in the boonies with nobody around. Cops won't bother you unless you're on restricted land/private property/or doing something stupid/or all of the above. The OP needs to clarify what he considers boondocking; ie, camping overnight at WalMart or camping out in the middle of the California desert?
What is bad is when you get officer Over-Eager. Now, I've not had to deal with him in the RV (Though I sure did in a car, I'll not tell that story today). But I have dealt with security guard Over.
The story: I parked at a Wal-mart, for the purpose of shopping, I was not planing on spending the night.. Just filling the pantry. Guard says You can't stay here (Idiot).. I said "Even to shop?" and he ask what i mean, I said We are here to shop, not to stay, of course if you want I can shop elsewhere.
(Tell management when that happens by the way)
A short on officer: Among other things, the idiot gave me a ticket for disregarding a traffic control device (NO TURN ON RED sign) That DID NOT EXIST!.
Yup, they are out there. Much more to his story by the way.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
There are rules in place in Ontario for camping on crown land (the local term for public land). The local MNR is your best source for this information. They will know about any restrictions and may even know of a few good spots. Generally free for Ontario residences with maximum stays. Enforcement varies by area popularity and behavior of campers.
Every fall we used to camp in a certain large western-US reservoir's marina parking lot. My parents' trailer, a couple aunts and uncles, and grandparents. 25 or so kids, 8-10 adults, I guess we had a sort of "understanding", because the campground about a mile around the corner was closed for the season by the time we got there.
Are you talking about boondocking or stealth camping? I always thought one was permitted to boondock in authorized areas, and if it was not a authorized area, it was called stealth camping.
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