I've never actually done it, I mean leave my pack to indicate that I intend to use a site.  But I would certainly honor such an act.  Typically when I'm paddling towards a site, if I see color - bright blue, red or green -  I just assume there is someone there and move on.  It would never occur to me that someone simply forgot their loaded pack and paddled away anymore than I would assume that they had forgotten to take their tarp or tent down when they left.

I personally can't imagine just dropping a pack to "hold" a spot. We have split up however to search for sites and kept in contact via radio.

Once on North Bay even with my rainfly up I had a group of 3 canoes parked outside my site for a full 5 minutes mumbling amongst themselves. I'm not exactly sure what was discussed but it sure seemed like a war council. I know it was a prime site and I was (at the time) alone. Obviously they didn't see my black canoe or my green rainfly until they were almost on top of me. The stares I was getting made me feel a bit awkward but since I had already set the fly up I wasn't going anywhere.

Preacher wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2010 at 5:03pm:

Well, the way I read the poll, it seems to me to favor an outcome.  I guess I could have checked the first option since I've seen people do that (claim a spot with lawn chairs for parades) so the experience is somewhat transferable plus I've  heard of a particular BW outfitter that sends some lackey out to claim a specific site days before the annual well funded wine and cheese culinary type excursion. Those are extreme examples therefore I could not in good conscious check the first because I'd never 'double park' myself. Stretch limos double park because it's the best they can do sometimes so I have seen that done too although that's not really transferrable either.

As a solo normally, I see the practice inviting a world of hurt depending on who's willing to open their can of whoop-ass and when. Besides, a whole lot of inexperienced people use QJ and I simply don't see this as an acceptable practice to be suggested much less promoted. If you want a site, take it or take your chances on the next. Isn't that what the tripper types do all day long every day? Personally I check out most available campsites looking for one that suites. Last trip I went to a site I considered best. I wasn't set up long before it got dumped on for like 15 minutes. After the storm I was journaling and I mentioned I did not have the lake to myself anymore as I heard the unmistakable paddle meets canoe sound. A half hour later, I see a tandem heading for my site. The tent was in plain view, so I wondered off. When I wondered back they were still heading straight for MY site. I was more than happy to point them a great site with (probably) wet welcome wood 5 minutes away. Again, as a solo, I'm always happy to help the less nimble.

On forgetting stuff:
I remember one time I chased down a group of guys who left a huge, and I mean freaken huge tackle box on the crest of the big sloping rock on which they probably stood when loading their canoe. I can't imagine how the stern paddler could have missed it not to mention it was huge (did I mention it was huge?) enough to make extra space in the canoe obvious. I think it was theirs... I doubt they were claiming dibs on the portage. Stuff happens. Hey, I once pushed off, sat down and even lit a smoke before reaching for a paddle that was not there. It was on shore right next to my spare. DOH!

I would and have shared a campsite if someone else needed a spot.  In June 2002, my brother and I were camped on an island in Beaverhouse and waiting for my teenage son and his two friends to take their ACT test and join us in two days.  After our group became five, we were ready to leave the next day and head east into the park.  Because there was a very strong wind from the east, we decided to wait until tomorrow to leave.  About mid day two "older men" probably about 60 pulled up to our campsite asking where the Ranger Station was on Beaverhouse.  They had put in at the parking lot for Beaverhouse.  I assumed they were rookies and in fact they were rookies because nobody should get very confused from the parking lot to the ranger station.  I told them where they were on the map and pointed out where the ranger station was.  I also suggested that we were staying put because we thought it was too windy to go any where.  They had rented canoes that were probably 15 foot and they were over loaded.  I pointed out to them that as soon as they left the leeward side of the island they would be taking the wind broadside and there were some good size white caps out on the lake.  Sure enough they didn't get 50 yards before they capsized.  My son and I got to watch the whole thing.  After they capsized, they were were trying to pull the canoe to shore and making no progress.  I ran to the shore and told them to forgot the canoe and get themselves out of the water.  They were wearing pfds and with some effort they managed to get to shore.  Meanwhile, the other four guys got into our canoes with pfds, of course, to go to the rescue.  My son and his friend tied a rope onto the capsized canoe and eventually got the canoe to shore.  My brother and his partner chased down a plastic bag of gear which was being blown across the lake.  In a fairly short time, we had them, their canoe and bag back on shore.  We allowed them to use our tent and our dry clothes.  The campsite we had was not very good and was picked primarily for the purpose of meeting the three boys after they completed their ACTs and could join us.  There was only an adequate campsite and a will do campsite.  They spent the night with us on the island, but had to make due with a lousy campsite.  We share dinner and breakfast with them.    The next morning they decided they had enough and decided not to go into Badwater Lake.  I had explained that the Badwater portage from Quetico Lake would be quite challenging.

We refer to the two men as the old men from Milwaukee.  I still remember one of the men telling me that when they were in the water and trying to pull the canoe to shore, that he heard me yell, forgot the #@!! canoe and get yourself to shore.  Before they left our island, I had volunteered that they could stay with us as crossing the lake could be dangerous.

Westwood

An unattended pack on a campsite could just as easily be interpreted as "they exited in a hurry and forgot this pack."  A set-up camp (although unoccupied) is "claimed."

Funny this came up while I was out on a trip.  One of our campsites was on the southern end of an island on Brent (Quetico).  We spent a few minutes talking to another group that was occupying the campsite on the northern end of the same island.  I kind of felt the urge to move on to claim the southern site, so I cut our conversation a little short.  We hadn't been on the southern site for more than 10 minutes when a tandem group (husband/wife) showed up looking for a campsite and a friend out doing a 51 day solo.  They wound up using a less desirable site just across from the northern campsite and then took the northern site the next morning when the other group departed. 

We also had a tandem group beat us to Ted Lake by a few minutes ... we took a longer route from Gardner Bay than they did and they were already on the "5 star" site when we arrived.  However, they were a couple of nice guys and permitted me access to their site the next day to read a few messages in the cache there and put in my own note.

dd