Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

    Just an off Season Topic here. Those here who only have access to State/Public Lands have probably  seen a huge increase in Mountain Bikers on Public Lands in the last 10 years. And not just on the Weekends either. Local " Open" Lands as well. Give a few kids on Dirt Bikes a few weeks to get a new Trail started and the Mountain  Bikers will definitely  find it and spread the word.
      I have never had any problem  with Hikers on Public Lands. Most are friendly. But these Mountain Bikers " for the most part" are Rude and can be on Top of you Quickly and Quietly and at Full Speed if they are alone.
    And that is the problem right there-- for the Turkeys. Be in a Mom with Poults ,an older Family Flock in October, or 2 Gobbler Brothers Traveling  Together. Those Mountain Bikes are Quiet. Then the Turkeys see Fast Flashes of the Brightest  Yellows,Pinks,Reds,Purples,Greens,etc- all molded into one and moving at super sonic speed.
    I was Full Turkey Hunting some years back and around a curve in the narrow Trail came a Mountain Biker. He almost hit me. Light orange mirror sunglasses and not even a nod.  I repeat- these Bikes are Quiet.
    A big problem  with the Mountain  Bikers on Public Lands is their habit of Biking around the Perimeter of Fields. I can't  think of anything else that would Scare the Turkeys more then to see a Bright Blue,Red,+ Yellow contraption  moving in their direction at a Top Speed.
    I have adapted  to what is going on. It is what it is. Just one more thing  that will Probably  quiet up the Gobblers and have them on Alert when entering Fields.
   And most Mountain Bikers don't  want you out there on " Their Land". Back in April in New Jersey,I was climbing up a medium mountain and saw that the Trail was altered. It was replaced by these stupid circular Trails that the Mountain Bikers had Built.
    And that Mountain Biker Group is huge. I don't  know how much Local + National  Political  Clout they have-- but they probably  have more then the Hunters.
   Again- just an off Season Topic here. If you Own your own Land or have Private Access and never set foot on Public Dirt-- consider  yourselves Fortunate.

You are dealing with people that wear helmets. That should tell you what you need to know.

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Spike strips! LOL

Just something else for us turkeys and other animals to deal with!

Okay as someone that did a lot of mountain biking before my last car accident and still goes to races on occasion I have to ask an honest question, how is your hearing? These bikes are anything but quiet. These days they have shocks going up and down in the front and the back and sometimes on the seats as well, the brakes tend to squeak quite a bit especially if it is on a downhill trail as the brakes tend to "glaze over" or "Toe" forward making them squeak when applied. In some cases the people are wearing protective gear made of plastic that gets jostled around as they go down the trail and so on all making tons of noise.

Yes on some trails they can really get going fast, no doubt about that, but the motorcycles you bring up go faster and are much louder. By the way you seem to use "dirt bikes" and "Mountain Bikes" interchangeably, they are not the same.

I find horses to be more a problem myself, hate them on the trails, nothing like riding your bike along and having crap splashed all over you that some horse left behind on the trail. Or having a horse that spattered it across the whole trail and you can't walk around it. I think they should have to get off the horse and use a shovel to throw it off into the weeds myself. Also the horseshoes leave more sign behind with their metal shoes than the average biker does with their rubber tires.

Turkey see cars/motorcycles those colors on the road going by much faster all the time so I do not think that bugs them. They also see trail vehicles on the farm going by.

As far as their habit of Biking around the Perimeter of Fields goes they really do not have much choice, it is not easy to ride over roots and all like on a dirt bike (not that it is a ton easier) plus the farmers would complain if they rode through their crops and rightfully so.

Now as far as going by you with the glasses, I was not their to see what the area looked like, could be it may have been safer for him to continue if it was a steep area or stony, maybe not. (looking back you say it was narrow) Could be if he was moving fast he could not turn his head, on a bike you tend to go where your head turns, try it some times on a road bike. I personally would have tried to stop if safe.

Quite frankly you come off like it is your trail, we all share it and the majority of cyclist I have known are pretty good people. (Except those road snobs that have to have everything matching, and wear lycra pants, those guys/gals tend to be rich elitist jerks) Oh and those circular trails (if I am understanding you correctly) are called loops and are used by both bikers and hikers alike, normally for shortened rides/walks.

Now IMBA the International Mountain Biking Association and others heavily discourage altering trails, not only because it changes the looks but because if done incorrectly which it is in most cases by these fringe groups it can cause severe erosion. Unfortunately just like any other group of people all have their bad ones and yes trail damage happens by mountain bikers/motorcyclists/hikers/skiers and yes even hunters who want more "Radical" trails or better access to other areas and it is a shame.

General public use of our public lands comes with the territory nowadays,...and us turkey hunters are the "odd men out" in terms of the priorities of the agencies that manage these lands.  And it ain't gonna get any better going forward.  Taking an antagonistic approach to dealing with it does nothing but move the needle further towards the non-consumptive use side of the equation in terms of how those managing agencies look at things.

The best we can do is "try" to keep a smile on our faces when dealing with that general public, while at the same time lobbying for regulations that mitigate some of the conflicts of interest.  For instance, there are existing places where things like dirt bike and ATV use is restricted during hunting seasons, or in certain areas, in general.  There are reasonable compromises that can be made with these other folks. 

Word to the wise: Getting all bent out of shape with them prior to "coming to the table" to find those compromises is not going to help matters one bit.   :icon_thumright:

To Hell with a mountain bike and double to Hell with a group of bikes on a public road way. The public paved roads are an entirely different animal and discussion.

I understand we share the public trails but I have yet to have a good encounter with a bike rider that was off road. Even had them trespassing on private land in the South East. I think it is a double edge issue trying to get them on a level playing field with permits, etc. Right now in all the states that I have been aware of when I have bumped into bikers, is hunters were the only ones paying for the right to be there.

Just have to go farther and stay longer to avoid people in general.

I have zero issue with bikes in general, however electric bikes on closed forest roads is a whole other issue out west.

These trails are closed to motorized vehicles during winter and early spring months, there is evidently zero enforcement on these roads, was like the electric bike hells angels in one place I hunted, thought going early when all the roads were closed would be a bonus, well not really!

Even asked one group at a gate(nice enough crew) what the regs were, they all played stupid.

Now I hear they are changing what is considered a motorized bike, certain sized motors are legal, how the hell is a bike with a motor legal on a non motorized or closed trail, logic just keeps eroding away.

Insulted as many electric bikers as I could handle during early March on a Florida forum.  The situation down here was the ones using illegal (no bikes/no horse) trails on their EBs and passing hunters that were already walking in. Very common on the bigger WMAs such as Big Cypress.  Word is they will get more access and less regulation next year.  Just buy a golf cart. 

There is probably a Mountain Biker forum somewhere and they are discussing rude turkey hunters who put up tents and rubber turkeys right on the bike trails. 

  Disagree with you Die-alot. I usually  agree with all your Threads on huntingny.
   Don't  tend to overthink  things.  Those New Mountain Bikes are quiet. They can be on top of you on a Heartbeat. Or The Turkeys.
   I don't  know about you- but,I Hike year round-- including just this morning.  I see alot out there.   See you back at huntingny soon.

What has always bugged me is that hunters are the only ones in Florida that pay extra to access land that is free to others.  And I am not talking about our Hunting license.  I am talking about our management stamp.  Unless all users need a special fee, then no users should have to pay for land that belongs to all of us.  Some of them do charge for equine and off road vehicles, but not all.  Conversely, I would be cool with it if hunting season was for hunting and the rest of the year was all other user season.  Bet that would fly like a lead balloon. 

Again, just like the hunting techniques that some of us here don't like, bikers are legal. So you have 2 choices. Change the law, or put up with it. Either that or pay to hunt private land. I don't see another option.

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Quote from: hootgobbleyelpgobble on June 09, 2022, 11:16:05 AM
To Hell with a mountain bike and double to Hell with a group of bikes on a public road way. The public paved roads are an entirely different animal and discussion.

I understand we share the public trails but I have yet to have a good encounter with a bike rider that was off road. Even had them trespassing on private land in the South East. I think it is a double edge issue trying to get them on a level playing field with permits, etc. Right now in all the states that I have been aware of when I have bumped into bikers, is hunters were the only ones paying for the right to be there.

Just have to go farther and stay longer to avoid people in general.

Ive had far more issues with turkey hunters from the SE tresspassing on private land here in the plains than I have with cyclists (outside of the 4 days either side of Garmin Unbound).

Disclaimer: I am a cyclist myself and do about 1600 miles of gravel riding a year.

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Quote from: quavers59 on June 09, 2022, 12:26:53 PM
  Disagree with you Die-alot. I usually  agree with all your Threads on huntingny.
   Don't  tend to overthink  things.  Those New Mountain Bikes are quiet. They can be on top of you on a Heartbeat. Or The Turkeys.
   I don't  know about you- but,I Hike year round-- including just this morning.  I see alot out there.   See you back at huntingny soon.

I spend time on trails quite often, not as much as when I was mountain biking but much more since I got into photography. I have not been rode up on when walking by mountain bikes, those cross over bikes are much quieter though.
I don't spend a lot of time there because of the lack of logic and the hoard mentality I see there, if you disagree with my buddy we will ride you for it even if you are clearly right, he is more popular so he matters and you don't. Not what I care for, it is like being in Jr. High again the way they act there.

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My father in law is an avid biker. Has been for years and I have heard both sides complain. Both have the same right to be there and quite frankly I would be all in favor of a small fee for all public land users if the money actually went right back to the land(wouldn't happen). The bikers are pretty easy to avoid though so I think if you plan on hunting right along a biking trail you kinda get what you get. I personally have way more of an issue with these motorized bikes than anything else. (I personally think they should only be legal for those that are truly handicapped.)

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^^^^
Agreed.

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On IL public hunting land nobody but a turkey hunter with a legal spring turkey permit is allowed till after 1:00. As for the the rest of the post,I'm with Hobbes. This forum is full of babies. I'm going to park behind you at the gate and ride past you to get to your spot first.

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Most FL WMAs allow horses and bicycles on named and numbered roads and trails ONLY.  The big push by the lazy E Bikers is to allow total access to any subtle trail no matter how obscure.  Be nice to still have a few truly "walk in" areas left.  The earlier discussions usually deteriorated to the usual implied comments about what to do if run into and passed by a speeding e bike while walking first into a turkey spot in the pre dawn.  If on public property let's include licensing, helmets, mandatory insurance the same as any other motorized vehicle. 

Quote from: fallhnt on June 09, 2022, 01:31:59 PM
On IL public hunting land nobody but a turkey hunter with a legal spring turkey permit is allowed till after 1:00. As for the the rest of the post,I'm with Hobbes. This forum is full of babies. I'm going to park behind you at the gate and ride past you to get to your spot first.

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Dejavue on comments such as this.  If I'm already on a walk in only trail and get passed by an illegal e bike the target spot will then become "our" spot.  Scoot over.  I hope I'm not talking  too loud.  Got any more of that coffee?  Mind if I smoke? Oops forgot to turn my phone off didn't I? Really loud ringer huh?

zelmo1,

do you have these problems when driving the logging roads in your Prius  :TooFunny:

Why can't we all just get along? Lol

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Seasons over.  Keeps the blood flowing.

not much of a problem here in southern WV right now. guess they don't like the sound of banjo music. 

...YouTubers, TSS, jake and hen shooters, hikers, mushroom hunters, and now mountain bikers.  No one has blamed Sasquatch hunters or UAPs yet, so I claim those for the next reasons the birds are going away!

Quote from: sswv on June 09, 2022, 07:30:00 PM
not much of a problem here in southern WV right now. guess they don't like the sound of banjo music.

:TooFunny: :TooFunny:  ...May have something to do with having their stuff "delivered" in that part of the country!   ;D :angel9:

That Illinois reg. only applies to specific sites, not a general rule for all public lands!

Cook County only? :z-guntootsmiley:

If someone wants to send me a nice working E Bike i will take it ... my old legs sure do get tired of walking.  I will also name the E Bike OLD GOBBLER

Maybe instead of OLD GOBBLER name it OLD GEEZER and we may chip in.   :turkey2:

Quote from: joey46 on June 11, 2022, 05:20:44 PM
Maybe instead of OLD GOBBLER name it OLD GEEZER and we may chip in.   :turkey2:

:TooFunny:  Yes ... Old Gobbler the Geezer  :TooFunny:

Electric bikes are the only way some turkey hunters can get 'out there' to hunt. We get 'old' have bad legs or feet and can't get out there. If not for electric bikes they can't get out there. Some day it may be you and you'll be  complaining and you'll be the first to say we need to have access for electric bikes. Public lands mean just that open to the public, all public.

I am planning on hunting in my Little Rascal.

Quote from: greencop01 on June 16, 2022, 03:11:23 PM
Electric bikes are the only way some turkey hunters can get 'out there' to hunt. We get 'old' have bad legs or feet and can't get out there. If not for electric bikes they can't get out there. Some day it may be you and you'll be  complaining and you'll be the first to say we need to have access for electric bikes. Public lands mean just that open to the public, all public.

Age, if lucky, will eventually catch up with everyone.  I too was guilty of failing to recognize the impediments of the elderly.  Age brings it all into clear focus.  If the vehicle is noiseless, I am fine with it.  No gasoline vehicles; noiseless is a virtue; I can get more than enough noise in my everyday life.

I'm 75+ so don't want to hear it.  Walk In Areas should be walk in not ride in. Maybe start calling these trails "sorta walk in", " could be walk in".  Again those walking in the big Florida WMAs are often now being passed in the dark by e bikers riding up behind them on " walk in" trails.  Seems to be little enforcement.  The truly disabled are of course accommodated. :OGturkeyhead:

Post #7 in this thread nails it btw.  When planning my just completed trip out west a tip I often heard was go before they open the NF trails to the bikers.  Went in early May and missed that circus.  Sorry to hear that mid May date isn't being enforced either.

I am all for their use for the truly physically handicapped. However I work pretty darned hard to to stay in good physical shape and hunt areas that take some effort to get to. I am not a fan of two ton Tony zipping by me eating a cheese pizza just because he bought an electric bike. I guess I am just old school and still believe in earning things. Hopefully I will get old one day and then i will not be able to do it. It's gonna suck but I intend to keep it up as long as I can.

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Quote from: Happy on June 17, 2022, 06:31:44 AM
I am all for their use for the truly physically handicapped. However I work pretty darned hard to to stay in good physical shape and hunt areas that take some effort to get to. I am not a fan of two ton Tony zipping by me eating a cheese pizza just because he bought an electric bike. I guess I am just old school and still believe in earning things. Hopefully I will get old one day and then i will not be able to do it. It's gonna suck but I intend to keep it up as long as I can.

:TooFunny: :TooFunny:  Personally, I prefer pepperoni on my pizza while riding past you.   ;D

Your point is well taken, though.  There are instances where the use of "devices" to aid folks with certain physical limitations is justified,...and there are situations where they are not.  As is often the case, a little common sense goes a long ways in determining which is which.  ...The problem apparently is finding a few folks that have it...  :toothy12:

I get a lot of compliments on my the way my hair shines and flows in the wind from under my camo bike helmet while I'm riding my ebike on public land.  And then there are some who are just plain jealous and say ugly things like a mam in as good a shape as me has no business riding an ebike.   I just smile and give them the turkey finger so they know I'm going hunting. 

Quote from: guesswho on June 17, 2022, 02:51:24 PM
I get a lot of compliments on my the way my hair shines and flows in the wind from under my camo bike helmet while I'm riding my ebike on public land.  And then there are some who are just plain jealous and say ugly things like a mam in as good a shape as me has no business riding an ebike.   I just smile and give them the turkey finger so they know I'm going hunting. 

Probably say a "mam" because they think you are a big pxxxy.  Spell check seemed to have let you down. Oops.
I'm sure there are predawn skirmishes to look forward to when an e biker buzzes by someone already walking in on a narrow foot trail.  Rumored there were a few last spring in Big Cypress (south Florida) but they were unconfirmed.  The pleasures of public land.

Quote from: guesswho on June 17, 2022, 02:51:24 PM
I get a lot of compliments on my the way my hair shines and flows in the wind from under my camo bike helmet while I'm riding my ebike on public land.  And then there are some who are just plain jealous and say ugly things like a mam in as good a shape as me has no business riding an ebike.   I just smile and give them the turkey finger so they know I'm going hunting.

after I throw a rock in the pond, you have to go find a bigger one to throw in don't you?

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I can't  :help: myself.   :D

I thought I broke my furcula that time I ran into those DSD decoys,
just glad nobody was in the double bull blind when my E-bike finally stopped

Maybe you e bikers could start a training course in TN at the South Cherokee NF next season.  A few of those local boys (one in particular) would love to greet you if you passed him on a trail.  Only half joking.  Wait for a few "incidents" next year.  Too many post in several venues are starting to mention the e bike situation, or what some hot heads may consider a e bike problem.  Several questions keep popping up such as do they have run flat tires?  Alarm systems? etc.  Matter of time.  Don't want to keep looking over my shoulder or worry about chaining a $4000 plus motorized conveyance to a tree wondering if it will be driveable when I returned.  I'll stick with the legs and boots.  This has now entered the  :TrainWreck1: and  :deadhorse: category but always happy to play

Quote from: crow on June 18, 2022, 10:48:04 AM
I thought I broke my furcula that time I ran into those DSD decoys,
just glad nobody was in the double bull blind when my E-bike finally stopped

Your furcula was obviously dried out if you broke it.  Your problem is that you don't drink enough.   :toothy12:
Question:  If you break your furcula while riding your E-bike, what does that make you? 
Answer:  Bi-furcate   :toothy9:

...Boy, we are going downhill fast since the season ended...   :D ;D

 They call me the Electric Horseman

Quote from: crow on June 18, 2022, 10:48:04 AM
I thought I broke my furcula that time I ran into those DSD decoys,
just glad nobody was in the double bull blind when my E-bike finally stopped

I'm gonna park my e-bike right behind yours.

Quote from: paboxcall on June 18, 2022, 01:27:06 PM

Quote from: crow on June 18, 2022, 10:48:04 AM
I thought I broke my furcula that time I ran into those DSD decoys,
just glad nobody was in the double bull blind when my E-bike finally stopped

I'm gonna park my e-bike right behind yours.

Does State Farm now cover off-road fires

Call in jake and ask him.

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In next year's commercials will Jake be known as Tom from State Farm?

Quote from: Gobbler Yelp on June 18, 2022, 03:13:17 PM
The E-bike crowd here are usually the city guys who think they are hunters. 10 of them together would not give me much trouble. Now, them Enduro dudes that show up every Spring in droves, they can be a little tricky. Helmets and those colorful padded suits can make it hard to break them down. ;D In the end, they are both harmless around here. One group ain't very good hunters, and the other group could care less about hunting at all.

There may be something to that. I have only delt with one E-biker so i don't have much of a sample size. He hunted a gobbler I knew about on some public land for the first two weeks of the season pretty regularly. Then one day I noticed that he wasn't parked there and went in and checked to see if the gobbler was still there. He was... for a short time anyways.

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I would of still been parked there if that Slime had worked in the tires as advertised

Quote from: crow on June 18, 2022, 04:41:01 PM
I would of still been parked there if that Slime had worked in the tires as advertised

Use flex seal next time. That way it will float too

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Quote from: GobbleNut on June 18, 2022, 12:32:10 PM

Quote from: crow on June 18, 2022, 10:48:04 AM
I thought I broke my furcula that time I ran into those DSD decoys,
just glad nobody was in the double bull blind when my E-bike finally stopped

Your furcula was obviously dried out if you broke it.  Your problem is that you don't drink enough.   :toothy12:
Question:  If you break your furcula while riding your E-bike, what does that make you? 
Answer:  Bi-furcate   :toothy9:

...Boy, we are going downhill fast since the season ended...   :D ;D

Well I just got back from the ER,
took your advise and started rehydrating early to fix the dryness,

But you were right, falling down a flight of stairs apparently doesn't do damage a rehydrated flexible furcula