Hey guys, I'm looking for any information regarding Mississippi Public Hunting land specifically around the Starkville area. I have deer hunted Choctaw, Tombigbee, and Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee Wildlife Refuge, but never turkey hunted them. Any recommendations or info for them would be great! Thanks and good luck hunting this upcoming turkey season!
I hunted Choctaw and Noxubee 20 years ago. Was fun then, now it is more like work from what I hear.
We hunted Noxubee one year on opening day when I was in college probably 98 season. Big group of us went together cause we knew it was gonna be crowded, I think there were 5 of us that were gonna "hunt" together. We went to a place where we had heard a bird gobble before season got out of the truck to listen in the dark. This is where it got interesting as day begins to break a bird gobbles about 150 yds out in the woods from us, we immediatly turn to start getting our stuff out of the truck. At the same time two or three other trucks in the vecinity crank up and come hauling it up to where we are. One truck literally slides up behind us approx. 40 yds and guy jumps out and runs into the woods while we are just standing there dumbfounded. One of the other truck stopped about 100 yds in front of us and guy jumps out and heads into the woods. Needless to say we didn't hunt that bird that morning, mostly just rode around and counted trucks I want to say we quite counting at 50.
That being said my key to success when I was up there was to find smaller blocks of land that alot of folks overlooked. It was tough cause alot of times bird would be on private land, but if you've hunted the area you should know everyone knows about certain areas and that is where most folks go. If you find some of the overlooked areas you can maybe get away from the crowds.
Man , I'm gonna be honest. It's insane on the public land here in sw miss. It gets flooded by people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Mainly because season opens so early. It's like convoys up and down the roads. A bird gobbles and the people swarm to him. Is what it is
:welcomeOG:
Quote from: masonmross on March 09, 2015, 08:17:58 PM
Hey guys, I'm looking for any information regarding Mississippi Public Hunting land specifically around the Starkville area. I have deer hunted Choctaw, Tombigbee, and Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee Wildlife Refuge, but never turkey hunted them. Any recommendations or info for them would be great! Thanks and good luck hunting this upcoming turkey season!
I can't believe you guys haven't welcomed Mason to the fold!! :welcomeOG:
:welcomeOG:
I'm a total turkey hunting fanatic here in MS but I won't hunt on public land in this state. Too dangerous and too aggravating. Since Arkansas' turkey population has plummeted, it's even worse. Beautiful lands though and you can have fun on them with a video camera before and after the season. I'm always amazed that all the turkeys aren't shot out on these places but they hang in there.
I have a ton of information from my years hunting around there. Let me get my hunting log and I can point you in the right direction. I keep detailed records of what I hear and shoot with my GPS and field notes. Hang tight it will take me some time to compile it. If there are specific WMAs or NFs you want, let me know.
Welcome to OG.
:welcomeOG:
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on March 09, 2015, 10:39:27 PM
Man , I'm gonna be honest. It's insane on the public land here in sw miss. It gets flooded by people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Mainly because season opens so early. It's like convoys up and down the roads. A bird gobbles and the people swarm to him. Is what it is
Agreed... This is why a lot of Ms WMA's have gone to draw only the first two weeks of season down here. I've heard that the draw process is catered for the MS resident and non-residents will likely not get drawn over residents. Makes since to me, since I'm a MS tax payer.
I appreciate all the replies! Agreed on the public land hunting, it is a totally different world. However it does make for an exciting and challenging hunt. Thanks again, any info is greatly appreciated.
Very few exciting hunts on public land here. The excitement is outrunning someone else to the bird. Then you can sit and listen to the gravel interstate , the 25 owls hooting , and the 50 crows cawing. I'm not kidding either. You would think the middle of the week would be better. It is but not much. You just have to deal with it if you wanna hunt.
Quote from: msgobblergetter on March 11, 2015, 08:05:58 PM
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on March 09, 2015, 10:39:27 PM
Man , I'm gonna be honest. It's insane on the public land here in sw miss. It gets flooded by people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Mainly because season opens so early. It's like convoys up and down the roads. A bird gobbles and the people swarm to him. Is what it is
Agreed... This is why a lot of Ms WMA's have gone to draw only the first two weeks of season down here. I've heard that the draw process is catered for the MS resident and non-residents will likely not get drawn over residents. Makes since to me, since I'm a MS tax payer.
Someone told you wrong brother. I used to hunt on a wma close to here on the draw hunts. It was nice for the first couple of yrs. The last yr I put in for it, there were WAY more OOS tags than locals parked in the wma and runnin the wma roads listenin for turkeys during the draw hunt. I haven't put in for it since. Now, I believe , its all about the extra $ from OOS hunters. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against OOS hunters, but I believe the first couple of weeks (draw hunts) should be residents only, since our taxes and licenses pay for them and the salaries of the people who oversee and take care of them. Just my opinion...
Quote from: Hooksnhorns on March 11, 2015, 09:03:51 PM
Quote from: msgobblergetter on March 11, 2015, 08:05:58 PM
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on March 09, 2015, 10:39:27 PM
Man , I'm gonna be honest. It's insane on the public land here in sw miss. It gets flooded by people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Mainly because season opens so early. It's like convoys up and down the roads. A bird gobbles and the people swarm to him. Is what it is
Agreed... This is why a lot of Ms WMA's have gone to draw only the first two weeks of season down here. I've heard that the draw process is catered for the MS resident and non-residents will likely not get drawn over residents. Makes since to me, since I'm a MS tax payer.
Someone told you wrong brother. I used to hunt on a wma close to here on the draw hunts. It was nice for the first couple of yrs. The last yr I put in for it, there were WAY more OOS tags than locals parked in the wma and runnin the wma roads listenin for turkeys during the draw hunt. I haven't put in for it since. Now, I believe , its all about the extra $ from OOS hunters. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against OOS hunters, but I believe the first couple of weeks (draw hunts) should be residents only, since our taxes and licenses pay for them and the salaries of the people who oversee and take care of them. Just my opinion...
Exactly way I feel about it now... I was drawn about 4 seasons ago, and all was quiet during my hunts, but i havent put in for a draw the past three seasons because i have plenty of private land to hunt... I suppose its changed in the past few years as you say. I agree, it should be resident draw the first two weeks. Nothing personal to non-residents, but we pretty much need some border patrol around hear during turkey season.
Well I've watched this for a few days to see what would be said. I hunt both the areas in question almost exclusively and have for years. The problem with Choctaw is non residents the first few weeks. After that it's really not bad. On noxubee refuge the problem is college students. That being said, I love hunting both these places and am willing to deal with the people. If you'll be patient and be willing to hunt later in the mornings and stick with it thru the end of the season you'll not only learn a great deal but you will find a new appreciation for turkey hunting. I will say this, you're about to be introduced to some of the toughest birds there are. Good luck.
I too have been watching this too. I went to state myself and hunted the refuge a ton. I arranged my classes so I could hunt everyday. The guys I ran around with when I got to school had already been there a year and told me about how hard the birds were and that I'd have a challenge ahead of me. Well... I went to war with them. My first spring there, I watched 13 die. I killed my 3 the first 5 days of season. After that, I helped my room mates and other friends kill birds. We had a ball. The remaining years after that, I always killed my 3 and watched other birds die. One of my most memorable hunts there was a mid day double with a friend.
Scout hard and look for the overlooked spots. They are there. My favorite times were 9am-3pm. If you got a boat, don't overlook the tom bigbee waterway....
My wife is from Louisville, just south of those areas. I've hunted them and had great hunts. Sure there were MSU students and more trucks than I'm used to; but, nothing that would make want to stop going back.
On another note, I'm coming from LA so I'm one of the OOS hunters y'all are talking about. It's my understanding that the great majority of the agents salaries and the management dollars come from license dollars. The rest are federal matched. So the OOS guys MIGHT be paying a higher %. That was the response from an agent when a guy in fishing camp was complaining of all the OOS plates where we fish. People come from all over the world to catch red fish and trout. We've learned to take their money with a smile, feed them real well, and make sure they come back. Gods provided plenty for all of us to enjoy.
Y'all be safe. Might see you out there.
Brent
Went to my Mississippi public land spot Saturday morning for the opener. Including me there were 12 trucks in a 1 square mile area. Mine was the only local tag, had an Arkansas and a Missouri tag that I don't usually see. Bet they were disappointed!!!
I am a fairly new turkey hunter but I've been after the deer in ms for years. I come from la. I've never turkey hunted public land but I plan on hunting the homochitto forest as soon as I can get away. I have high hopes for tough birds. Sorry if some non residents have left a bad taste in your mouth. I'm to scared to hunt where it that crowded lol
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