Well members- I don't post here much- but today I have posted 2. Now since the early 1990s- I have seen many of my hotspots in Sterling Forest State Park and Stewart State Forest in New York become a bit crowded as many here who hunt public lands in their areas are already also aware of! I really only have a few at Stewart State Forest now that sees no turkey hunters but me TG!
What is funny to me is that some of these Spring hunters at Stewart State Forest seem to think they have found a personal area when my Brother in law and I and some others have hunted those areas for 20 years plus. Hey- I know some are on this site. There are a number of hotspots at Stewart State Forest that I make sure I get to first!! Like 4.15am. That means a 3.30am walk in. Sometimes getting to a prime field first does not mean much. A few Springs back and I was set up at a field edge with decoy out when a flashlight was coming right at me. I had to let the other hunter know and turned my flashlight on. He stopped with flashlight on and did not leave that field. He backtracked to the other side of the field and moved down some before setting up. Not good for either of us for sure. I knew gobblers were probably roosted in that hickory grove of trees like early every May. Did not hear anything in my field. Think he spooked them. Hope members enjoyed the true story.
The biggest mistake one can make in this game is publicly naming, even generally, one of their public hunting areas. The second biggest mistake is taking another hunter into one of your favorite areas (there can be an exception for a truly trusted friend). Almost without exception the person you take to a favorite area will then take another person to your area who will take another to your area, ad infinitum. It is not a question of selfishness as such, but is merely a fact of human nature. If someone puts me on a place, I never go there with another and never go there myself without personally contacting the one who took me there to insure that he is not hunting a bird there or whether he honestly has a problem with me going there. Public land or not, the took me there and in my mind, it is his place.
Quote from: silvestris on December 02, 2016, 03:39:58 PM
If someone puts me on a place, I never go there with another and never go there myself without personally contacting the one who took me there to insure that he is not hunting a bird there or whether he honestly has a problem with me going there. Public land or not, the took me there and in my mind, it is his place.
Exactly! One golden rule of turkey hunting: Find a spot due to your own discovery, it is yours to hunt anytime (unless someone else beats you to it on a given day). Get introduced to a spot by someone else, never go there unless given permission by the person that showed it to you,...and never tell anyone else about it or take another person to it.
Quote from: GobbleNut on December 02, 2016, 05:34:52 PM
Quote from: silvestris on December 02, 2016, 03:39:58 PM
If someone puts me on a place, I never go there with another and never go there myself without personally contacting the one who took me there to insure that he is not hunting a bird there or whether he honestly has a problem with me going there. Public land or not, the took me there and in my mind, it is his place.
Exactly! One golden rule of turkey hunting: Find a spot due to your own discovery, it is yours to hunt anytime (unless someone else beats you to it on a given day). Get introduced to a spot by someone else, never go there unless given permission by the person that showed it to you,...and never tell anyone else about it or take another person to it.
I agree with both statements
Yup--where I hunt on public lands-- 100% of the fields are well known to all veteran turkey hunters of my area. Some are members here. That is why, I now walk in or bike in at 3.30am. On today's increasingly crowded public lands-- as many as 20 or more Spring hunters may know very well about a public hotspot that you think only your buddy knows about. That was the purpose of my post.
I have one awesome hotspot where I took a tom with nearly 1 3/4" spurs this past May. No other turkey hunters on this public land TG. Getting back to the prime fields--I have had numerous Spring hunters enter a field in which I am already set-up. Their flashlights tell me where they are putting out their decoy at 4.20am or so. I hit my flashlight - but the other Spring hunters never leave. This has happened 4-5 times in recent years. That was another reason for my post. In the early 1990s-- if you parked first- another turkey hunter would move on- but those days are long gone.
The "joys" of hunting public land!! There are so many. ::)
Unfortunately, in the state I live in, FLA, I have no choice. Land is so over priced, there are so many wealthy people that drive up the prices, and the outfitters hog up most of the land so they can charge $2,000 for an Osceola. That leaves the average Joe like me no choice but to hunt public land. FWC has that so screwed up that I can only get drawn for a hunt in my state every 2 to 3 years. >:(
That's why the places I hunt are a closely guarded secret. I would never advertise what WMA I am successful on. Getting drawn is hard enough, then you have to deal with idiots with no courtesy for other hunters. Then thanks to Google Earth, people can "cyberscout", and don't have to get out there on foot and earn their gobbler. It's super frustrating.
I love to hunt public land, and have never killed a bird on private. Public land is where the birds were reintroduced in my state and it's where I have always hunted them. I swap info with a few close friends and local acquaintances. I try to be up front and talk to hunters in parking areas to figure out if we'll be stepping on each other. Most times folks are upfront and appreciate discussion. Usually I'll talk to them and compare game plans to hopefully avoid contact in the woods.. You get all kinds of responses from "first time here" to "where ever I hear a gobble".
Hunt mid week, with mid morning being a great time of day..... when you can.....best advice I can give for public land. As mentioned, don't talk TOO much......loose lips sink ships.
I had a great PL place in VA that I've hunted for years along with the private land and leased land I hunt. I've killed several there and for years seen no one until two years ago. It appeared my parents neighbor seen me with the gobblers I bagged and knew where I was going and decided to tell one of his friends who was right on top of me the following season. It happens though and even at times when your tight lipped! I never give up my spots even when it's on private land or the land I have leased. It's not that I'm try to be jealous but it's for safety reasons. I devote a whole lot of time to turkey hunting year round and some just hit it on the weekends a couple times a season and sometimes they seem so desperate to kill one it really worries me if there around. Either way though I'll be out every day the Lord blesses me to! God bless
I might add that a person can very well fall victim to this just by telling that they've killed a bird and then showing it off. There may be more people than you realize that know where you hunt and certainly there are people who will take note of your vehicle and where it's parked. Have you ever tried to disguise your hunting location by parking a ways from it ? With all the ways of communicating electronically,the safest policy is to keep your lips zipped about all of it, lol.
Good replys all!! Alot of the areas that I wrote about, I really no longer hunt as I see too many flashlights at 4.30am. I have some awesome spots where no one Spring hunts. That gobbler I took with the 1 3/4" spurs had 2 buddies with him. If they were brothers they might be 7 plus years old next Spring . I hope to nail one of them. No one will find out about this piece of land!! I hear you RutnNStrutn-- I too can only hunt public lands and am not rich. So for me it is-- Private land turkeys taken=0-- Public Land turkeys taken=113.
Turkey spots on public land will always be found by someone else. I hold no missconceptions that I am the only person who found the birds I'm hunting. If someone walks up on me, I offer to share the spot with them. Often two guns has more chance than one if they are working together. I have been the first to arrive to a spot but I have also been beaten too spots. It stinks to be the later. That walk back out is painful. Walking back out carefully so I create as little disturbance as possible. You also know your best chance that morning is not available any longer. Because your time is now limited you hustle to plan b and I hate to rush. Which all are partly the reason I offer to hunt with someone. I'd rather we both got to enjoy the spot. I'd rather not have them make a racket while leaving too.
I hear you Rick. If that works for you- great. For me- the solution is to avoid fields in the early part of the Spring season. In the last 5 Springs--fields have become even more of a magnet-at least in my area.
On public land there are no secret spots! If you know about it you can be sure a few others know about it too. On public land you have to out hunt the other Googans as well as hunt the birds. I'd go so far to say the first thing is more important. Chief
Quote from: quavers59 on December 04, 2016, 12:58:59 PMI hear you RutnNStrutn-- I too can only hunt public lands and am not rich. So for me it is-- Private land turkeys taken=0-- Public Land turkeys taken=113.
113? That's a lot of gobblers, congrats!!! :icon_thumright:
Either you are very old, or you don't hunt Florida!!! ;)
When you only get drawn every 2 to 3 years, and are limited to 2 birds a season, if you tagged out every season in Florida, that would take you 57 years!! ;D
I am a self-taught turkey hunter who's killed around 50 gobblers, about half of which were public land Osceolas. My point was that FWC does a terrible job of making turkey hunts available, and then when you do get drawn, you have to deal with the crowds.
Quote from: silvestris on December 02, 2016, 03:39:58 PM
The biggest mistake one can make in this game is publicly naming, even generally, one of their public hunting areas. The second biggest mistake is taking another hunter into one of your favorite areas (there can be an exception for a truly trusted friend). Almost without exception the person you take to a favorite area will then take another person to your area who will take another to your area, ad infinitum. It is not a question of selfishness as such, but is merely a fact of human nature. If someone puts me on a place, I never go there with another and never go there myself without personally contacting the one who took me there to insure that he is not hunting a bird there or whether he honestly has a problem with me going there. Public land or not, the took me there and in my mind, it is his place.
Truth, I've regretted telling and taking family. most amazing public land spot I've found for birds, tried to help a family member kill a decent one and he pushed those birds out of there so fast they were roosting 3/4 mile off the private line rest of season. started going without out me immediately and calling it "our" spot although he wasn't there scouting all March to locate the birds
LOL to the OPs original post... naming a spot... and then claiming it as "my field".
Public land is just that... public land. All of us deal with it...
I see a simple solution... Run and Gun style instead of deer hunting them. Ofcourse, my area is different.... no place I hunt or have ever hunted has any fields. All my birds have been killed in hardwoods, and they roose different areas almost every night.
HA HA---Good post RUTnNStrutn. I am 57 now- but have hunted New York since 1990--Pennsylvania since 1994, and New Jersey since 1994--Spring and Fall in all 3 states. I am just willing to do what other hunters won't--climb a mountain---walk in near 2 miles--whatever it takes to get away from my crowds here. The most important thing that I do is get to the parking lot first. It happens most of the time. I just sit with my coffee and get in there first as well.
I hunt NY, PA NJ Spring and Fall since 1990. I have no doubt that Florida is tougher to get away from crowds! I just do what other turkey hunters won't . Park first a 2am-- walk in 2 miles-whatever it takes.
Yup- DumpTruckTurkey-- I have noticed that most hunters head for the fields also. I love hardwoods also---no flashlights bobbing my way at 4.30amLOL!
Quote from: quavers59 on December 05, 2016, 06:39:35 PM
Yup- DumpTruckTurkey-- I have noticed that most hunters head for the fields also. I love hardwoods also---no flashlights bobbing my way at 4.30amLOL!
Quavers...Ill hunt where ever I have to go.....but like u I love hunting the hardwood and will take a hard woods hunt any day over a field if I can! God bless
Quote from: VA_Birdhunter on December 05, 2016, 11:51:29 PM
Quote from: quavers59 on December 05, 2016, 06:39:35 PM
Yup- DumpTruckTurkey-- I have noticed that most hunters head for the fields also. I love hardwoods also---no flashlights bobbing my way at 4.30amLOL!
Quavers...Ill hunt where ever I have to go.....but like u I love hunting the hardwood and will take a hard woods hunt any day over a field if I can! God bless
Totally agree. I love hunting the timber and watching them come through the trees gobbling
Public land is everyone's hot spot. :z-guntootsmiley:
Out of all my turkey hunting books--more then 20 now--- I really like the quote from the book-- Turkey Hunting---A ONE MAN GAME--where Ken Morgan's Brother Van thinks that some of the classiest gobblers are found back in the hardwoods and around streams. I like to read that book before each Spring.
Van is a mess and he has real knack for finding gobblers with a personality.
Public or private
Turkeys or deer or any critter
There is no such thing as secret spots!
I have a few. That gobbler I took with nearly 1 3/4" spurs was OLD. He had 2 buddies or brother with him. If either one lives to next Spring- I hope to nail one before he dies of old age.
Public land as you know can be frustrating, but man
Is it that much sweeter when you get one of those old
Weary gobbler that's heard everything and seen everything.
Quote from: Treerooster on December 07, 2016, 11:48:29 PM
Quote from: LI Outdoorsman on December 07, 2016, 06:16:13 PM
There is no such thing as secret spots!
But...how do you know?
If a secret spot did exist, wouldn't it be a secret? ;D
That's why I'm glad I have 2 separate Natl. Forest in my area that are over 500,000 acres each. That's over 1600 sq. mi. combined....shhhhh....secret spots DO exist ;)
Took a guy years ago to a small farm I have permission to hunt in another state. The next Spring, I make my first trip out and talk to my "buddy" and his nephew who have been hunting a few days and find from him that he went by the farm and asked them to hunt and was turned down because the first weekend of the season they always have a special hunt planned, which I already knew from previous interaction with the owner. He was actually mad because he was refused access!
I went by and apologized to the landowner, and, fortunately, no harm was done.In fact, I still hunt there now, 20 years later. Needless to say, that was the end of my association with my "buddy" when it came to hunting.
I have secret spots. I hunt public land for both deer and turkey and still do pretty well. It all boils down to how hard are you willing to work for it. These days it don't take much to get away from people. The critters know it also. If you are willing to work and use your head you can be successful. I have told people exactly where I have taken some turkeys and they just shake their heads and say have at it. It isnt for the lazy but you can beat the feeling of sitting beside a public land gobbler while all the part timers down below are calling their brains out trying to convince a bird a half mile away and 800' above them to come over for a look. It's truly comical and entertaining.
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I have hunted state land in NY for over 30 years. Bird numbers are much lower now then "the good old days" so better be tactful. On some occasions when people encroach on " my " spot I resort to ninja tactics. I admit openly I have dropped a vehicle off the night before just to discourage all the intruders. I also employ desperate measures like dropping my partner ( my brothers ) off and parking elsewhere so as not to attract attention to all the others that are to lazy or to busy to find there own birds. Lastly, never just walk out of the turkey woods proudly with a tom. Instead use discretion and don't ever let anyone see your trophy. Unless he has a badge of corse.
turkaholic--very good post! I look for milk crates when scouting new areas. In one of my scouting trips-just before a Spring season- I came upon a turkey ground blind all set-up in front of a tree. So, I knew that area was good without knowing more. Don't leave any blinds or milk crates in front of trees for other turkey scouters to see! I have a great area near some wetlands and I have a hidden 5 dollar black walmart metal chair hidden from other turkey scouters and hunters. And now, I have to turn my flahlight off if another hunter is behind me and walking in behind me at 4.30am. This happen last Spring at the Green Turtle Pond in NJ. turkey hunters followed my light for 3/4 of a mile. I turned my light off and they stopped and shone the light around. Yup-- they hunted my area and caught up to me and PASSED ME on the woods road. What can you do....
Quote from: turkaholic on December 10, 2016, 07:55:57 AM
I have hunted state land in NY for over 30 years. Bird numbers are much lower now then "the good old days" so better be tactful. On some occasions when people encroach on " my " spot I resort to ninja tactics. I admit openly I have dropped a vehicle off the night before just to discourage all the intruders. I also employ desperate measures like dropping my partner ( my brothers ) off and parking elsewhere so as not to attract attention to all the others that are to lazy or to busy to find there own birds. Lastly, never just walk out of the turkey woods proudly with a tom. Instead use discretion and don't ever let anyone see your trophy. Unless he has a badge of corse.
Great post! I also do things to keep my locations "secret"! If I hunt public land I know its as its titled public land and there is a chance to encounter others...which I'm ok with most of the time. How ever I do not like hot spotting....which is taking advantage of someone else hard work by watching forums for named locations or digging for info from another hunter to get there locations etc. It happens and I work hard to not be a victim of it. I enjoy seeing others enjoying the spring woods and chasing long beards but most don't go to the lengths I do in scouting etc. months prior especially when I'm traveling to other states to do it....I want to do all I can to keep that information with me only. The thing that really bothers me these days is the lack of respect for other hunters we tend to see these days (not always but more than we should) and the lack of safety due to the overwhelming feeling to have to prove ones self and go to any lengths to bag a bird. The importance of human life over the need to bag a bird is not even measurable.
God Bless
Quote from: quavers59 on December 05, 2016, 06:31:16 PM
HA HA---Good post RUTnNStrutn. I am 57 now- but have hunted New York since 1990--Pennsylvania since 1994, and New Jersey since 1994--Spring and Fall in all 3 states. I am just willing to do what other hunters won't--climb a mountain---walk in near 2 miles--whatever it takes to get away from my crowds here. The most important thing that I do is get to the parking lot first. It happens most of the time. I just sit with my coffee and get in there first as well.
Yeah, the first challenge is getting drawn for a permit to begin with. Then if you are that fortunate, you have to get away from the crowds. I also get there early, then ride my bike 3 to 5 miles away from parking areas, and then walk even more. That gets you away from all but the die hards.
Green Turtle Pond in NJ, Sterling Forest State Park and Stewart State Forest in NY..... got it. Thanks!
:z-guntootsmiley: :fud: :OGturkeyhead:
I'm in the minority here and I'll probably jinx myself but, I've had pretty much positive encounters with other hunters on Public ground. Gave up a deer hunting spot to two older guys this fall because they rolled in about 2 minutes before I did. Way I figured it, they were there first. I still managed to tag out somewhere else. Same thing in the turkey woods. Respectful and polite have been my encounters. And, I've killed way more birds on public ground than private. But, as some of the other posters have said we often put in a lot of work to get to the birds that others won't. It's been my finding though the guys I've run into have been decent folks. Maybe I'm just lucky?
I will agree with this. Course most of the fellows I run into are local residents and in my opinion the country folks are just more pleasant to deal with on these things. I once had a fellow pull in about 5 minutes behind me. He politely asked where I was planning on hunting. I gave him a real rough idea and you could see his face drop. I asked what his plans were and he told me he had roosted two toms the wvening before in the area I was planning on hunting. I told him to have at it. If he put the work in to roost them then I wasn't going to interfere. He thanked me profusely and offered some info on a third bird he had heard at dark. I went to one of my backup spots and got to sit on a ridge and listen to him try and work the birds. Didn't sound like they budged while I was in earshot. I went on my own hunt and when I returned there was a gift card for a local restaurant and a thank you note under my windshield. Was a nice gesture. I have received just as many generous gestures as I have given. Including fellows helping get deer out of some nasty spots, info on new areas and even a ride back to my truck when I came out way of course from where I intended. I would not like to let the occasional idiot ruin my overall impression of hunters. Least around my neck of the woods.
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Quote from: Happy on December 14, 2016, 06:34:15 PM
I will agree with this. Course most of the fellows I run into are local residents and in my opinion the country folks are just more pleasant to deal with on these things. I once had a fellow pull in about 5 minutes behind me. He politely asked where I was planning on hunting. I gave him a real rough idea and you could see his face drop. I asked what his plans were and he told me he had roosted two toms the wvening before in the area I was planning on hunting. I told him to have at it. If he put the work in to roost them then I wasn't going to interfere. He thanked me profusely and offered some info on a third bird he had heard at dark. I went to one of my backup spots and got to sit on a ridge and listen to him try and work the birds. Didn't sound like they budged while I was in earshot. I went on my own hunt and when I returned there was a gift card for a local restaurant and a thank you note under my windshield. Was a nice gesture. I have received just as many generous gestures as I have given. Including fellows helping get deer out of some nasty spots, info on new areas and even a ride back to my truck when I came out way of course from where I intended. I would not like to let the occasional idiot ruin my overall impression of hunters. Least around my neck of the woods.
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Happy....you done a fine job handling that situation!! That's a gentlemans way....Well done buddy!!
God bless
I've been fortunate enough to not have to hunt much public land for big game. Most of it has been for squirrels and such. Did enjoy a talk several years back with a fella. He led me to my largest buck ever with black powder. Not that it was his intentions but he told me where to go to at least find the deer leaving all the sign on that mountain. Only buck I killed that year and I was quite thankful. Kind of wanted to pay it forward. Since then, I've put a few fellas on deer in there but I don't worry about it much because it's a small chunk of land with tons of hunters on it so trying to keep any part of it secret is not going to happen. If you know about it, 15 others do as well. 1400 acres and 1500 hunters doesn't leave much for "secrets." :TooFunny:
In all honesty I have witness more rude hunters and slob hunters on the lease I am on. Almost like some of the members feel entitled to do whatever they want. From roost shooting, hunting from vehicles, sniping a bird you are working with a rifle ect. It all has happened to me there. Have had some bad experiences on other public land near more urban ares as well back when I hunted them. But for the most part the hunters are pretty good in my chosen locations for now anyways. Most won't go where I go anyways and if they do then they aren't part time turkey hunters anyways. I am not about to let a bird turn me onto a jackass. As much as we claim to promote hunting it's pretty sad to see the selfish attitude that is often portrayed.
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Most of my hotspots are secret or little known because they are all 2 miles and more back on hilly terrain. Not many hunters will make that effort.
The public hunting areas that I hunt typically only have one or two parking areas for thousands of acres. I try to be there first person parked in the parking areas. However, I understand that there are limited parking places and land to hunt anymore. I just expect other turkey hunters to hunt a different area if they see me set up or hear me working a bird. If they move in on me then I think of it as a competition and it's on.
Quote from: quavers59 on December 05, 2016, 06:39:35 PM
Yup- DumpTruckTurkey-- I have noticed that most hunters head for the fields also. I love hardwoods also---no flashlights bobbing my way at 4.30amLOL!
Hunters nowadays have to hunt fields. How else will the turkeys
see their 5 decoys!
I've had one bad encounter turkey hunting on public land. had a bird gobbling on the limb well before first light in Ms was able to get in tight with him. He was wearing it out on the limb. about 10 min before fly down I hear a horrible sounding crow getting closer now mind you the bird was gobbling on his own. This guy procedes to see me and walk right past me blowing the crow call and bumped the bird into the next county. Now duck hunting public land in Arkansas has been a different story. It is amazing the anger some locals have when an ooser beats them to their "grand dads grand dads hole". One instance came after our group offered to let the guys hunt with us and he basically said if we don't move one of us will end up shot. Naturally a duck is not that important to me so we moved despite being there first. It was middle of the week and we had done our own non cyber scouting and found the birds they just happened to apparently be in these guys "personal public" hole.