I normally sit the first Saturday out in PA, being I hunt Public, but happened to be off today, so decided to go. Had a bird going first thing only to have a guy come in even though he heard me calling and try to boxcall him to death for 2 hours. The bird ended up working away, so I figured the mad boxcaller left? At 10:00 I raised him again where he gobbled off and on and had him cover 150 yards and had him at 40 looking for me, just couldn't put a beard on him, and figured no more calling he'll come a bit closer to verify it isn't a jake. But then the mad boxcaller returns and turns the bird off my coarse. Have you ever wanted to take another hunter's boxcall and shove it up his?
There's one lease I hunt where every time I hunt there, some guy on the property next to me will stand on the line and owl hoot constantly. I mean 2 hrs straight. He doesn't call....it kinda gets on my nerves because I can't concentrate with a hoot flute symphony going on.
Twice, I have heard a guy with a bad crow call habit set up beside the swamp on the property next to one of the farms I hunt. As soon as the real crows start calling, so does he, like somehow he expects to call a gobbler into range with a crow call.
A few years ago a gobbler was responding to my calls on the ridge about 90 yards west of me. I had put the box call down, was clucking & purring occasionally on the mouth call, and scratching leaves beside me. The gobbler went quiet for what seemed to be too long, but I couldn't risk moving my head to find him for fear of getting busted moving. The next thing I know the bird gobbled downhill of me and the guy by the swamp fired up his crow call again to coax the gobbler to him(?). The gobbler had walked behind me on the same horse trail I came in on & I couldn't hear him walking. I clucked & purred on the mouth call, which turned the gobbler back uphill to within 11 yards, where I put his lights out.
Jim
I know it's Public, but what burns me is, hunters know you are working a bird and could care less. They just flank around to a different point, and join in working the bird too. Happens a lot here, where I always moved on if I come across someone working a bird, just don't get it, why some know they are doing it and obviously don't care?
I'm not a huge fan of hunting public land. I know that sometimes public is the only option and public land gobblers are definitely earned. Unfortunately, not everybody went to the same school of hunting ethics when they were coming up and there are some @-holes in our ranks. You don't have to pass a character test before you get a hunting license.
Because of questionable public hunting options in my area and not having a lot of extra money to spend on a big lease, I started helping out at a couple of small farms in the area in exchange for rights to hunt there. Working at the farms definitely cuts into my free time, but it does help keep me in shape. I have exclusive rights to hunt some pretty decent land that I kill turkeys on regularly enough.
Sorry that this won't help you deal with jerks. Just explore other options. It may require you to re-evaluate your priorities. Giving up some spare time in exchange for a safe & sane place to hunt can provide missing satisfaction & help reduce aggravation.
Jim
It's public land....you made the choice to stay. Should have moved on.
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A typical day in the PA woods. I love when they drive up and down the road box calling from the truck window. I hate Saturday's in PA, week days are the best after these types of folks go back to work.
I feel your pain!
All I have is public land to hunt, but I have learned a few tricks along the way.
It's been my experience, that if I don't kill him by 7 am, I take a break, and get something to eat.
This accomplishes 2 goals. One, it gets me away from the idiots, that will be done by then, and lets me fill my stomach.
I get back in the woods by 9, and by around 10, the action can get better as the hens go to nest.
Of the last 4 birds I have seen die, only one was at first light. The other 3 were late morning kills.
This gives me a huge advantage over many of the so called " hunters " in my area.
Most guys leave by 8 at the latest.
Just be patient, and wait the idiots out.
Guys who enjoy the hunt more than the kill are the ones who are successful.
PA sure does have a lot of knuckleheads and know-it-all hunters. I would bet a lot more than other states. Its frustrating, but after the first week you never see those people again.
When I was a kid n hunted Pa a lot I remember the way most locals did back than. They'd sit on a log n work a push pin to death. The whole woods would be talking in some areas. Didn't take but one or two trips into the area to decide that area wasn't for me
I hunt alot of public in CT. Hardly ever see anyone. However, if there is a car in an area I move on because I dont want to interfere with them. Mike
Here in Missouri they love to run and gun and the box calling sounds like a 40 pound hen !
One guy in particular in PA. He called and called. Actually ran into him on the way out. Told me I would never kill the bird I was on. Funny thing...he seemed to like the ride home in my truck the next day and I never called to him the first time.
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It is frustrating. I used to live in PA, and I've had this happen in KS on private land with neighbors sneaking up against my fence. In fairness to Elmer fudd there, if your calling is tuned in, he may not have known it was a hen. Glad you could vent some frustration here and we all know how hard turkeys can be without human interference
Quote from: fallhnt on April 30, 2017, 05:08:33 AM
It's public land....you made the choice to stay. Should have moved on.
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Really? I got there first, well before any vehicles, got on this bird at first light as I guessed with a great setup, and was sitting there an hour before flydown and once on the ground had him gobbling 60-70 yards below me. Then the other two arrive after the fact, so I should have just left and let these two idiots have at him? So what you are saying, is consideration to other hunters does not apply on Public?
You got it backwards as the post was about hunters should be giving way to others working a bird first, not the guy working the bird giving way to others that come in, makes no sense.
Totally agree Cutt, all I hunt is public and we all gotta hunt together. We're all tax payers and should enjoy it, lots of great acreage out there. I had a parking lot to myself this morning and I felt like I had my own lease. If i know a guy is working a bird there's no way I want to be on him. Competitive hunting in the field stinks. Hunters need to show some respect, find a different bird or come back another time. Most folks I run into are pretty dialed in but there are always a few out there.
Cutt you just have to ignore some people who post stuff like that. I'm in sepa and know all too well what goes on. I find myself shaking my head a lot, because I realize most times they aren't aware of what their doing. After this week the box callers give up.
Quote from: Banana on April 30, 2017, 08:47:34 PM
Cutt you just have to ignore some people who post stuff like that. I'm in sepa and know all too well what goes on. I find myself shaking my head a lot, because I realize most times they aren't aware of what their doing. After this week the box callers give up.
I agree....after the first week many of these guys disappear and you usually have the woods to yourself.
Saturday I heard the worst calling of my life, I was embarrassed for the guy it was that bad.
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Quote from: TauntoHawk on April 30, 2017, 10:23:46 PM
Saturday I heard the worst calling of my life, I was embarrassed for the guy it was that bad.
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I know it sounds funny but I have heard REAL birds that sound bad! LOL Maybe not that bad though! Hunting public land in Pa. can be a real challenge. I try to confine my hunts to weekdays and get out later in the morning when most guys have left the woods. Killed my best bird ever on public land and you guessed it, late in the morning.
Totally agree with Cutt. I personally do not think Googans should be allowed to hunt public land. All they do is interfere with the real turkey hunters and mess everything up. I completely disagree with what that one guy was saying.
Quote from: WildTigerTrout on May 01, 2017, 11:49:58 AM
Quote from: TauntoHawk on April 30, 2017, 10:23:46 PM
Saturday I heard the worst calling of my life, I was embarrassed for the guy it was that bad.
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I know it sounds funny but I have heard REAL birds that sound bad! LOL Maybe not that bad though! Hunting public land in Pa. can be a real challenge. I try to confine my hunts to weekdays and get out later in the morning when most guys have left the woods. Killed my best bird ever on public land and you guessed it, late in the morning.
Oh I've heard my share of bad hens but this noise wasn't even turkey
Quote from: TauntoHawk on April 30, 2017, 10:23:46 PM
Saturday I heard the worst calling of my life, I was embarrassed for the guy it was that bad.
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after the morning hunt I told the landowner about a bird I heard.....3 of us walked a forest road in that direction... the owner cranked up his Lynch so loud and often that me and the owners son were laughing at him behind his back.......came on to a crossroad too fast and there was a gobbler running as fast as he could right for us.....he put on the brakes and ran into the woods before we even thought of shooting..that morning I learned that the Quality of the calling should not be criticized....
The last time that happen to me I caught up with them and it was a hen. This was textbook box call yet it was a hen. There was no way I could have imagined a hen would be calling like this. But I seen it with my own eyes. Now I always wonder.
Cutt, I get it. There are so few of us that are considerate towards others. Doesn't change my post about moving on. Gotta think about your own safety too. Fri morning a guy pulled into a spot I was going to hunt. I asked him where he was going and he was going approximately to the same spot I was. I told him I would go someplace else and did. There wasn't room for two in that area.
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Had the same deal here in Mercer Co but when he was done making 15-18 yelps he would shake his gobble tube. Wanted to get close to the guy just to laugh at him. But decided getting shot was not worth it. Very entertaining no doubt..
Quote from: mikejd on May 01, 2017, 01:18:05 PM
The last time that happen to me I caught up with them and it was a hen. This was textbook box call yet it was a hen. There was no way I could have imagined a hen would be calling like this. But I seen it with my own eyes. Now I always wonder.
True, I've heard some hens before and you swear it's a hunter with a boxcall. But this truly was a hunter, as he was flanking around to different points around the gobbler, and he occasionally threw in the worst gobble I ever heard. And the other guy on my other side sounded like he was choking on a mouthcall.
Quote from: Cutt on April 29, 2017, 09:43:53 PM
I normally sit the first Saturday out in PA, being I hunt Public, but happened to be off today, so decided to go. Had a bird going first thing only to have a guy come in even though he heard me calling and try to boxcall him to death for 2 hours. The bird ended up working away, so I figured the mad boxcaller left? At 10:00 I raised him again where he gobbled off and on and had him cover 150 yards and had him at 40 looking for me, just couldn't put a beard on him, and figured no more calling he'll come a bit closer to verify it isn't a jake. But then the mad boxcaller returns and turns the bird off my coarse. Have you ever wanted to take another hunter's boxcall and shove it up his?
Yes I have. I can tell a box call sound a mile off.
Well things worked out today. Pulled into the same area today after working nights, and no cars. Just finished raining, so I'm guessing it must of kept most home with a wet start to the day? Got dressed at the truck, was in the woods a bit after 8:00, and was back at the truck at 9:00 with a decent 3 year old Public land bird, just over 20lbs. And I didn't use a boxcall to get him.
Quote from: Cutt on May 03, 2017, 11:17:22 AM
Well things worked out today. Pulled into the same area today after working nights, and no cars. Just finished raining, so I'm guessing it must of kept most home with a wet start to the day? Got dressed at the truck, was in the woods a bit after 8:00, and was back at the truck at 9:00 with a decent 3 year old Public land bird, just over 20lbs. And I didn't use a boxcall to get him.
Nice! Patience kills a lot of turkeys. Congratulations.
Jim
I've had hunters on public land here in VA walk right up on me to get to a gobbling bird. I agree with others hit public land later in the AM if you want the woods to yourself. I find here in VA, after the first two weeks you know who the die hards are and it ain't many.
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Anyone that would work a bird that they know another hunter is already working is a piece of................................work, I guess I will say. Probably not raised correctly.
Way to be there when it was not "convenient". I love nasty weather days on public.
Every single hunter that has hunted public land has a few stories to tell. I even have a few from leases with multiple hunters.
Had a tom shot about 150 yards out from me last weekend by a fellow with a rifle. His hen was closing fast, cutting back at me and he was gobbling bout every 20 seconds. Heard the gun Crack and the hen alarm putting. Walked over the rise to watch him sprint into the field. Grab the still flopping bird and sprint back. Some people's kids. I has been there since before they flew down an hour earlier and I am sure he knew full well what he did.
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Well it happened again, worked nights, which rained all night into the morning and quit once I arrived at 8:00 with no cars around. Got on a bird around 9:00 with some soft calling, over an hour he cut the distance in half, then I hear a fake crow. The bird gobbled so now they start calling, at this point I had to call loud to let them know I was there, but didn't want to with this bird. Didn't matter as I saw 2 hunters skirting out around me to reposition on the bird. At this point I figured the bird probably saw them, so I went after them. Not wanting to raise a ruckus incase the bird didn't see them, I asked what they were doing. And said they were getting setup on the bird, and I asked if they heard me calling and they both said no. Bullcrap I heard them call so they clearly heard me and were sneaking around my setup to their advantage. They did leave but the bird never responded again as I figured. I know it's Public and hunters will bump you, but they right out lie, and would of continued to hunt this bird if I had not approached them. 3 days in the PA woods and 2 days ruined by hunters while working birds.
Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on May 01, 2017, 11:57:38 AM
Totally agree with Cutt. I personally do not think Googans should be allowed to hunt public land. All they do is interfere with the real turkey hunters and mess everything up.
I guess you get to decide who the "Real Turkey Hunters" are.
Quote from: ruination on May 05, 2017, 04:39:45 PM
Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on May 01, 2017, 11:57:38 AM
Totally agree with Cutt. I personally do not think Googans should be allowed to hunt public land. All they do is interfere with the real turkey hunters and mess everything up.
I guess you get to decide who the "Real Turkey Hunters" are.
C'mon man, cut the guy some slack. You know exactly what he means.... unless you happen to be the guy this thread is about.
He is exactly right, if you are going to intentionally cut in on a guy that is actively working a bird you need to stay out of the woods...public or not.
Gods of Thunder
Quote from: BowBendr on May 05, 2017, 06:00:21 PM
Quote from: ruination on May 05, 2017, 04:39:45 PM
Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on May 01, 2017, 11:57:38 AM
Totally agree with Cutt. I personally do not think Googans should be allowed to hunt public land. All they do is interfere with the real turkey hunters and mess everything up.
I guess you get to decide who the "Real Turkey Hunters" are.
I think his point was for the other 100 judgmental comments as well.
C'mon man, cut the guy some slack. You know exactly what he means.... unless you happen to be the guy this thread is about.
He is exactly right, if you are going to intentionally cut in on a guy that is actively working a bird you need to stay out of the woods...public or not.
Gods of Thunder
well I couldn't type for a bit while my fingers were healing from being burned when my box call caught on fire-----just messing with you
I got cut off the other day just as I was going into the woods from my truck, this is just a pull in spot not a parking lot.
another truck pulls in, guy gets out and starts getting ready, after talking to him, he's headed where I was going, he wasn't leaving, not going to work for 2 people, not worth the aggravation so I left
this was Md., but sad to say a Pa. hunter
Growing up hunting public ground I learned to get far away from roads and find areas that can't be heard from roads.
Public land is so.....public....
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Quote from: crow on May 06, 2017, 01:12:44 PM
guy gets out and starts getting ready, after talking to him, he's headed where I was going, he wasn't leaving, not going to work for 2 people, not worth the aggravation so I left
this was Md., but sad to say a Pa. hunter
That sucks too, had that happen a few times over the years also. If someone is there first, why would anyone want to go where they are going is beyond me? But some guys have no back up plans and are hunting a certain spot regardless as some just don't care, and does not surprise me he is from PA.
Quote from: Gooserbat on May 06, 2017, 01:31:48 PM
Growing up hunting public ground I learned to get far away from roads and find areas that can't be heard from roads.
That's the problem with our Gamelands, they might cover 1.000 of acres, but they are broken pieces with private among them. The biggest piece around here is probably a mile & 1/2 square, but roads all the way around which makes a short walk to the center at any entrance point, it's just impossible to get away around here, even though there's lots of area.
Quote from: mudhen on May 06, 2017, 05:57:47 PM
Public land is so.....public....
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Yes and it's expected when hunting Public to see other hunters at times or hear them calling, but that doesn't mean it's okay to be ignorant towards other hunters.
Quote from: Cutt on May 06, 2017, 07:21:23 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on May 06, 2017, 01:31:48 PM
Growing up hunting public ground I learned to get far away from roads and find areas that can't be heard from roads.
That's the problem with our Gamelands, they might cover 1.000 of acres, but they are broken pieces with private among them. The biggest piece around here is probably a mile & 1/2 square, but roads all the way around which makes a short walk to the center at any entrance point, it's just impossible to get away around here, even though there's lots of area.
I agree. I have no problem walking but my area you can't get away from others even if you try.
I grew up in PA and have hunted turkeys there since the '60's, mostly in the northwestern/northcental part of the state. Back then, there were fewer turkeys and far fewer turkey hunters. Sadly, the number of unethical hunters who show no courtesy to others has increased exponentially. I cannot count the number of times that other guys have rushed in to either kill or spook a bird that I was working.
It's also amazing to me how I can park along a desolate stretch of dirt road an hour before sunrise and, if I come back out at 8am, invariably, at least one other vehicle has been parked right next to my truck. I mean, really(?), why wouldn't the guys at least drive down the road an eighth of a mile or so to park and enter the woods? Sure, if we are all hunting public land, we have an equal right to hunt there, but in Pa we have hundreds of thousand acres of public land and timber company land to hunt so why are there so many jerks in our ranks?
If we would all display some common courtesy and respect to our fellow hunters, we could all enjoy a better quality public land hunt. When I find someone parked where I intended to hunt, I simply revert to my backup location(s). How hard is that?
Being retired, I've gotten to the point of avoiding opening week and focusing my efforts on the weekdays which helps some. Thanks for listening to my rant! :smiley-char092:
PA is the worst state wether it's turkeys, deer or trout season.
I don't hunt public land very often due to having access to private land, but even on private land there are plenty of idiots. My hunting buddy and I are supposed to be the only two people hunting a certain tract, but apparently the landowners son gave some googans permission to hunt the night before opening day, but my hunting partner and I did not receive this information. So at about 8 in the morning after not hearing and gobbling I'm sitting in a pine slick making some calls and all of a sudden not 30 yards from me come 3 guys. All of them wearing camo jeans and a t shirt. One with a gun, one with a box call, and one with nothing in his hands. I asked them what they were doing coming to my call and they replied "looking for that turkey" I was pretty upset, but just glad that I wasn't working a bird. I had to try so hard not to laugh at they walked away with no camo and probably no experience at all between them. They probably thought I was crazy wearing head to toe camo! This was in a Georgia, but I have friends that hunt public land with some crazy/scary stories. Duck hunting here on public land is one of the biggest pains ever.
Quote from: Strutr on May 07, 2017, 11:24:33 AM
It's also amazing to me how I can park along a desolate stretch of dirt road an hour before sunrise and, if I come back out at 8am, invariably, at least one other vehicle has been parked right next to my truck. I mean, really(?), why wouldn't the guys at least drive down the road an eighth of a mile or so to park and enter the woods?
Really!, and the sad thing is, it's that idiot that will come in on you working a bird. Have had that happen too in the past, where you would think your vehicle and a gobbling bird would be a tip off? But sadly I've come to the conclusion, not all, but most hunters here just do not care, and want to call the birdy too.