How much space do we need?

[Yoder409]

If I pull up to my spot and another vehicle is there.... it's on my property.  It'll be getting moved somewhere VERY inconvenient by a big orange tractor.   

On a public tract, I'll give another guy all kinds of space.  Been sneaked in on too many times.  "Oh, sorry !!  I thought you were a turkey."    I don't need shot on any given day.

 

[mountainhunter1]

I agree with the mindset of everyone here. But in recent years, I am over and over being the first person there and having folks come in later and walk all over me repeatedly no matter how much I move trying to get away from them that morning. Getting there between 3-4 am and sitting around in the dark on the mtn til fly down time around 7 am and then having folks still crash the scene with regularity that got there two plus hours behind me kind of leaves me scratching my head. I have not had a bad run in in a long time. I know most of the places I hunt well enough that most times I can just drop off the back side of the ridge (I hunt mtns) and move if I hear them closing in (you almost always hear them before seeing them) to try and avoid trouble.

The crazy thing, these guys are not killing turkeys as I have not heard a gun shot anywhere close to me at all in over five years. But they are professionals at flushing turkeys and making it harder for others to be successful even though by the grace of God I have continued to tag out yearly. 

[bigwoodstom]

I've never parked beside another truck turkey huntin' but I can't say that the courtesy has been reciprocated.

[NCL]

The public land that I hunt is 43000 acres but only has a couple of access points. To make matters worse it is a multi-use area so vehicles that are parked may or may not be hunting. I have encountered hikers, geo-cashers and horse riders during hunts in the area. With that said I have avoided walking in because of vehicles parked in the parking area. I enjoy the tranquility of hunting by myself and do not enjoy when others are around. The other land I hunt is private and it I encounter someone I would head down to get the owner, actually one of the reasons I can hunt there as a land monitor. 

[Tail Feathers]

I was "that guy" last year.  Got to a spot and a truck was parked there.  I knew the guy, not real well but turkey camp acquaintances.
I told him where I was going, he questioned whether it would interfere with his spot.  I assured him I would be a mile of so in while  he was going about 3-400 yards in.
My path was convoluted and I was wrong on how far in I would go, so we wound up in the same area.  I guessed way deep, he guessed somewhat shallow.
Three gobblers in there, we didn't get one but I don't think we hurt anything or each other.
After, I apologized and found another spot.
I don't like being "that guy", but I was certain I wouldn't be...until I was.

[silvestris]

How much space do we need?  A lot more space that is out there.

[Tail Feathers]

We need more turkeys!
Room, we have.  A 1 turkey per acre population density would help a lot. 

[Bowguy]

This thread is exactly why id prefer driving 5hrs hunt if need be to actually hunt without interference.
The next part bothers me a little. Way back when no one would  tell you anything.
Most guys would prob sit where they saw them deer season and quit after a short spell of unsuccessful hunting.
Today the old school guys have shared good info in order to pass it down.
Idk if we just havent expressed how valuable the info is and to be respectful and courteous to other hunters or if the newer guys just feel entitled. Theres no reason for a calling contest be it ducks, turkey, etc and the safety factor should be considered.
Fellas we need to relay this info to our mentees even on here.
Most the guys posting about this have been at this a long time.
Id be interested to see some 10yr or less experience hunters thoughts. Its not the old school guys screwing you. And I will say in vast areas i see the reasoning for talking to another guy at a gate. Myself id just never be there late as someone else. I can remember exactly one time in over 40 years someone asked what part of a piece i was going to. It was youth day, thats why i was later. Getting little girls up is tough.
I was walking in to a 50acre piece of federal land that was sandwiched between private property.
He asked "what part i was going to?"
What part of 50 acres?
Told him i didnt wanna have a call contest with him. If he was going in id leave but id not do that to him. I had birds roosted there and another spot. If he decided to go id tell him where other birds were. I did he left. My oldest daughter killed a bird. We prob could had a double. Idk how the other guy made out but ill never get why someone asks "which part of the 50 acres?"

[WV Flopper]

I can tell you the guys that roll up late, don't care!

They have 100% intentions of hunting at that spot regardless.

Our private hunting club is hard. Lots of acreage but lots of ways to get to it. First week or two can be rough as far as interference.

I will say my answer to the question "Where you going" has always been the same. Where the turkey gobbles.

[Dtrkyman]

I rarely keep track but when a friend came out to hunt with me, we hunted two states for 5 days, he tracked us and we covered 79 miles on our feet, and a lot more than that in the vehicle, so I need lots of space!

I have covered over 20 miles in a day on foot many times.

[redwad]

I like this topic and all the information that has been shared. I never double park. The only way I see it acceptable to double park is if you communicate with each other about where you two will be. I've had plenty of people park next to me and walk in. You can tell right away when that happens. I always give a horrible sounding crow call or owl hoot to let them know my location. Safety is the number one thing to me. And spring turkey hunting is all about going to the gobbling bird. This can quickly turn into someone pointing their barrel right at you. Ive witnessed some scary gun safety out there.

[WV Flopper]

Lots of hunters that never really turkey hunted took up the sport during Covid.

They do not know the ethics to the sport. Have had no one to teach them. We must patiently try and help them...

Patience has never been one of my virtues. Except for setting behind a gun. But honestly, a lot of these guys only have the hunting public to teach them.

[GobbleNut]

I was "that guy" last year.  Got to a spot and a truck was parked there.  I knew the guy, not real well but turkey camp acquaintances.
I told him where I was going, he questioned whether it would interfere with his spot.  I assured him I would be a mile of so in while  he was going about 3-400 yards in.
My path was convoluted and I was wrong on how far in I would go, so we wound up in the same area.  I guessed way deep, he guessed somewhat shallow.
Three gobblers in there, we didn't get one but I don't think we hurt anything or each other.
After, I apologized and found another spot.
I don't like being "that guy", but I was certain I wouldn't be...until I was.

Let's face it. There is always that "gray area" when hunting a place where there are other hunters...which is pretty much everywhere anymore...where even someone with the best of intentions might unknowingly interfere with another hunter who is working a bird. "Unknowingly" doing it does not fall into the same category as knowingly doing it...in my book, at least.

I suspect most of us that have hunted for very long have had both situations occur. You're working a gobbler and someone else hears him from a distance away and naturally starts to move in on him. There is a point where that person should realize..."Oh, there is someone else already working this gobbler"...and immediately backs out. That "realization" can only occur, however, if the guy that is there first somehow lets the other guy know he is there.

On the other hand, I also suspect many of us have gone to a gobbler that was announcing his presence, attempted to verify that nobody else was around, felt confident nobody else was there first, then set up and began working that bird...and maybe even killed that bird...only to have some guy that you had no idea was around show up. I suppose my point is that anybody that is working a gobbler should have some method of clearly making sure another approaching hunter realizes he is there.

If a guy does that...and the intruding hunter STILL continues to interfere...that falls into a totally different category.

[bbcoach]

Each of you are SPOT ON and have expressed some Great Comments and Concerns.  For me, it's about Hunter Ethics and CONSIDERATION!  Since most of us understand that Scouting and using your two feet to turkey hunt is Top Priority, it blows my mind how many people don't have more CONSIDERATION when they turkey hunt.  If you get beat to a spot, move somewhere else, period.  If someone is working a bird or you accidently walk in on someone, have the consideration to offer a Heartfelt apology and head away from that area immediately.  No excuses, just apologize and leave the way you came in.  And one last thing, I've had more hunts blown by people that think you Road Hunt turkeys in vehicles.  Scout them early and often and use your legs to get to them.  Great thread and posts Gentlemen.   

[paboxcall]

If there is a truck there, I'm moving on. As John Wayne once said "I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same of them."

About 20 years ago, long before social media, I was on a 8-mile long stretch of 'strike a chalk line straight,' out of state ridgetop state forest road. I roosted a gobbler about 200 yards down the sidehill that night, as I'd worked him and a couple satellite gobblers earlier that morning across the valley.

Next morning, I parked on that dirt road long before daylight, and crept to 75 yards of the tree. At daylight he fired up on the roost gobbling like crazy.

Above me I heard a truck crunch the gravel and stop about where I left mine...you can see about 1/2 mile in each direction...guy opens door, and hears this bird gobble. He owl hoots few times, does a cackle, and proceeds to slam truck doors and get dressed. He starts down over sliding though the leaves.

I wave an orange strip of cloth to get his attention. He sees me, turns his controlled fall, and slides straight to my tree.

He leans in to whisper to me... "You hear that gobbler?"

"Yeah."

"You gonna hunt that bird?"

"What do you think, genius, I'm in camo with a shotgun."

He stands up, and walks back up to the road making as much noise as possible. Never did hear that bird again.

If there is a truck there, I move along. Wish others extended that same courtesy.