YOUR PUBLIC LAND HOTSPOTS--NOT REALLY A SECRET!!

[turkaholic]

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.

[quavers59]

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....

[VA_Birdhunter]

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

[RutnNStrutn]

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.

[DumpTruckTurkey]

Green Turtle Pond in NJ, Sterling Forest State Park and Stewart State Forest in NY..... got it.  Thanks!

 

[renegade19]

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?

[Happy]

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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[VA_Birdhunter]

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

[wvmntnhick]

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." 

[Happy]

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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[quavers59]

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.

[strut2]

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.

[Jimspur]

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!

[BB30]

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.