How early do you get to the gate?

[aclawrence]

That's awesome Spurs. I agree about the accomplishment.  Maybe it's a little wrong but it sure does a feel good passing all the other trucks driving down the road when you have a turkey in the back.  Wow some of y'all really get out there super early. You gotta do what you gotta do though. I've thought about spending the night at the trailhead but was a little unsure about the ethics of it.


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Ethics are first come first serve.  To me, there is nothing different at parking all night vs. getting there 30 seconds before the next guy.  If I get beat, I go to Plan B.  But to me, there is nothing worse than having to fall back on secondary parking areas. 

Personally, my plan a, b, and c all culminate at the parking area.  That is why I get there so early.  I really don't like having to waste time hunting plan a, then drive to plan b.  When I have done that in the past, I noticed that someone could be parked at plan b, then I would drive to plan c, only to have a truck there as well.

I guess one thing I was thinking about was what's to keep someone from just camping out at their favorite gate all week and keeping everyone else out that follows the unspoken rule of first come at the gate rule.  I don't think doing an overnighter at a agate is a problem but I think it could be abused and turned into a problem. 


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[ggrue]

Sounds like a crazy rat race to me. I had the experience once and that was enough. Currently I hunt private land alot but when hunting on public I would  not consider anything small or under several thousand acres. I would then get as far back as possible and as high on a ridge as I could. Then let the fun begin. I never roost birds on public land but I know where they  frequent. I mtn bike any time I have off and cut wood. So I would be in there two hours ahead. One to ride as far in as possible hide my bike and then get in position on a ridge to hunt. One other thing is that I like a high ridge with two or three finger ridges. Always find birds.

The nice thing about public land is that the hunt always seems more difficult. I like that too!~ no gates for me. Just wish I had more time to hunt public.

I wouldn't always disregard small parcels of public.  Many times you can get them to come from the private to the public with some work. 

[Kylongspur88]

That's awesome Spurs. I agree about the accomplishment.  Maybe it's a little wrong but it sure does a feel good passing all the other trucks driving down the road when you have a turkey in the back.  Wow some of y'all really get out there super early. You gotta do what you gotta do though. I've thought about spending the night at the trailhead but was a little unsure about the ethics of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ethics are first come first serve.  To me, there is nothing different at parking all night vs. getting there 30 seconds before the next guy.  If I get beat, I go to Plan B.  But to me, there is nothing worse than having to fall back on secondary parking areas. 

Personally, my plan a, b, and c all culminate at the parking area.  That is why I get there so early.  I really don't like having to waste time hunting plan a, then drive to plan b.  When I have done that in the past, I noticed that someone could be parked at plan b, then I would drive to plan c, only to have a truck there as well.

I guess one thing I was thinking about was what's to keep someone from just camping out at their favorite gate all week and keeping everyone else out that follows the unspoken rule of first come at the gate rule.  I don't think doing an overnighter at a agate is a problem but I think it could be abused and turned into a problem. 


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That rule doesn't exist here. Public land hunting can be pretty dog eat dog in Kentucky. That said most of my public land hunting is done during the week so as to avoid the public....

[fishr64]

Congratulations on a nice bird!!

[Spurs]

That's awesome Spurs. I agree about the accomplishment.  Maybe it's a little wrong but it sure does a feel good passing all the other trucks driving down the road when you have a turkey in the back.  Wow some of y'all really get out there super early. You gotta do what you gotta do though. I've thought about spending the night at the trailhead but was a little unsure about the ethics of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ethics are first come first serve.  To me, there is nothing different at parking all night vs. getting there 30 seconds before the next guy.  If I get beat, I go to Plan B.  But to me, there is nothing worse than having to fall back on secondary parking areas. 

Personally, my plan a, b, and c all culminate at the parking area.  That is why I get there so early.  I really don't like having to waste time hunting plan a, then drive to plan b.  When I have done that in the past, I noticed that someone could be parked at plan b, then I would drive to plan c, only to have a truck there as well.

I guess one thing I was thinking about was what's to keep someone from just camping out at their favorite gate all week and keeping everyone else out that follows the unspoken rule of first come at the gate rule.  I don't think doing an overnighter at a agate is a problem but I think it could be abused and turned into a problem. 


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That rule doesn't exist here. Public land hunting can be pretty dog eat dog in Kentucky. That said most of my public land hunting is done during the week so as to avoid the public....

Most public areas that I frequent have "designated camping spots", which makes it illegal for people to camp at gates or roads.  Now I have personally seen the scenerio where people camped out on a road with tents and everything.  That's their right if the rule doesn't exist.

Problem with most public lands these days is actually the over regulations.  We see that all to often in AR.  Although I see your point of abusing that right, there is a small percentage of people who go to those extremes.  Also, in my experience, those people never do it two years in a row.  My guess is that they figured out it wasn't worth the effort to establish one specific area as "theirs".  Best to be mobile, get to the plan a early, then make a new plan for the next days hunt.

[limbhanger777]

I am a little crazy and most guys over by me head out around 5am. I try to be out by 4am sometimes earlier if I want to claim a place on public that I know other people might know of.

That's not to say I haven't had people park right next to me and ruin my hunt. But by getting there early I can reduce the chances of that happening.