Public land - fields or woods?

[catman529]

Until today I had mainly scouted and hunted areas with big clear fields near roosting areas. Today I went and scouted two new areas... river bottom and bluffs, one spot has a small field nearby and the other only has an overgrown powerline cut. But they are pretty much wooded areas and the birds seem to roost near the river and fly down into the wooded river bottomland. River bottoms are usually where I hunt on the WMA but this time I'm not going to be in a big open field. Probably will hunt one of these two spots on opening day.  Both are a decent hike from the road but fairly easy to find. Wondering what you all lean towards when hunting public land? I know it would depend on the land, if it's mostly wooded then you only have woods, but if you have woods and fields, which would you go for? My guess is that most hunters on the WMA will be in some type of field. I want to get away from the crowd as usual. So there's one last question - where have you seen more hunters on public land? fields or woods?

[WildSpur]

Fields for sure.  It's natural to want visibility and a nice place to watch decoys.  Plus it can be easier to navigate.

For me though I stick in the woods.  Jmo but many novice hunters avoid timber and I usually have a lot less competition.

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[jakebird]

Fields for sure.  It's natural to want visibility and a nice place to watch decoys.  Plus it can be easier to navigate.

For me though I stick in the woods.  Jmo but many novice hunters avoid timber and I usually have a lot less competition.

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I agree . Not only will there be more pressure where the birds are most visible, but when they realize that pressure, where are they gonna go? The timber . Rely heavily on your scouting and try to find the most secluded spots with the toughest access . It will eliminate or atleast reduce the competition and that's half the battle . I'll take unpressured birds over high visibility birds any day. Good luck!

[catman529]

That's what I was thinking. everyone is gonna be looking to the fields for the birds and I might find a patch of woods to myself to call in a gobbler.  Although I did kill 2 birds in fields on public land last year. The first one was with another hunter in the field though (we both killed one). My hope is for getting the spot to myself on opening morning, we'll just have to see how it goes.

[fmf]

I start in the creek bottoms almost always.

come mid morning the crowd is leaving and I will go start checking fields.  Never with calls, just visually.  When the gobblers are seeking, you can sit on a big field and watch the different gobblers come throughout the day and check the field.  Lots of times if they are seeking, they will let you know they're there before they get to the edge.

[Matt81302]

I am more of a woods guy as well. On most of the public land I hunt 9 times out of 10 you will not catch a turkey in a field until around mid day when most hunters call it quits. And I have also learned it is hard to call a turkey to a field in my area because they hear it all the time and know better I guess. My favorite spot to be is on an old logging road bed deep in the woods or a big hardwood creek bottom. Nothing beats scouting and knowing where they go when they come off the roost and being there waiting on them.

[Garrett Trentham]

Nothing beats scouting and knowing where they go when they come off the roost and being there waiting on them.

^^^ This

Get out there and do some more scouting. It's hard to say where the birds will be using during the day without firsthand knowledge. Find the birds, and hunt them where they are. Don't shy away from a spot because you think it may be pressured. If it's where the birds are, it's the best place to hunt.