Choccolocco WMA

[Cowboy]

Right there with you zeke632. Wasnt bashing your post. Got my Pinhoti hat AND t shirt....

[ncturkey]

I feel sorry for the new guys trying to get into turkey hunting. Too much information to take in.
I have hunted WMA Lands since 1992. I learned to hunt them all on my own. I got topography maps of the areas. I scouted way more than I hunted. Out of state hunting can be hard. I have only hunted one out of state WMA lands. I used the same tactics I used on my home state WMA's. Scouting was very important. I have one bit of advise for anyone that wants to take it. Call the DNR folks and ask them about the WMA areas you would like to hunt. You will be surprised how much help they can be.
But some you talk to will not give you much advise. They are hunters too. They will not give out there best areas. The more homework and boots on the ground you do will help you find good areas to hunt.
Plus one more thing do not just find one good area. Find as many as you can for back up.
Good Luck.

[GobbleNut]

Not to be argumentative but I'm gonna say there is a difference in "hunting pressure" on public land in NM vs TN.  If I showed a guy a public spot and then he in turn took THP there and they shot video, showed pin locations, etc for the world to see, I'd be a little pissed at the guy too... Thankfully I'm not in that situation.  However, I do agree public land is there for everyone's use, some need to be a little wiser in how they share it.

Not disagreeing with that at all.  I suppose I just haven't seen the videos where a specific location was identified.  For sure, that's not a good idea.  I appreciate someone trying to be helpful to other turkey hunters, but there are limits to that!

[catman529]

Catmans YouTube channel literally did do a ton of damage to one WMA.  He used to name it all
the time.  I really foresee public lands going more and more to quotas in the future to limit the nonsense.

I never once named a single area on my channel. Back when I got into hunting I made the mistake of talking about where I was hunting on a forum (being naive) and someone called me out for it, and I stopped doing it years ago.

A good friend of mine knows a lot of guys from his area who discovered said WMA and posted all their success on social media, telling everyone where it was. I'm pretty sure the Arkansas hunters have loose lips on the place too. Everyone just has to tell all their buddies, and that's what ruins a spot more than anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Gentry]

Catmans YouTube channel literally did do a ton of damage to one WMA.  He used to name it all
the time.  I really foresee public lands going more and more to quotas in the future to limit the nonsense.

I never once named a single area on my channel. Back when I got into hunting I made the mistake of talking about where I was hunting on a forum (being naive) and someone called me out for it, and I stopped doing it years ago.

A good friend of mine knows a lot of guys from his area who discovered said WMA and posted all their success on social media, telling everyone where it was. I'm pretty sure the Arkansas hunters have loose lips on the place too. Everyone just has to tell all their buddies, and that's what ruins a spot more than anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Lose lips and social media is a double edged sword, but it way sharper on one side.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cove]

I surely appreciate those of you that choose to follow along with my spring ramblings- I'll forever ask myself why, but do appreciate it. 

I've only in one very specific situation allowed there to be any hint as to where I was spending my Spring days and please realize, this is not for my gain. I'll typically spend a few days in an area once every few years- why would I care what happens once I'm gone? But I do, greatly, for the locals and others who may hunt those areas frequently. Have I seen social media take it's toll? Dang right. But I'm not selfish nor ignorant. I know that conservation is funded largely by the sale of hunting license. And I for one enjoy seeing the increased activity because I'm seeing those funds channeling into more ground for the hunting population. If I have a favorite spot that's overtaken by hunting pressure, I'm confident in my ability to find another. Luckily we live in a time where another gobbling turkey isn't too far away for the willing. So I refuse to sweat the small stuff and remain focused on the bigger pictures.

Also, I'm proud that the traveling to hunt "fad" has gained popularity. Whether I had any influence is not important- what is important is that more folks are spending time doing something they love in new and exciting places. Waking up to realize it's too late to do such things is unacceptable. So if I can add some motivation you better believe I will.

Sorry for continuing to steer this thread away from it's original intent. My attention was called due to my name being mentioned several times and while it's probably against my better judgement, felt a response was necessary regardless of it's effectiveness.

[Kygobblergetter]

I surely appreciate those of you that choose to follow along with my spring ramblings- I'll forever ask myself why, but do appreciate it. 

I've only in one very specific situation allowed there to be any hint as to where I was spending my Spring days and please realize, this is not for my gain. I'll typically spend a few days in an area once every few years- why would I care what happens once I'm gone? But I do, greatly, for the locals and others who may hunt those areas frequently. Have I seen social media take it's toll? Dang right. But I'm not selfish nor ignorant. I know that conservation is funded largely by the sale of hunting license. And I for one enjoy seeing the increased activity because I'm seeing those funds channeling into more ground for the hunting population. If I have a favorite spot that's overtaken by hunting pressure, I'm confident in my ability to find another. Luckily we live in a time where another gobbling turkey isn't too far away for the willing. So I refuse to sweat the small stuff and remain focused on the bigger pictures.

Also, I'm proud that the traveling to hunt "fad" has gained popularity. Whether I had any influence is not important- what is important is that more folks are spending time doing something they love in new and exciting places. Waking up to realize it's too late to do such things is unacceptable. So if I can add some motivation you better believe I will.

Sorry for continuing to steer this thread away from it's original intent. My attention was called due to my name being mentioned several times and while it's probably against my better judgement, felt a response was necessary regardless of it's effectiveness.

Very well said. I sure haven't been able to tell where you were hunting from any of your content, and I certainly haven't needed any extra motivation to travel chasing turkeys. Some people want to bash and criticize but I personally feel that you are an excellent representation of the turkey hunting culture and clearly one heck of a turkey killer. At the end of the day it's about getting out and enjoying hunting. Some people have clearly lost sight of that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kytrkyhntr]

Well said Dave glad to be a part of the "cult" 

[Hughesjr60]

I hunt in Indiana. We get 16 days to hunt and can kill 1 turkey. A few years I kept saying I really wanted to hunt longer. We get 3 months to hunt deer and 16 days to hunt turkeys. I love hunting turkeys so much more. Then Dave comes on and podcasts and the old spring thunder/THP all talking about how easy it is to just go. My brother who lives in Ohio started showing interest a couple years ago in turkey hunting so I started going to Ohio on a 5 day trip with my brother. This will be our third year going on trips.  He got his first turkey last year. We research a state park, camp, and hunt. It's a blast. This year for spring break my wife wants to take our camper down to Alabama and stay at Desoto State Park. She shocked me two weeks ago and said for your birthday next month I want you to get an Alabama turkey license and go while we are there. I was floored. I'll only get to hunt 3 mornings and know it's going to be tough but I don't care. I'll get to be in the spring woods hunting a different state a month before my opener. If it wasn't for Dave and guys like that I'd never had the courage to just do it. I plan on traveling ever year to hunt longer. If I harvest a turkey or not I'm thankful for the time I get to go.

As far as how someone hunts turkeys. I don't care. As long as they are having fun and it's legal. I know some guys are worried that all this attention to public land is going to make it harder to get away but I haven't felt that yet and the little I have seen it get a little "more busy" So far I've been able to escape the pressure. 

[Nathan_Wiles]

Completely not on topic but this caught my eye
Cove quote:
"what is important is that more folks are spending time doing something they love in new and exciting places. Waking up to realize it's too late to do such things is unacceptable."
*Don't wait another minute. Tomorrow is not promised nor guaranteed.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[catman529]

Well said


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[RutnNStrutn]

I surely appreciate those of you that choose to follow along with my spring ramblings- I'll forever ask myself why, but do appreciate it. 

I've only in one very specific situation allowed there to be any hint as to where I was spending my Spring days and please realize, this is not for my gain. I'll typically spend a few days in an area once every few years- why would I care what happens once I'm gone? But I do, greatly, for the locals and others who may hunt those areas frequently. Have I seen social media take it's toll? Dang right. But I'm not selfish nor ignorant. I know that conservation is funded largely by the sale of hunting license. And I for one enjoy seeing the increased activity because I'm seeing those funds channeling into more ground for the hunting population. If I have a favorite spot that's overtaken by hunting pressure, I'm confident in my ability to find another. Luckily we live in a time where another gobbling turkey isn't too far away for the willing. So I refuse to sweat the small stuff and remain focused on the bigger pictures.

Also, I'm proud that the traveling to hunt "fad" has gained popularity. Whether I had any influence is not important- what is important is that more folks are spending time doing something they love in new and exciting places. Waking up to realize it's too late to do such things is unacceptable. So if I can add some motivation you better believe I will.

Sorry for continuing to steer this thread away from it's original intent. My attention was called due to my name being mentioned several times and while it's probably against my better judgement, felt a response was necessary regardless of it's effectiveness.

Only a select few mentioned you negatively in this thread. The rest of us realize you're not the issue, and have no problem with what you do. Good luck this spring. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

[cuttinAR]

I surely appreciate those of you that choose to follow along with my spring ramblings- I'll forever ask myself why, but do appreciate it. 

I've only in one very specific situation allowed there to be any hint as to where I was spending my Spring days and please realize, this is not for my gain. I'll typically spend a few days in an area once every few years- why would I care what happens once I'm gone? But I do, greatly, for the locals and others who may hunt those areas frequently. Have I seen social media take it's toll? Dang right. But I'm not selfish nor ignorant. I know that conservation is funded largely by the sale of hunting license. And I for one enjoy seeing the increased activity because I'm seeing those funds channeling into more ground for the hunting population. If I have a favorite spot that's overtaken by hunting pressure, I'm confident in my ability to find another. Luckily we live in a time where another gobbling turkey isn't too far away for the willing. So I refuse to sweat the small stuff and remain focused on the bigger pictures.

Also, I'm proud that the traveling to hunt "fad" has gained popularity. Whether I had any influence is not important- what is important is that more folks are spending time doing something they love in new and exciting places. Waking up to realize it's too late to do such things is unacceptable. So if I can add some motivation you better believe I will.

Sorry for continuing to steer this thread away from it's original intent. My attention was called due to my name being mentioned several times and while it's probably against my better judgement, felt a response was necessary regardless of it's effectiveness.

Respect ^^^^

If it's in the southeast or Midwest I can generally tell what area of the state you are in but if you've been around who couldn't.  I'm not sure how you could hide that and not sure that you should. 

What you are doing showing people the traditional way of hunting is worth the price of a few internet scouts.  Those that rely on other types of hunting are not wrong to do so, what they don't understand is what they are missing by straight up matching wits with a gobbler.  Good on you for what you do and good luck this season.  I watch, enjoy, and learn a few things.

And I know exactly where you killed that gobbler in Arkansas last year and I'll be there on opening morning!!