Road trip hunting

[tysonhunter]

Like many of you I'm setup to sleep in my truck for quick weekend trips to stay mobile. My question is this, do y'all sleep at the gate, Walmart, rest area or what's your preference? I know many WMAs "say" no overnight parking/camping at designated hunting spots but I haven't ran into issues as long as being discrete. That said, I've also been looking more at simple approaches like Walmart's or rest areas etc.  Thoughts or suggestions?

[mcw3734]

I'm blessed to be out West with plenty of public land. Usually I just pull off a Forest Service road near my hunt area and camp right there. Keep morning drive time to an absolute minimum, if any at all.

[Gooserbat]

I've slept at rest areas, Walmarts, once at a county maintenance shed, beside the road, wma gate, KOA, Dollar General, and a motel parking lot.

[MK M GOBL]

Have spent a number of nights on service roads where we could, camp sites at times and Wally world. Fortunate to never have had any real sort of problems and have always have some protective measures in place.

MK M GOBL

[Cowboy]

This thread reminds me of the time my brother and I went to Tennessee on a turkey huntin trip. We both were in our 20's. Parked in a Walmart parking lot about 1 or 2 am. Decided to go into Wally World to get stuff. At check out, I notice this dude standing by the exit watching us. As we left this guy took off out the door in front of us. Evidently,  we got done shopping too soon. He and his buddy took off from the back window off our RV where his buddy had cut the screen and was climbing thru!!! He was the look out inside the Walmart.  Being young and dumb, we just continued on to the public huntin spot to finish out the night. Cut screen and all. Lol !

[deerhunt1988]

This thread reminds me of the time my brother and I went to Tennessee on a turkey huntin trip. We both were in our 20's. Parked in a Walmart parking lot about 1 or 2 am. Decided to go into Wally World to get stuff. At check out, I notice this dude standing by the exit watching us. As we left this guy took off out the door in front of us. Evidently,  we got done shopping too soon. He and his buddy took off from the back window off our RV where his buddy had cut the screen and was climbing thru!!! He was the look out inside the Walmart.  Being young and dumb, we just continued on to the public huntin spot to finish out the night. Cut screen and all. Lol !

Yall finish burying the bodies before gobbling time?

[GobbleNut]

This thread reminds me of the time my brother and I went to Tennessee on a turkey huntin trip. We both were in our 20's. Parked in a Walmart parking lot about 1 or 2 am. Decided to go into Wally World to get stuff. At check out, I notice this dude standing by the exit watching us. As we left this guy took off out the door in front of us. Evidently,  we got done shopping too soon. He and his buddy took off from the back window off our RV where his buddy had cut the screen and was climbing thru!!! He was the look out inside the Walmart.  Being young and dumb, we just continued on to the public huntin spot to finish out the night. Cut screen and all. Lol !

This is exactly why I would never park at a Walmart (or the like) to sleep.  I'll pull over in a wide spot on the highway before I will do that.  That way, I know if anybody stops or shows up, they are probably up to no good,....and will be dealt with accordingly.

[deerhunt1988]

I sleep as close to the turkey as possible.

If I'm traveling overnight between spots, I'll sleep in a lighted parking lot where there is some traffic. Wal-Mart, truck stops, rest stops, etc. Not all Wal-Marts allow overnight parking. There is a great app called 'RV Parky' that is specifically for finding places on the road to park at night. It will tell you whether the Wal-Marts allow overnight parking or not and people also review places. I've found the app very useful the past two springs as I spend 20 nights or more living out of my truck.

The only scare i've ever had was in broad daylight at a truck stop in Pennsylvania. It was about 2PM and I was sitting in my truck, catching up on some work with my laptop. A disoriented older man opened up my passenger door and was about to sit down! I freaked out and for a split second and thought I was carjacked. I started hollering at him and glanced around and noticed a SUV the same color as my truck parked right beside me. The old man was confused as heck and realized something wasn't right. His daughter (I assume) came over and got him and led to him to the correct vehicle. Talk about an adrenaline rush! I should have had my doors locked and I stay strapped ever since.

As far as sleeping where I hunt... As you mentioned, some public lands (normally state lands) require you to camp at a designated area OR do not even allow camping at all (I'm thinking of you, Pennsylvania!) I've even saw wording that specifically mentioned not allowing overnight camping/parking at gates (I believe Michigan?). I've always felt a bit 'weird' about parking overnight at gates, I guess an ethics thing? But have done it. Most of the time I'll try and find a dead end road or something nearby and sleep there and then get up super early to drive to the gate. BUT, times are changing. The past few years folks are getting to gates earlier and earlier. Last year the southeast was just ridiculous. When I start getting beat to gates at 3:30AM, I'm just gonna start sleeping at them (if legal!) Now days folks liable to come on in on you anyways.

[springtime_overland]

https://www.ioverlander.com/

https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/

[Dtrkyman]

I "camped" off the side of the road all spring last season with all the closures, rarely did a car even drive by.  I sleep in the back of my Grand Cherokee so I do not set up a camp.

Most places it is legal anyway, many not. No issue yet.  I prefer to never go anywhere near a Wal dump! No way I am sleeping in a parking lot, would never sleep.

I have a thick fold up sleeping pad made by Milliard, 100$, that thing is a game changer!  4 or 6 inch think and comfy as heck!  I have probably 100 nights sleeping on it in the past 2 years.

[Dtrkyman]

https://www.ioverlander.com/

https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/

Nice!

[springtime_overland]

https://www.ioverlander.com/

https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/

Nice!

Overlanding/Boondocking public land is booming more than turkey hunting.. Turkey hunters can take advantage of the information they are putting out..

[albrubacker]

https://www.ioverlander.com/

https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/

Thanks for sharing!

[simpzenith]

If I'm hunting in remote areas, especially out west such as SD, I just pull over on the side of a dirt road somewhere and sleep. In more populated areas, I sleep at 24hr gas stations or truck stops most often. I won't sleep overnight at rest areas, Walmarts, or any other place that doesn't have people activity all through the night. So far, I've never had any issues.

[bigriverbum]

i once slept in a bass boat on an unhitched trailer

though as i recall, i wasn't turkey hunting in the morning