Mississippi public land turkey hunting 2021

[GobbleNut]

You know, I read through all of these comments on hunting public land in MS and how crowded it is.  Yet, just yesterday I watched a new video of a guy hunting a national forest (or so he claimed) just this year,...so the hunt must have taken place at the start of the season.  He was on gobblers two days in a row that were gobbling their a$$es off for hours,...and yet nobody else showed up! 

This is not the first video I have watched from MS with the exact same scenario. ...Makes me wonder what people think "crowded" hunting conditions are?  Don't get me wrong,...I haven't hunted MS but one time, so I don't have a clue, personally.  I just find it a bit curious that the rhetoric here and what I have seen on multiple videos just doesn't add up.  My assumption is that there must be places a guy can go on public land in MS and find gobbling turkeys without crowds.

Again, don't nobody here need to get their snoods in a knot.  ...Just making an observation from an outsider that doesn't have a dog in the hunt.   

[bushwhacker]

The rhetoric against out of state hunters is the same with fishing. I went to Sardis lake probably in 2012 and all I received as a welcome was "oh you Missouri @$$holes all come down here and catch all our fish." I didn't know the back story until later but that's beside the point. I paid my money and if anyone cares, I never took a crappie home. I did have fun and some folks were really cordial and friendly. A few bad apples ruins the barrel as they say.

[Remington700]

I understand that everyone wants there own private spot. The problem is this is public and open to everyone. I hunt some public land and understand the crowded areas. I assume most areas are similar to mine and the weekends are bad. Most people work during the week. I have not seen many out of state people on the public I hunt in TN, but I am not in the high turkey area of the state. Like others I do not like being crowded, but what can you do.

[wchadw]

I understand that everyone wants there own private spot. The problem is this is public and open to everyone. I hunt some public land and understand the crowded areas. I assume most areas are similar to mine and the weekends are bad. Most people work during the week. I have not seen many out of state people on the public I hunt in TN, but I am not in the high turkey area of the state. Like others I do not like being crowded, but what can you do.

It's not really a matter of a private spot. It's there's hunters from 5 states all trying to hunt a limited amount of land and a limited amount of birds. MS opens 1-2 weeks before LA AR TN and AL so there is a large influx of hunters from these states. MS needs to change opening date to give the birds some time to breed without hunting pressure. On March 15 in my area the birds are just starting to break up and there is little to no gobbling until close to end of March.


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[AndyN]

It's the new normal everywhere. As guiding and private leasing become more prevalent, everyone else gets pushed to the little bit of public land that we have. Contrary to what everyone has been saying, hunter number have remained fairly steady over the last 60yrs ranging from 13-17 million. This number has stayed between 14.5-15.5 million the last 20 years. People just have more disposable income than they did 20yrs ago and clearly it's getting spent on guided hunts, leasing land, and even purchasing land. How many real estate/leasing companies catered to hunters 20-30 years ago? Now we have whitetail properties, midwest land group, mossy oak properties, hayden outdoors and basecamp leasing just to name a few.  Add in all of the YouTube public land folks showing you can get it done of public, naming states they're hunting and it's just going to continue to get worse.

[wchadw]

That's right
And I think ,if the mdwfp gave a rat about the wildlife
As much as they say, instead of all the money they get from out of state hunters ,they would make the season later . It's all about the money.

I agree. Most of the surrounding states have changed seasons and limits


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[Dtrkyman]

They should move the season to a later date, then when the non residents lay off they could recoup the money by raising resident prices, lets see how that goes with the locals!

I hunt public in multiple states each year as a non resident in all of them, none are in the south, however a couple get some ample pressure, I have had zero issues with others, sure they can alter plans and I have had to hunt different spots but the guys have been very easy to deal with. 

[deerhunt1988]

You know, I read through all of these comments on hunting public land in MS and how crowded it is.  Yet, just yesterday I watched a new video of a guy hunting a national forest (or so he claimed) just this year,...so the hunt must have taken place at the start of the season.  He was on gobblers two days in a row that were gobbling their a$$es off for hours,...and yet nobody else showed up! 

This is not the first video I have watched from MS with the exact same scenario. ...Makes me wonder what people think "crowded" hunting conditions are?  Don't get me wrong,...I haven't hunted MS but one time, so I don't have a clue, personally.  I just find it a bit curious that the rhetoric here and what I have seen on multiple videos just doesn't add up.  My assumption is that there must be places a guy can go on public land in MS and find gobbling turkeys without crowds.

Again, don't nobody here need to get their snoods in a knot.  ...Just making an observation from an outsider that doesn't have a dog in the hunt.   

Mississippi has a lot of draw hunts where they manage the hunting pressure really well. I was on a popular draw hunt this past weekend and only encountered 2 other trucks of hunters (both vehicles had 2 hunters). Very possible they were on a draw hunt.

But with 5 national forest holding birds spread across the state, when proper etiquette is shown, there are plenty of chances to get on gobbling turkey without being interrupted. Key being, respectful hunters! The main issue with early season is a lot of turkey aren't gobbling too well. So you know what happens when multiple people hear the same bird.

[ShootingABN!]

That's right
And I think ,if the mdwfp gave a rat about the wildlife
As much as they say, instead of all the money they get from out of state hunters ,they would make the season later . It's all about the money.

I agree. Most of the surrounding states have changed seasons and limits


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Y'all know on the Mississippi game and fish page the main turkey man is Adam Butler and his contact information is on there. Have you contacted him? I heard a radio show where Preston Pittman said the laws need to change down South, after Katrina in 2005 it messed up the habitat and it has never recovered.

[thwack16]

I've long said that we shouldn't open until April 1. Or the Saturday closest til March 25th. Atleast north of 20 and especially for those of us north of 82. The birds are just rarely ready on the opener. But I'll be dang if we let a bird gobble and not have a couple different hunters "legally" able to close in on him.

The first week has been a zoo on the public around here. I found one that was willing and obliged on a lunch hour hunt yesterday, but other than that it has been rough.

[Remington700]

I understand that everyone wants there own private spot. The problem is this is public and open to everyone. I hunt some public land and understand the crowded areas. I assume most areas are similar to mine and the weekends are bad. Most people work during the week. I have not seen many out of state people on the public I hunt in TN, but I am not in the high turkey area of the state. Like others I do not like being crowded, but what can you do.

It's not really a matter of a private spot. It's there's hunters from 5 states all trying to hunt a limited amount of land and a limited amount of birds. MS opens 1-2 weeks before LA AR TN and AL so there is a large influx of hunters from these states. MS needs to change opening date to give the birds some time to breed without hunting pressure. On March 15 in my area the birds are just starting to break up and there is little to no gobbling until close to end of March.


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I do not disagree with a change needs to take place. TN changed some of the regulations this year. I wish they would have been even more restrictive.

[MShillhunter]

I live next to and hunt a popular NF in Mississippi and it is getting worse and worse. I understand it's public and I understand there will be times you run into other hunters. I have had birds shot out from under me that I had no idea the other hunter was there and after I cleaned the crap from my pants went and congratulated the hunter.  I don't have patience for stupid people, which there seems to be more and more of. 

This would never happen, but would love if you were required to take an easy course/test in the etiquette of hunting public land to get a permit to hunt these lands. 

Obviously wouldn't hurt to significantly raise out of state licenses. They're coming anyways, charge the hell out of them and put the money back in the resource. 


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[deadbuck]

I know a retired guy that hunts the same NF that I do and he has been every morning since the opener on the 15th. He said although there is a small army of Arkansas hunters harrassing the birds and taking all available parking spots, they have not done any shooting. The Arky boys dont know it but they come here early when the birds arent ready yet. If they would come the last 2 weeks of season instead of first 2 they would get more action, but their season is open by then. Even though it isnt far to drive I cant understand why they come to where I hunt, it just isnt that good.

[Howie g]

I know a retired guy that hunts the same NF that I do and he has been every morning since the opener on the 15th. He said although there is a small army of Arkansas hunters harrassing the birds and taking all available parking spots, they have not done any shooting. The Arky boys dont know it but they come here early when the birds arent ready yet. If they would come the last 2 weeks of season instead of first 2 they would get more action, but their season is open by then. Even though it isnt far to drive I cant understand why they come to where I hunt, it just isnt that good.

Well , now we do . See you the last two weeks ?

[derek]

Just spent the first 11 days of the season in Mississippi.  Between the weather,  pressure and just how early it felt in the season.. I struggled a ton. I heard 5 gobbles on day 2. 2 gobbles on day 7. And finally found a bird that wanted to talk a little more on day 10, he was with a boat load of hens that didn't like me so I didn't push the issue and was able to get between him and his hens yesterday morning and finally kill him.. and he didn't gobble at all yesterday. So in 11 days, I heard gobbling on 3 of them. That's pretty rough from this Yankee's perspective, and it wasn't that there weren't birds where I was hunting, they just didn't seem ready.  I hunted 3 very different parts of the state hoping things would be different with a relocation, but the story seemed very similar everywhere and with everyone I talked to.

I agree the season just seems to start too early. In hindsight I wish I would have gone in April. But with the extra pressure from all us nonresidents pushing to get it done before the birds are ready, not to mention they had already been hunted the week before hand for youth season, it's no wonder Mississippi birds have a reputation of being tough. They're getting a hell of an education before they're even in the mood. The resident guys I talked to seemed to be more taking inventory and seeing where everyone was focused on hunting vs pushing them before it was time.

That said I was very impressed with the etiquette demonstrated by others around me. Not once did I have someone come in on me and everyone I met was extremely helpful and even made some friends I bet I'll keep contact with for sometime. Also got a really sweet box call given to me by a us forestry service guy that I thought was really cool.

Beautiful state and I enjoyed my time there despite the challenges. But I sure am glad to have checked the state off.

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