Public land BS what would you do?

[MISSISSIPPI Double beard]

I know a couple of guys that wouldn't take that kind of stuff kindly. Nothing beats an education.

[Neill_Prater]

Obviously, it's not just turkey hunters. Obviously, it's nothing new. A holes have been around since the beginning of time. However, I do believe that the number of people who report having had similar encounters is indicative of a general lack of respect which we are seeing across the entire spectrum of everyday life.

Most of these yahoos we're never taught any different by their parents. I wish people would understand that when you purchase a license to hunt turkey, or for that matter, any game, you are paying for the privilege of hunting, not for the animal you might bag.

Do I want to get a turkey when I go hunting? Sure, but I don't have to kill one to have what I feel is a successful hunt.

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[Cut N Run]

I've been on public where the first guy at the gate there acted like he got to control and had first choice on any bird on all 3,000+ acres because he was first one there.  He wasn't going to make a move until he heard gobbling, even though I already had an area scouted a l-o-n-g ways from the gate where I'd put one to bed the night before.  He got bent out of shape at me, when I already knew where I was headed and he was just going to wait to move on the first gobble, wherever it happened to be.  I ended up killing the bird I was after and his vehicle was long gone by the time I got back to the gate.  Who was the A-Hole in that deal?

Jim

[WV Flopper]

 When the trigger was pulled I would have got up and walked away. I would have been pissed, maybe even have hollered some obscenities.
But, I would in no way have approached anyone. I am a little on the hot headed side, sometimes. Two men in the woods with two guns and people being hot headed, Is not good. States do have laws about standing your ground.
Years ago....I slapped a guy around pretty good, until I was done slapping him around. Technically, I went to jail for that. Even though it was for 5 minutes, I was charged, I plead no contest and had a VERY understanding Magistrate! For me with in possession of a firearm to slap someone else around may not be good if I were to have to go in front of a judge.
It wouldn't much matter if I were dead. I do like the valve stem tool idea.
It's public ground, learn to deal, or buy your own. I have had it to happen several times. The worst was three guys from Maryland that pulled in right beside me, the driver said to the one guy too hurry up and beat that guy in there. I had set there for half an hour prior to that. We did have a discussion, the four of us. I went in there, but it ruined my day and I still resent what went on 20 years later.
My advice, walk on.

[catman529]

That's part of sharing the land. I've had much worse happen. He roosted the bird, so you can't blame him, although he should have got there sooner. You can't expect everyone to have the same standards as you. I had some Arkansas hunters in 2017 park by my truck and sneak between me and the bird and shoot him off the roost. In 2020 I had the birds to myself on the same ridge, and had 4 guys park by me in 2 vehicles about mid morning, and they start working the birds from up above me on the ridge while I was already half way down. So of course I just dropped down into the creek bottom, made a few moves and a few calls and killed the bird. I'm not gonna intentionally walk in on somebody or cut them off, but sometimes people come in from another direction or sometimes people park by you and try to beat you to the bird. Usually I move on to another spot, even if I was there first, but if I'm already in a position to kill the bird, then I'm gonna kill him. If you're gonna hunt public land, you have to throw the whole entitlement mentality out the window and go with the flow. Some people play fair and some people play dirty. Worry about how you hunt, not how the next guy hunts.


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[WV Flopper]

I agree.

[3seasons]

I wouldn't say my congratulations wasn't without a lot of sarcasm and dually noted.

Most of the guys that have done this to me are in the 40-60yr old range.  They know exactly what they are doing and do it well. 

I've met quiet a few folks in the woods and we have exchanged numbers and still will let the other know if they are going to be hunting in that area.  Because it's nothing like waking a few miles back into a place and walking up on someone.

Some peoples mentality of "Public Land" is mind boggling to me.  Yes its for everyone's use  and no-one owns any of it any more than the next person but I was raised to respect folks and give them their space especially turkey hunting.   Are you going to bump into someone that came in from a different road, sure but make it minimal and both of you can have a good hunt.  A turkey gobbles and people go to him its how it is but have some respect if you know someone is in the area.

I have used someone that came in on me to my advantage.  Had a bird that would gobble at your every call but once you called he was going straight away from you and there wasn't any catching him. He did this to me a few times and one sat morning I figured there would be more people around so I go to the gate super early and walked past the birds normal roost area.  I was set up an hour before first light and I could hear trucks going down the road. As its getting light I heard a truck coming down the access road I was on and it was getting louder and louder until it finally stopped at my car(sometimes it helps being in a car vs my truck). I hear the door slam and then I hear an owl hoot.  The bird gobbles and he's in the area I was hoping for him to be.  A few dozed hoots later and some crow calls and then why not lets throw some peacocks in there too and the bird is still gobbling.  Then as its time for flydown the guy starts cranking on a box call. The bird hits the ground, gobbles and takes off opposite of where the guy is calling from, about 3 min later he gobbles about 30yds from the end of my gun barrel and I end the chapter on that wary old bird.  When I walked out the guy was sitting on his tailgate parked right behind my car, he asked me if that was me that shot and I told him it was and he just started telling me about how the bird was answering every call he made.  I asked him if he thought that since this was the only gobbling bird around that I might be on him since my car was parked there and he proceeded to tell me it was public and I didn't own it and he figured I was just some city guy trying to hunt since it was a car parked there.   I just laid the bird in the trunk and said yes sir it is public and I sure apricate you teaching me how to call to one it sure worked and to have a good one, as I got in my car and drove off.   

[Crghss]

Happen to me last season. Perfect morning, first hint of blue in the sky and turkey gobbles on the roost. I move in his direction while he's hammering away. Being public land I know to get close but come to a creek. I don't want to cross but know I should, he's close and don't want spook him. Then bang, hunter isn't further 25 yds. Never called, never made a peep.

Crazy thing is how little it bothered me, just use to it. Got up and walked in further as that area was toast.

[3seasons]

I've been on public where the first guy at the gate there acted like he got to control and had first choice on any bird on all 3,000+ acres because he was first one there.  He wasn't going to make a move until he heard gobbling, even though I already had an area scouted a l-o-n-g ways from the gate where I'd put one to bed the night before.  He got bent out of shape at me, when I already knew where I was headed and he was just going to wait to move on the first gobble, wherever it happened to be.  I ended up killing the bird I was after and his vehicle was long gone by the time I got back to the gate.  Who was the A-Hole in that deal?

Jim

I see no issue if you pull up to a gate and have a conversation with the person sitting there. Especially if its a huge block behind the gate. It really is the best case scenario if you can talk at the gate that way you should know what area the other person is in. I'm not in any way saying that just because you're the first one to an area that you have that whole area to yourself, The difference would be if you told him hey I'm going to this area where I was at yesterday evening and after day breaks he slips in on you while you're working the bird. 
I've had that conversation a many a time. Most go well  some don't. If they don't I'll go somewhere else, not worth it to me.

He roosted the bird, so you can't blame him,
If you're gonna hunt public land, you have to throw the whole entitlement mentality out the window and go with the flow.
Some people play fair and some people play dirty. Worry about how you hunt, not how the next guy hunts.


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He "said" he roosted him but he wasn't there the evening before, I know for a fact. 

Not sure about any entitlement more so respect of other hunters.  I don't care if you hunt the same area I'm in just be respectful if you hear someone working a bird and don't do what he did.  If I hear someone calling I'll go the other way and hope I don't mess their hunt up.

I do worry about how the next guy hunts because that guy could be the guy that shoots you because he's trying to beat you to a bird or is just careless.   Like I said I've had the tree I was sitting on peppered by someone.

[WV Flopper]

 The problem I see and have seen for years with all the new turkey hunters is None of the social media, TV outlets teach them how a hunter should respect another hunter.

That includes a lot of what I have read here.

We should all always keep in mind, a good turkey caller can sound like a hen, seriously, so mistakes can be made. It can happen honestly. Hostility is not always the first thing that should come to your mind.

One day, the shoe may be on the other foot. When it does, and it will, look at yourself. There are some blatant things that people do, but sliding into position, may not always be as it seems.

Don't miss read this. I do my damnedest to not be around other people, but if you cover enough ground you will find yourself in between someone and a turkey.

Now ask yourself, do you own that turkey? Not until he is dead!

[Number17]

When I walked out the guy was sitting on his tailgate parked right behind my car, he asked me if that was me that shot and I told him it was and he just started telling me about how the bird was answering every call he made.  I asked him if he thought that since this was the only gobbling bird around that I might be on him since my car was parked there and he proceeded to tell me it was public and I didn't own it and he figured I was just some city guy trying to hunt since it was a car parked there.   I just laid the bird in the trunk and said yes sir it is public and I sure apricate you teaching me how to call to one it sure worked and to have a good one, as I got in my car and drove off.

And he's probably been telling the story in his circles about you for years about how nothing was happening until he got there, he had them cranked, you moved in on his gobbling bird and shot it without even making a call.
It all depends who's telling the story sometimes, especially when two parties don't know each other.
I've been hounded about killing birds "out from under" other hunters, but the truth is I was in the driver's seat from the start and they just didn't want to believe it.

[jbrown]

What Yoder said!! I was set up about 80yds form A roosted bird, that had answered my tree call. A piss ant guy slipped in and shot the bird out of the tree! I've been cut off several times on public and once on private! People like that need to be taught a lesson
I know for a fact that this bird was still in the tree when he was shot. We got back in the boat and found another gobbling bird.

[Number17]

I've been accused more than once of shooting birds off the roost because I killed them so early. One late season longbeards feet just touched the ground off the roost and landed right in my lap when I hammered him. I'd hear guys later on claiming it shot them off the roost and they're probably still telling their versions of the story to this day.
One guy on public told me flat out he knew for a fact i shot one off the roost because of the way they were gobbling.  I got in too close for comfort in the rain really early and sat under two chiefs all by themselves. Another hunter had them cranked and they stayed on the limb a long time. They finally pitched down and kept right on hammering and walked right into my gun barrel. He wasn't happy with me, but that just happened to be my day and not his.
I'm sure he's still telling the story of the guy that snuck in and shot them off the roost to all his buddies too.

[Jimspur]

Wow Ronnie. Really?

Jim, yes 100%.   The guy broke no laws, and killed a turkey legally!   Why not support him?  
And for tho record I don't support this guy, and I'm sure there are some other legal tactics he uses that I probably don't support.   It that's life.

All I'm saying Ronnie is that yes, he might not have broken the law, but that doesn't mean you or anyone else should lump me, or others in with that guy.
I support legal methods of hunting. I don't support A-hole methods of hunting whether they are legal or not. Sorry that you can't see the difference.

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This appears to be a slippery slope. I would like to know who makes the
determination of what constitutes an A-hole method of hunting.

Just as different people have different ideas about what is ethical, people
will have different ideas of what is an A-hole method of hunting.

IMO this is why it's impossible to support all legal methods of hunting,
because within those legal methods are A-hole methods.

[Turkeyfever]

I had it happen to me and I about jumped out of my skin! I was getting my gun up and ready when the guy shot. He never made a call but had come in from a different road bed. He said he thought I was a hen and was going to let the hen do the work. I believe what he told me and it was totally innocent. It was his first bird and he was estatic! I shook his hand told him that I was glad to help , went to another spot struck a Tom and killed it that same morning. Sometimes it's innocent, sometimes guys just have 0 ehtics. Either way it's best just to go on about your business. I am the guy you love to be around, you beat me to a gate it's yours! I will not pull out my phone and start showing you where I am going, I simply leave. If I got one roosted I better get my rear up and be first. Just the way I operate!