WORST State?

[TurkeyReaper69]

Nevada, despite being the cool thing to do these days I don't have much desire to go back. Only place I've genuinely felt bad about killing a turkey. They had no where to go. I killed one at roosting time and the rest of the flock just flew into roost above my head due to the fact the next roost site was a mile+ away.

[Burtwill]

I haven't done a whole lot of traveling but I have visibly seen a change in South Carolina the past 3 years. This year being the worst so far. Our public is just kind of there. Not much management to it. Only a few draw only places are actually managed the rest have nothing. Overgrown forests poor fire practices they are just the states timber investments at this point.

SC values timber over wildlife management.

[Prospector]

This is Missippi as well. Want to get real mad? Well, apparently what they spray to kill the weeds and undergrowth in the pine plantations also blows over into any residual hardwood and any SMZs the company was considerate enough to leave for " wildlife management" and affects acorn production for up to 8 yrs.....?

[phutch30]

I havent run into a bad state yet out of 19...but I guess OK is my toughest. Ive been there 2x and haven't killed a bird yet. Both times I was trying to kill a Rio with my bow and could have easily killed with a shotgun, so its not really a fair rating.  Gunna try to knock it off the list next spring with the shotgun so we will see if the curse is real

[Sir-diealot]

I havent run into a bad state yet out of 19...but I guess OK is my toughest. Ive been there 2x and haven't killed a bird yet. Both times I was trying to kill a Rio with my bow and could have easily killed with a shotgun, so its not really a fair rating.  Gunna try to knock it off the list next spring with the shotgun so we will see if the curse is real

I was supposed to hunt OK in 2020 but Covid hit and it fell apart. I was going to try to get a Rio as well.

[Gooserbat]

Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma the worst at this point and time.

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This could be true and I'm hunting all three this year

[SDK]

Coastal Oregon was really hard to hunt but I hesitate to lump it in here. I lived there for two years a bit over a decade ago.

Chilly dampness/constantly being soaking wet, thick undergrowth, no flat ground and you are lucky to be able to see 10 feet in any given spot. That coupled with vast distances and animals at a very low density makes even getting eyes on anything very difficult.

Having said that, the sheer beauty of the place and my fly rod strapped to my back made up for a lot of miles walked.....

[Rtr1987]

Florida is really bad.  Tons of hunters. Especially 1st 2 weeks. All out of towners with 0 woods etiquette.  Then they leave here and go hunt Alabama next. 

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This right here. Seems to be the natural progression every year.


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[dzsmith]

   None of the Northeastern States were mentioned.  I have a bad feeling that an army of Turkey Hunters from the Turkey Declining States in the South and West will travel and descend  like Locusts on Public Areas up here.
    Don't  Camp at the Gates. Good chance you will be checked at Midnight or 1am. Just Saying.

is it illegal to do so there?

[afhunter1]

My worst was OH last year.    We have killed birds in OH every year until last year.   We heard one gobble then 10 min later a BANG and that was only bird seen or heard in first three days of season. This was a very large track of public and there is always people but last year it was so comical watching all the truck hunters driving around.   I'd say pressure was 10X normal.   The crazy thing is we always see turkeys everywhere on private out the there and we didn't see a single bird on private either in the 3 days.  I fear a disease issue out there.  I also hunt PA, MD, and WV.


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[deathfoot]

Nevada, despite being the cool thing to do these days I don't have much desire to go back. Only place I've genuinely felt bad about killing a turkey. They had no where to go. I killed one at roosting time and the rest of the flock just flew into roost above my head due to the fact the next roost site was a mile+ away.

No offense. But this why I'm a proponent of shooting hours closing around 6 or earlier. I just can't sit beside a roost area and wait. That's just me tho.

[deathfoot]

I've thought about this after posting Alaska. I gotta say...Texas. Hot, dry, snakes and feeders. I couldn't stand it. Only way to kill one was to sit nearby a feeder. Ought to be illegal. But it's all about the money. I'm glad I went once and got it out of the way. I won't be back to Texas for anything actually. Also, gotta add it was a dry county. I didn't even know those still exist. That should also be illegal. Sorry Texans, but I didn't even see a good looking woman. ?

[Lone Star Eastern]

I've thought about this after posting Alaska. I gotta say...Texas. Hot, dry, snakes and feeders. I couldn't stand it. Only way to kill one was to sit nearby a feeder. Ought to be illegal. But it's all about the money. I'm glad I went once and got it out of the way. I won't be back to Texas for anything actually. Also, gotta add it was a dry county. I didn't even know those still exist. That should also be illegal. Sorry Texans, but I didn't even see a good looking woman. ?

Texan here agreeing. Those folks hunting spending X amount of money to kill a Rio next to a feeder would be lost for words hunting an Eastern here in ETX.


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[TurkeyReaper69]

Nevada, despite being the cool thing to do these days I don't have much desire to go back. Only place I've genuinely felt bad about killing a turkey. They had no where to go. I killed one at roosting time and the rest of the flock just flew into roost above my head due to the fact the next roost site was a mile+ away.

No offense. But this why I'm a proponent of shooting hours closing around 6 or earlier. I just can't sit beside a roost area and wait. That's just me tho.

Most who've hunted where I did in NV would say the same thing I did.  If you didn't kill at fly down or fly up you were pretty much SOL. I haven't hunted many other places where my approach would be to sit under a roost tree, but you gotta do what you gotta do in Nevada.

[Cottonmouth]

Most "turkey hunters" in Mississippi hung over a corn feeder now to post a kill pic on Facebook now. It's getting sad now.