Would You Scout Public Land On The Youth Turkey Hunting Day ?

[kytrkyhntr]

Would yall go in the woods if another man was hunting that spot? Of course not (I hope) so why would you go in an area where a kids doing the same?

I hope I don't see someone out scouting in the woods when I take my daughter. Probably wouldn't practice our nice words with him.

[Chief Razor]

I recall listening to a pod cast recently where this subject came up. If I recall there were several groups of youth/parent in this camp. All but one of the youth hunters had experienced some kind of interference by an adult scouting during the weekend.

[Howie g]

I've had two youth hunts blown up by others .
Once some idiot shot a gobbler we where calling to as he crossed a road .
Then just last year a scouter came through the timber and messed up a hunt . I confronted him , he told me he was walking through to the  private that borders the public ,,,, the only problem was my family owns the private he was headed  to .  I'll keep the rest of the story to myself ,  lol .   

[bbcoach]

So what you guys are saying is the most important time to be out scouting(1 to 2 weekend's before the season) is off limits because there might be a youth hunting somewhere?

ABSOLUTELY!!!!  BE CONSIDERATE!!  Eat a little Crow and make time to SCOUT when the youngsters and FUTURE HUNTERS are in school.  I think we call this Sportsmanship and we could All get better at it.

I'll just go to my boss and say. Hey bossman! I need some time off because I can't go scouting during my days off because it's youth weekend. C,mon man I get it. the kids have thier special weekend and thats great. Some of you are taking thing a little overboard. It's not enough they have special privileges for that weekend, but now I'm supposed to take off work and stay away from the woods because there might be a slight chance I may interrupt a kids hunt? For real? For this I'm being labeled as unsportsmanlike? Being called inconsiderate? Told to eat crow?

Maybe I was a little Over the Top Paulmyr so I'll apologize for the wording, but these young guys and gals need our support.  We are losing young hunters in every state and this is one way for us to get some interest in our future, their future.  If we can't mentor them and get them in front of a Thunderous Gobble, we can darn sure give up 1 day of scouting, so we don't mess up their hunt or blow an opportunity to shoot a beautiful bird.  Most of us have had someone walk right into our setup without them knowing it and blow an other wise GREAT hunt and all they can say is I'm Sorry I didn't know you were here.  For me, I'll stay home.  Again my apologizes for the wording.

[arkrem870]

I would listen from the roads but no way I walk in the woods during youth season.

[aclawrence]

I'll say that where I hunt in Alabama we only get one  Saturday for the youth hunt. I take my son and it's always my most favorite hunt of the spring. It's usually the Saturday before the opener. Once our season starts out WMA turns into a complete circus and I don't feel good about carrying any of my kids after that.  We also have to quit at 1:00 so this is going to be challenging going forwards because I'm going to have two boys that are wanting to go. Anyway I appreciate all of you who are being so respectful about not interfering. If some guy hiked in and started calling to a bird we were set up on I would have to try real hard not to lose it!  We haven't killed a bird yet but we have gotten to hear some gobbles and see turkeys and that was awesome. I think the r best scouting would be roasting a bird the night before. Once the craziness kicks off most of the scouting will have been in vain. Our birds are historically in the same areas and they will be there and be call shy pronto.


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[g8rvet]

I think a lot of the disagreement here is what constitutes preseason scouting for some. 

I mean sitting on a road and listening for a bird to gobble and move along.  Not taking up a limited access parking spot to make someone else think there is a youth there.

Walking in the woods, +/- calling is definite no bueno.  Making a set up and calling a bird that a youth is working is unfathomable to me.  But I would not do that preseason anyways. 

[Wigsplitter]

No

[WV Flopper]

 I agree, No, we should not be out beating around in the woods.

Here is a situation for you. Large Private club, with members from around the country. Youth days are Saturday and Sunday " I lobbied for Sunday" personally. Nonresidents travel there to hunt and arrive before season from how every far away. Yes, they should feel free to go out and listen. Moving, listening, moving and listening. Just like a lot of us do.

I have no adverse feelings towards them, they pay the same dues I do! Are a member just as me. I don't think they should slide in on a gobbler, don't think they should be calling to a gobbler either. BUT, listening, heck yeah they should, I will.

What's the difference between my 2000+ member hunting club than Public. Have some respect and give the kids a day or two.

[Paulmyr]

Ok so I'm gonna stick with my original statement. If your worried about ruining somebody's hunt by scouting your doing it wrong.

When I'm scouting the last thing I want to happen is to spook any turkeys. If your spooking turkeys within a month of the season your doing it wrong. 100% of the time your scouting should be done from the road if possible.

If the area is to expansive that only a small portion can be heard from the road than I have no qualms about going in. I'm not going to scour every nook and cranny.  A good listening spot is all I need.

In over 3 decades of hunting not once have I ever walked in on somebody. Nor would I scouting. Either because somebody was at the gate of smallish property  or  because I am aware of my surroundings. I'm not just bumbling from place to place. I guarantee if I'm hunting the same  woods as you the only way your going to see me is if I let you or your hunting/scouting the same way as I am which is good thing because neither one of us will be spooking the turkeys.
If you accidently walk in on somebody who is set up on a turkey it's because your moving too fast and not paying attention especially while hunting.

I don't need to know how long his beard is I just need to know he's there. A couple tracks in the soft sand on the edge of a gated road if I'm lucky some gobbles in the distance. I'll say it again, If you can't hear somebody calling to a turkey your moving to fast and most likely spooking the turkeys your supposed to be hunting in a week or 2 and messing up both of your hunts.

1 to 2 weeks before the season I'm just making sure he's around. Doesn't do me any good to know exactly what tree he's in until the night before I hunt him.

If your trying to get the lay of the land right before the season starts by walking the area you are doing it wrong. That happens in Feb when turkeys are grouped up in winter flocks or even July. Spooking turkey at this time does not matter.

Apparently there's a bit of confusion about what scouting is and/or how to do it properly.
If I'm out the weekend before the season and accidentally run into a youth group, I'm not scouting, I'm taking a nature walk and not seeing any nature because I'm moving too fast, not paying attention and probably in an area I have no business being in if my goal is not to spook any turkeys.

[WV Ridge Reaper]

Not me...first if your scouting your out of the loop...im watching pinhoti project and thp dropping pins and internet sniping the cake work

If you got to really scout for turkeys that close season well that tells me all I need to know public or private....if you are that guy scouting and you have to park next to a truck and walk in on youth day your trash...if you are carrying a call your garbage...lets pressure turkeys that are already pressured...go for it....I will kill your turkeys while your at work during the week and you can blame it on the turkey turd project

I have drove 6-18 hours showed up right a day break..go in blind I'm not here for the likes or subscribes


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[Upfold99]

I agree with Paulmyr.

Youth season is the weekend before my season starts. At this point I have already found my opening morning bird by then and I just check to see if he's being hunted.  If a kid kills him great! But I don't want to arrive hours before opening morning walk in the dark to hunt a ghost. Especially when I could be on another one that I have found. I'm just making sure he's there and might just sit and listen from a far distance to see which way he moves. I've never spooked a gobbler the weekend before and I've never called to one either.

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[zelmo1]

Paulmyr has it right. I think the vast majority here are on the same page. Youth weekend is just that, their chance before the professionals get in the woods and squeeze the birds till they go silent. Im not off the road the last month before youth weekend. Just making sure they are still around and no calling. Its been said here before, treat the kids as you would another hunter, respectfully. Ive seen thousands of dead gobbler pics here, I have faith in the ethical hunters here. Maybe not the "grunts", "goats" or"goofs", whoever those old fellers are.    Z

[Badger]

Absolutely not.  Let the youth enjoy their hunt.

[Cowboy]

I will be taking 2 youths again this season, so I'm glad to see how many people are being respectful to the younger hunters. If I wasn't taking the kids however, I wouldn't be tromping around out there and messing them up. Road driving however, that's OK in my book.

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