DON'T PARK HERE!!

[arkrem870]

100% agree that where you live tends to dictate your outlook on all things turkey hunting. When those of us that live in the south leave we typically find fewer crowds and turkeys that are easier to kill vs the ones back home. Of course the crowds and turkeys are changing rapidly with the new fangled loose lip policies supported by turkey hunters.

[RutnNStrutn]

Having started out my turkey hunting career on large FLA WMA's, I scouted out multiple areas. When I happened to get beat to a parking spot, I would walk over and ask where they were hunting. Sometimes they'd be polite, other times they would be nasty as if I were invading their private hunting lease. Having my hunts ruined many times by those that got their late, I would always try to avoid others.
But, the way I see it, it's PUBLIC land and not a private lease. You're going to have to deal with jerks, new hunters that don't know better, and people that just don't care. And you're also going to have fantastic hunts despite the odds. Such hunts make it all the sweeter when you score.
With that said, I avoided small WMA's where the odds were that your hunt was likely to get ugly. Likewise I avoided parking areas that only accessed small areas to hunt. Instead, I sought out parking areas that offered many directions to go and thousands of acres to hunt. Finally, most guys don't call that well and it's obvious that they aren't a turkey, owl or crow. So when I heard or saw another hunter, I went off in a different direction.
I've been walked up on many a time, I've had my decoys stalked and even shot, and I've had hunters not care and come into my setup and ruin my hunt.
If you're gonna hunt public land, you can expect to run into those kinds of people. If you don't like it, shell out the money for a lease. But don't expect for others to go somewhere else because you want to treat public land like your personal lease.

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[WV Flopper]

This is all I am going to say.

Most of the attitudes here should not be disappointed in one bit when someone blows their hunt.

[quavers59]

    A diversity of replys for sure. Personally, I live 50 miles from New York City.  So all areas can get Crowded right quick. Usually  Hunters spread out pretty good on these Public areas.
    Plenty of times,I will Park at 3.30am. Yup- that is my usual time to Park in a Public Parking area and have my Coffee. When,I walk out,I usually  have a good 6 or 7 Trucks parked all around my 20 year old Suv.

[deathfoot]

A great post here. I know of one piece of property I hunt out of state. It covers 1300 acres with one very small parking area. I've yet to have this happen but if someone beats me there and he/she is there when I pull up...I'm asking if he wants the left or right side. If he's familiar he will know. If he's not feeling it, I'll move on. 1,300 acres is more than I would ever walk in one hunt.

There are a lot of public areas I hunt that are just a few hundred acres and one lot. I see a vehicle there. I'm moving on down the road. It's a courtesy move. I'm also very easy to get along with and would be willing to work with someone if they pull up and the vibe is right. Especially if they are on this board lol.

If I'm ever knowingly sharing public. As in you take this half, I'll take the other half...I'm not moving in on a bird in his half and I would trust him to do the same for me. But that would be a gamble and luckily I've not had to do that because I know of plenty other spots to roll to.

One example...last year, I was out of state hunting public and no cars in the main parking area. There was no gate. This was mid morning. I get out. Walk a few hundred yards and see a blind in the edge of a field with a truck parked right beside it. Literally right beside it. I assumed and hope it was a handicap hunter. I backed out and found another spot.

Everyone stay safe out there this year. I can't wait for April!

[Sungrazer]

The relatively small tracks of public land I hunt I always try to have plan B,C,D,E, etc if you beat me to it. If we meet up same time I'll friendly access the situation face to face. Just not enough ground for 2 hunters on the state areas I hunt.

[G squared 23]

I hunt the same 3 pieces of private land every year, so if I see another truck or hunter, I'm calling the game warden.

[dirtnap]

If you beat me it's yours, I am not pulling in on a man. People do it to me all the time , sometimes they just start telling me.where they are going, others will ask where are you hunting. I always have the same answer , " wherever one gobbles". That's the reason I never pull in on anyone , a bird gobbles you can hear them for quite a ways. Just proper hunting etiquette to me, you beat me, I am moving on.

This is how I am as well.

Turkey etiquette varies across the US obviously according to these responses.  I try to treat people like I want to be treated in all aspects of life.  It keeps drama to a minimum.

[NOmad]

I don't care how big the piece of property might be or how difficult it might be to find another access point, if someone is parked there when I pull up I am leaving and going somewhere else. It is the same thing I would want them to do for me. Yes, the property may be big enough to allow multiple hunters but when you are starting from the same spot, your odds of running into them go way up. If it is the only public in the area, I will walk the perimeter to another access or drive to the other access if possible.

I may not end up in the ideal spot but I very rarely see another hunter when afield, even when I know they are there.

[briton]

Find another spot, simple as that. If you don't wake up earlier than the guy that got there first that's your fault. Snooze you lose

[sippy cup]

That's our biggest problem here in Virginia especially from PA hunters they see you parked there and still pull in and park even though there are 2 guys there then there buddy shows up the first time they said hello and walked right in on us so it got verbal next morning they did it again this time it went from verbal to picking himself up off the ground I try to get along with everyone if someone is parked there I'm not stopping but Pennsylvania hunters definitely are the rudest group of hunters I ever delt with

[WV Ridge Reaper]

That's our biggest problem here in Virginia especially from PA hunters they see you parked there and still pull in and park even though there are 2 guys there then there buddy shows up the first time they said hello and walked right in on us so it got verbal next morning they did it again this time it went from verbal to picking himself up off the ground I try to get along with everyone if someone is parked there I'm not stopping but Pennsylvania hunters definitely are the rudest group of hunters I ever delt with

You should try trout fishing with them...its like take your kid fishing day


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[3bailey3]

Did they have on the orange hats on?

[Prospector]

I move on. 99% of the time for me, I don't know exactly where the bird is ( willing to bet this is true 99% of the time). I'm going to the gobble. If by some one in a million chance you arrive just as two birds sound off in different directions then happy to work it out but really what's the chance of that? If you walk in behind me citing the ol "it's public" mantra then don't get your feelings hurt when I'm hunting the gobbler too. Now what we have to understand is that on a clear day you may can hear a bird 1000yds- that's a lot of territory using a parking spot as the center- so it's not safe to assume that the other guy parked 750 yards down the road from you hasn't heard and is not currently maneuvering on the same Turkey. This is where intelligence comes into play. Don't stalk Turkey sounds. Move in , set up, call. If dude does the same then it becomes what the turkey chooses to do. Be courteous. If you arrive on the scene and another dude is already there he probably didn't " park behind you and follow you in".

[eggshell]

Well, I know I am very blessed, because I pull up unlock the gate to 1,000 acres and then lock it behind me. There is no other easy access and it's all private. Even my best Out of state spot is behind locked gates and several hundred acres of high fence. When I do hunt open public, i usually move on if even a single vehicle is there. If some one is at the vehicle I stop and talk. If they are pleasant I ask if we can spit up the area (assuming it's a big area). I feel comfortable saying 80% of the time it works out. I believe in the goodness of people and most hunters are good reasonable people.  There's always an arsehole, I agree some areas are more densely populated with a-holes. I just move on. It never hurts to talk.