DON'T PARK HERE!!

[arkrem870]

Saturday late morning I drove around an area and checked it for vehicles. A couple access spots lead into the same big block. Everyone had left for the morning so I unloaded my bike and proceeded. I got in the area I wanted to start and fired up a hen right off. Within seconds a gobbler hammered. I saw him through the woods out in front of me. He started skirting me to the right. When he got in a bunch of brush I repositioned. I got a glimpse of him at about 40 yards. He then went back left. And was well in range just in a bunch of junk and I was catching glimpses. I had a window and took the shot at about 35 yards and stoned him. I looked up through the woods about 120 yards away....At my 10 o'clock and another hunter was walking away. I was met at my truck by the hunter that dropped off the other hunter in the area and I took a cussing over the close call.    No way I could know the other hunter was there.....if a vehicle was there I would have moved on.

[GobbleNut]

Saturday late morning I drove around an area and checked it for vehicles. A couple access spots lead into the same big block. Everyone had left for the morning so I unloaded my bike and proceeded. I got in the area I wanted to start and fired up a hen right off. Within seconds a gobbler hammered. I saw him through the woods out in front of me. He started skirting me to the right. When he got in a bunch of brush I repositioned. I got a glimpse of him at about 40 yards. He then went back left. And was well in range just in a bunch of junk and I was catching glimpses. I had a window and took the shot at about 35 yards and stoned him. I looked up through the woods about 120 yards away....At my 10 o'clock and another hunter was walking away. I was met at my truck by the hunter that dropped off the other hunter in the area and I took a cussing over the close call.    No way I could know the other hunter was there.....if a vehicle was there I would have moved on.

That is one of those cases where the only way to look at it is that "sh*t happens"...
Moral of the story:  If someone doesn't want someone else to accidently come in on them when hunting somewhere, that someone best make sure it is obvious that he is there to start with.   

[eggshell]

If I was there you'd have known it. I would not spook your gobbler if I could help it and I am ok with you killing him if he comes to you, but I am totally against getting shot (once in a life time is enough). I would have owl hooted, made a really bad people noise like coughing, whistled or something soon as I heard you call or seen you. Push come to shove I would have just snuck off and let you have at it. If I had been there that long and not killed him, that's my fault. I have no issue with competing hunters killing a bird legitimately. If the guy cussed you for what he believed to be a safety issue then take and and apologize. If he's just sore over a turkey then it's his problem, quietly get in your truck and leave.

[ScottTaulbee]

Saturday late morning I drove around an area and checked it for vehicles. A couple access spots lead into the same big block. Everyone had left for the morning so I unloaded my bike and proceeded. I got in the area I wanted to start and fired up a hen right off. Within seconds a gobbler hammered. I saw him through the woods out in front of me. He started skirting me to the right. When he got in a bunch of brush I repositioned. I got a glimpse of him at about 40 yards. He then went back left. And was well in range just in a bunch of junk and I was catching glimpses. I had a window and took the shot at about 35 yards and stoned him. I looked up through the woods about 120 yards away....At my 10 o'clock and another hunter was walking away. I was met at my truck by the hunter that dropped off the other hunter in the area and I took a cussing over the close call.    No way I could know the other hunter was there.....if a vehicle was there I would have moved on.

We had that happen a lot down here last year, the out of state hunters would come in a group, with different vehicles and one would leave a tent popped up at a gate, one would leave a vehicle at another gate, and then both of those would get in a separate vehicle with someone else and go hunt a different area. They would have you believe someone was there when in fact, they would be miles down the road. Or they'd load 3 or 4 deep in a vehicle and drop guys out at gates while the driver was going elsewhere and you'd never know they were there


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[GobbleNut]

We had that happen a lot down here last year, the out of state hunters would come in a group...load 3 or 4 deep in a vehicle and drop guys out at gates while the driver was going elsewhere and you'd never know they were there

As a travelling turkey hunter myself who most often goes with multiple other hunters in a single vehicle, that is a common approach for us.  Unless we are all hunting together...which is a counter-productive strategy in most cases...we will almost always do what you are talking about.  While I agree that it can create problems for folks not knowing that someone else is around, it is unfortunately a fact of life in those situations. 

[compton30]

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

Pennsylvania is a dump with nothing on it but jerks and a couple turkeys. Definitely don't ever hunt Pennsylvania!

[CALLM2U]

We had that happen a lot down here last year, the out of state hunters would come in a group, with different vehicles and one would leave a tent popped up at a gate, one would leave a vehicle at another gate, and then both of those would get in a separate vehicle with someone else and go hunt a different area. They would have you believe someone was there when in fact, they would be miles down the road. Or they'd load 3 or 4 deep in a vehicle and drop guys out at gates while the driver was going elsewhere and you'd never know they were there

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That's not just an out of state practice.  I know quite a few guys in multiple states that use this practice. 

Saves gas = saves money.  Certainly does make it harder to know where others are, but I can't recall it ever being an issue with me.  If we run into each other, we just give a wave and a nod and move on. 

[Spurs]

There is a ton of information missing from the OP, but I will take a 'general' swing at the situation:

There is a HUGE problem with how turkey hunting has shifted IMO.  The phrase "it's public" is used as some kind of permission slip to be a jerk in most situations (not all), but I do tend to agree with limitations.

Here is how I take on that situation.  There is only one...and I mean ONE...situation where I may interact with a person who beat me to a gate.  If I roosted a bird and got beat, I would show them on a map where I roosted and ask them if they mind if I go in for a roost only hunt.  If the bird gives me the slip, I will be out of the area as quietly and quickly as possible to not spook the bird or ruin their hunt.

If they don't like the idea, then I move on.  End of story.

As a general comment though, there have been several guys who question the 1,000 acres behind the gate.  As most turkey hunters know, that really ain't that much real estate in the turkey woods unless you have a flock pretty much drilled down to a certain location or some previous history in that exact area.  If that much acreage seems like a large area to you, then you must hunt way differently than I do, as covering 10-15 miles happens more often than I care to think of.

Also, I have had guys try the "I will hunt one side of the road" before and when I was young, I agreed to that nonsense a couple of times.  Got burned on both occasions by seeing a silhouette of a man walking away from a tom that just busted out of a tree.  If I can prevent that, I will ask to be left to my own devices and they can try to beat me the next morning.

It may be upsetting to some, but there needs to be some honor amongst us.  The first guy at the gate runs the show.  He is the one who sacrificed his sleep, planned him routine, and worked harder than you.  It was you that decided to sleep in and stop for coffee that prevented you from achieving your goal, therefore, you are owed nothing more than respectfully being declined.

Now I do not do the mean mugging, I will talk to everyone with respect, and if there is another option, will discuss how we may tackle an area together/separately.  But if someone gets upset because they are asked to leave a public spot after getting beat, that sounds like a YOU problem and not a ME problem.

[ruination]

Now I do not do the mean mugging, I will talk to everyone with respect, and if there is another option, will discuss how we may tackle an area together/separately.  But if someone gets upset because they are asked to leave a public spot after getting beat, that sounds like a YOU problem and not a ME problem.

Kinda sounds like a you problem since you're the one asking someone to leave.

Work is relative, too.

[Prospector]

Good answer, Spurs and I agree here. First there hunts. If you drive a long way to hunt and still got "beat" that is still your problem. As a flip side, if I live across the street from the access, it does not give me any additional "rights" so flipping and saying you drove a long way like it means something to anyone else is kinda pointless.I don't mean anyone disrespect- it's just my opinion. Obviously, the " it's public, open for everyone " will carry the day but it's just a respect thing for me. Just my opinion and perhaps not a popular one but it's how I feel.

[Tom007]

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.

This about sums it up for me. The last thing I will do is have an altercation in the woods with guns fighting over a turkey. I myself can beat anyone to a spot if I had too, I used to show up to work an hour early everyday. I just am not a "minute man". I have only met a few hunters (you can count them on one hand) in the woods while turkey hunting. Three of these hunters are now close friends. We worked out where/when we might cross paths, and it worked out great. One of the clubs I belong too has only 2 turkey hunters. It primarily is a Deer Club. The other hunter is 80 years Old. He is my dear friend, battling cancer. He loves to set up decoys on a power line where there is always birds. I will not go anyway near this spot, It is his, close to his car, he loves it. He couldn't hunt last year due to treatments, I never walked near this area out of respect. I gave him one of my turkeys, he loves to eat wild game. I wanted to share this to show that confrontations can lead to a positive ending, there are good people in our fraternity. Life itself nowadays is a battle, turkey hunting is our retreat from this difficult grind. I pray that all of us here enjoy the turkey woods now and for many years to come. Be safe.....

[g8rvet]

Hunted a WMA for the first two days.  Had a plan A and a plan B.  Headed to plan A.  Went in and there was a guy where I wanted to hunt, turned around and went to plan B. Guy was parked on the other side of the road (which means to everyone that has ever hunted there) that he was hunting the side of the road he was parked on (different zone - illegal to cross road and hunt).  I pulled in and got out to talk to him.  He said he was hunting where I was going and was already set up there (must have had a blind from the prior day before opener). I said no problem, you pulled in here first so you got it, but everyone is gonna think you are hunting the other area, you should pull in here and I pointed to where I was parked.  He said there is nowhere to park there (umm, I was parked there).  I said okay, do what you want.  I almost hope someone else walked in on him - any experienced hunter in the area would have thought he was hunting the other side.  I went to Plan C, heard nothing and went to Plan D and worked our way to a bird. 

[quavers59]

   I can see it is different  in many States as far as how many will access Public Lands.  Public Lands are crowded in South Eastern New York State. It is what it is.   You have to get out there. Staying Home is no option as Tomorrow  will be Crowded also.

[Spurs]

Now I do not do the mean mugging, I will talk to everyone with respect, and if there is another option, will discuss how we may tackle an area together/separately.  But if someone gets upset because they are asked to leave a public spot after getting beat, that sounds like a YOU problem and not a ME problem.

Kinda sounds like a you problem since you're the one asking someone to leave.

Work is relative, too.

I don't see how it's my problem as my plan worked out and you should be understanding.  Therefore, your problem to figure out what plan b is...which any public land hunting should have at a minimum 4-5 backups...so not really a problem per se, but a less desirable option.  But that's semantics.

No, work is not relative.  Personal life decisions does not factor in either if that is what you are referring to.  Nor does scouting, pop up blinds, grand pappy's old spot, or any other excuse on the day of the hunt.  Hunting is hunting and life is life. 

If you are working on a night shift, get off at 4, make it to the gate at 4:30, and that's your excuse....sorry, you should be have backups on top of backups.

If you walked that same road for a week straight for the opener, cleared out every twig off the train, did your duty and picked up trash...that was yesterday and you got beat. 

There is absolutely no excuse.

But I want to stress that I have and will NEVER tell someone to get lost or mean mug them.  I've been dog cussed, even when I was the first to the gate.  I treat everyone with respect.  I've had, on many occasions, people hear me out, just to come right in with me and screw me up.  That's all part of it though. 

Embrace the suck and be thankful that I wake up just to have the same conversation the next day. 

[ruination]

Now I do not do the mean mugging, I will talk to everyone with respect, and if there is another option, will discuss how we may tackle an area together/separately.  But if someone gets upset because they are asked to leave a public spot after getting beat, that sounds like a YOU problem and not a ME problem.

Kinda sounds like a you problem since you're the one asking someone to leave.

Work is relative, too.

I don't see how it's my problem as my plan worked out and you should be understanding.  Therefore, your problem to figure out what plan b is...which any public land hunting should have at a minimum 4-5 backups...so not really a problem per se, but a less desirable option.  But that's semantics.

No, work is not relative.  Personal life decisions does not factor in either if that is what you are referring to.  Nor does scouting, pop up blinds, grand pappy's old spot, or any other excuse on the day of the hunt.  Hunting is hunting and life is life. 

If you are working on a night shift, get off at 4, make it to the gate at 4:30, and that's your excuse....sorry, you should be have backups on top of backups.

If you walked that same road for a week straight for the opener, cleared out every twig off the train, did your duty and picked up trash...that was yesterday and you got beat. 

There is absolutely no excuse.

But I want to stress that I have and will NEVER tell someone to get lost or mean mug them.  I've been dog cussed, even when I was the first to the gate.  I treat everyone with respect.  I've had, on many occasions, people hear me out, just to come right in with me and screw me up.  That's all part of it though. 

Embrace the suck and be thankful that I wake up just to have the same conversation the next day. 

Really I was just joking.

I don't think I've ever been 2nd to a gate.

But it could take someone who lived further away with two toddlers a lot more work to get to the spot as say someone who is retired and lives down the road.  So work hardly factors into it.

I think everyone would like to have the property to themselves.  But I think there's a whole bunch of states where that's just not a reality.

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