National Forest/Government Land - What should you do?

[d.winsor]

Otdrxzman I didn't recommend you go to a fishing form did I.  My recommendation for you was to call the DNR of the public state or federal land that you intend to hunt.  They will send you all the hunting regulations just for the asking, including parking.  As I said you don't ask that question on a turkey hunting forum because if people feel their home brew ethics are in danger they get mad and abusive.  You are a grown man and you know what ethics are I hope, once you get the regulations for where you want to hunt you will know how ethical to be.  I would hope you don't let people bully you into their brand of ethics.  I can guarantee you this, with rules like that you would always be last, until everyone else is satisfied.  As I said I have hunted deer, turkey, quail, pheasant, rabbit all on public land since 1984 on state and federal public land.  I never heard of such rules and never had 1 problem from anyone.  The people that give you "they were first rules" ask them for the regulation that backs it up and not be fed garbage about ethics.  That is my last post concerning this I don't intend to get too deep into it, not where I want to go, but I gave my opinion and that is it.

[Ruger M77]

it realy depends on the size of the property theres a very large piece of public land close to my house that only has two access points. its a valley that is about 8 miles long I wouldn't expect anyone to leave if I was there first ( although it would be nice ) on such a big piece of ground. On the other hand there is a 200ac piece of public a couple miles down the road if someone was there before me I would definatly go else where

[Uvagobbler]

Otdrzman, I'm sure that is isn't against regulations for that hunter to park beside you. However I feel like we should go above the laws and regulations books and not let them serve as a ethical guide. Ethics come from the individual, not a regulation book. I believe in going above and beyond what any regulation book says, especially when it involves hunting.  I guess I struck a nerve with d. winsor a little bit. I have had 2 bad encounters on public land involving hunters who messed up my hunts. They parked beside me. I was way ahead of them in the woods. I was short standed in one of the hunts. They still didn't care. Asking another hunter to show proof in the regulations book to back up why they have a right to park beside you speaks volumes to me. Frankly, it makes me want to question a person's judgement.  I don't hunt like that and I give others their space. It's my personal choice. If that makes me last, so be it. Messing up another persons hunt or jeopardizing my safety isn't worth the risk. Some people will risk safety and do what they have to do to kill a turkey. I've witnessed this cowboy mentality personally. There is over 1.6 million acres of national forest primarily in sw va where I live. Ethics and personal safety come before trying to pull out a rule book and explain myself. I can go to another spot if someone beat me there. That's not a big deal.  I hope that I didn't offend you and showed plenty of sensitivity.  YOU have to make that decision. Hopefully others will respect another hunters space. Just my opinion. Good luck and be safe.

[alclark2]

You were messed up twice in hunting public land. I took my wife out two days last week and had people in our setups BOTH days. 20 minute brisk walk down a horse trail in the forest. No one else around. No one parked anywhere close. They hear a gobble and come stomping through.


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[g8rvet]

We beat this to death in another thread.  It all comes down to the size of the tract and the access to the tract.  Also, very important, is how many other options are there on public land within a 30-45 minute drive of there?  dwin says if it is public and not against the regs, you can hunt it, regardless of who got there when.  Most folks say use some personal ethics and follow the Golden Rule-"Do unto others................" It is so hard to honestly answer each situation. If someone knows you are there and comes in right on top of you, I don't care where you are or how much land there is, that is just plain rude. I won't do it and I feel like I am within my rights to be upset that they did it.  I don't get to judge them though and I can't and won't do anything about it, other than just letting them know that I know what they did.  With that being said, in almost every case where something similar has happened to me, I talk to the hunter(s) and we work out a plan that is safe and fair for both of us (I won't go east of this road or south of this creek, you stay west and north, etc).  Never had a problem when I did that. 

[ilbucksndux]

If it is a parking lot whit tons of land behind it,its acceptable to go in. If it is a long road with a gate I feel its not acceptable. I always have a back up plan for my backup plan. Two weeks ago I struck a bird a honest mile away from any road ,trail or 4 wheeler path. He was on the top of one ridge and coming down. With no good place to hide I topped the opposite ridge and was just waiting for him to stick his head up and look. 20 minutes latter I hear BOOM and it was VERY close to me. I stand up and can see the guy 50 yards from me and he was NOT there 20 minutes ago,honestly I dont know how he got between me and the bird without spooking the bird. He giggled a bit and said "Hey thanks bud "  I dont know where he came from but what I do know if he was not younger and bigger than me I would have cleaned his clock for him.

[WyoHunter]

Only way in to a huge chunk of land? Hunt it. Small piece? Move on else where

Great advice. I hunt NF and this is what I do.

[Spitten and drummen]

GO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO HUNT PERIOD EXCLAMATION POINT EXCLAMATION POINT. Nothing makes me more angry than someone that has no hunting etiquette and proceeds to hunt where someone beat them to the spot. Not to mention it could be very dangerous.

x10 x10 x10. Well said

[d.winsor]

GO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO HUNT PERIOD EXCLAMATION POINT EXCLAMATION POINT. Nothing makes me more angry than someone that has no hunting etiquette and proceeds to hunt where someone beat them to the spot. Not to mention it could be very dangerous.

x10 x10 x10. Well said

Turkey hunting is suppose to be fun, If you get angry and fume you should take up another hobby, you will live longer, or find yourself some private land.  Yet the only time I hunted private land a few weeks ago the land owner next door was shutting the birds down.  So that might not be a good idea for you either.

[L.F. Cox]

I hunt a lot of public land every year not to sound like a braggart but I always kill the limit...I avoid other hunters like the plague. If someone messes me up "in the woods" I just shrug it off and move on. No use getting mad.

This is the exception.

Just this past year I was hunting National Forest in Mississippi....I was driving down a sand road when I rounded a bend the road was full of gobblers 6 to be exact.....I slowed a little...5 of them walked south off the side of the road and one flew to the east. Thinking I had a chance of calling them I rounded the bend about 200 yards up pulled off on the north side of the road. Eased out of the truck real quiet and geared up.

Almost immediately I heard one gobble looking at the terrain it was obvious that if I went far in the woods I'd get seen. The terrain slopped down on the other side of the road I eased across the road and sat down next to a big pine tree not 10 yards from the road....I knew this was a risky situation when it came to hunter interference.

I called on my trumpet....goooooobbbllleee....they were less than a 100 yards. I switched to a diaphragm call in a few minutes I gave a few light yelps and they cut me off....goooobbbbllllleee. They were 50 yards and closing....knowing I had 5 sets of eyes coming towards me I was really careful not to give into temptation and turn when one gobbled. I made a few light yelps again....gOOOoooobbbbleee one was right in front of me...in killing range just behind a tree top.

About then I hear this diesel truck coming from the east.....chugggg chuggg chuggg.......then I hear it turn off about 200 yards up the road east of me. I'm scanning the woods with my eyes and then I hear the crow call...caw caw caw....heck they were already gobbling like crazy at me. I'm thinking if this guy will just try and hunt them from where he's at I've still got chance.

I see a glimpse of a gobbler about 40 yards out...I called lightly and the one was still right in front of...gooooobbblleee

About that time I hear the diesel crank up.....I'm thinking then if this guy will just keep going when he sees my truck things could still work out.

As the diesel approaches the birds go silent...then the bozo stops in the middle of the road about 20 yards past my truck and turns the diesel off....clunk. By this time my blood is almost boiling....then he starts calling.

I couldn't take it anymore I stood up and I could see his big shiny red Ford double cab 4x4 with him standing on the running board...

Gun in hand I stepped out in the road as I walked towards his truck I first asked him..."Did you not see my truck you %$ o  ^ @$#%&"...he replied "I was trying to"....."I don't give a @#%$ what you were trying to do when you saw my truck you should have kept rolling you low life %$@^&@ &#$^@# lucky for him and me he sat down in his truck cranked it up and drove off before I got to him.

I'll bet he'll think twice before he stops on top of someone again....

[wibirdhunter]

Move on down the road...

If it's the only trail I'll pick a good looking spot and just walk off the road. No need for a trail.

[El Pavo Grande]

Go find somewhere else to hunt.  I have always hunted public land almost exclusively and have seen my share of inconsiderate folks.  Opening day I was set up with my son (small area) when I hear the hoot flute closing in.  I finally see the guy, flash my light and whistle continuously.  He walks on past at 50 yards in wide open woods headed straight toward the gobbling turkey and disappears.  6:15 am on opening day and we walk out of the woods hacked off and worried about getting shot.  I get back to the truck and he had parked right by us (this is not a parking area....anyone with any sense would know better). 

The above is just one of many similar stories I have experienced over the years.  You deal with it and move on or you quit hunting.  At the same time I have encountered many considerate hunters as well.

[GobbleNut]

In instances like the one just described by El Pavo Grande, I think some of the time these are anti-hunters just trying to keep hunters from having the opportunity to harvest game.  These are some of the tactics that are promoted by anti-hunting organizations.  With the hunter harassment laws that are in place in many states, these people just can't go out and disrupt legal hunting activity, so what better way is there to legally screw up a hunt than to act like you are a hunter and just go interfere with someone who is really hunting? 

Turkey hunting, in particular, is one of the easiest forms of hunting to accomplish this.  An anti-hunter buys a license, gets a shotgun, drives around on public land, sees a vehicle that is probably a hunter, parks and heads into the woods listening for a gobbling turkey, and heads straight for the gobbler.  What better way is there to mess with a legitimate hunt while avoiding the possibility of being arrested under the hunter harassment regulations?

They use all kinds of tactics nowadays to mess with us.....

[d.winsor]

I agree with you GobbleNut, kills two birds with one stone.  One they bust the setup, and two they make us argue among ourselves.

[Dtrkyman]

I had this situation last week in Indy, got to the only parking place for an area I wanted to hunt, had never been to the area until the day before so I had decided on this 1 spot. There was a truck there and I almost bailed, I said to hell with it I am plenty early the area was huge and was surely big enough for both of us.  I walked in down the road and after 10 minutes or so I had the guy flash his light at me , I had a solid 15 minute walk from there so I just kept going!

Worked birds all morning and never heard or seen the other hunter!   Killed a bird there a couple days later and never had run into anyone!