Aggravated

[Va limbhanger]

OP, just reading your words tells me you love hunting turkeys, but more than that you hate to loose or come up empty. I feel your pain bro!
This year is teaching me, if anything to be humble. I hunt public woods mostly and nothing has been going in my favor this year. Seems like I'm just picking the wrong days to hunt. Or i just get to the spot a little too late only to hear another hunter working a bird i wanted to set up on. And so on ....
Hang in there and you'll be rewarded. That why I'm still pushing!

[dejake]

This too, shall pass.

[owlhoot]

This too, shall pass.

yep , just like a kidney stone 

[TrackeySauresRex]

I'll do you a favor. I'll take all your turkey hunting stuff off your hands for free my OG brother  hang in there and when it happens,you will appreciate it that much more.
B-Well
Johnny

[RutnNStrutn]

You should try being a turkey hunter in Florida , sad thing is many parts of the country are getting about as bad or worse
Mainstream hunting media , over promoting the activity ....is a major contributor to the decline in the situation , no sooner the widespread circulation of "bill Jordans real tree " tv show then the bs started

Amen to that brother!!
Don't forget that thanks to the NWTF pushing their Grand Slam, everyone and their brother HAS TO come to central and south FLA to get their Osceola. Outfitters pay the landowners big bucks for rights to their lands. Florida is developing like crazy, so there is less land to hunt every year. Landowners know the value of their land, and their Osceolas. That all equates to average Joes, like me, not being able to afford a good place to hunt turkeys in FLA.
Step in the FWC, to put the final nail in the average turkey hunter's coffin. There are hundreds of thousands of acres, if not a million + acres of land to hunt on that are home to squadrons of turkeys that live on pristine land. BUT, FWC doesn't allow hunting on them. Hikers, bikers, campers and wealthy equestrians get to recreate for free on these lands, but hunters, who pay for their privilege to recreate, are banned from setting foot on these gorgeous, game loaded lands. Instead, FWC allows turkey hunting on only a small percentage of their lands. They further screw it up with the ridiculous quota system that allows you to draw a hunt only every 2 or 3 years. That bad situation is compounded by their "buddy system" which doubles the number of hunters in the woods that would normally be allowed. Granted they have to share the bag limit, but that is twice the hunters and twice the pressure on the same number of hunting spots on the same number of birds.
I got drawn for my favorite quota hunt WMA this season, but got 3 days of bad weather and Walking Wally's. I got zero gobblers. Then I had a Special Opportunity hunt on my favorite WMA. The turkey count was low due to 2 bad hatches (that's life), but there were also poachers hitting the area hard. The biologist called FWC law enforcement 3 times during the hunt. Even though a FWC LEO lives on the WMA in state provided housing, he wouldn't address the situation.
So am I frustrated with turkey hunting in my own state? Darn tootin' I am!!! But I'm not giving up. I got a lease in SC, and travel most years to feed my addiction. You can't ever give up. Gotta chase those turks wherever and whenever you can.

[turkeywhisperer935]

That whole story is a ton of messed up dude. I do feel for you there. That whole situation isn't right.

[silvestris]

Kenny Morgan and I discussed the future of turkey hunting and the effects of the commercialization of the sport.  Unfortunately, the future is now and it isn't pretty.  I just enjoy what I can, but I have curtailed my hunting significantly because I don't like the taste of what I am usually offered.

[arkrem870]

Like anything.....it's what you make it. Take the good with the bad and enjoy both

[TerryLNanny]

I hunt on Eglin AFB, NW FL. Quite a few birds and plenty of people. Burn about a tank of gas every 3 days hunting mornings and tracking evenings so I can be on the bird's come morning. Soon as the bird starts gobbling you hear 2 or 3 trucks fire up headed your way. Better kill him quick. Got my 2 luckily. Hang in there.

[Bill Cooksey]

Then I had a Special Opportunity hunt on my favorite WMA. The turkey count was low due to 2 bad hatches (that's life), but there were also poachers hitting the area hard. The biologist called FWC law enforcement 3 times during the hunt. Even though a FWC LEO lives on the WMA in state provided housing, he wouldn't address the situation.
So am I frustrated with turkey hunting in my own state? Darn tootin' I am!!! But I'm not giving up. I got a lease in SC, and travel most years to feed my addiction. You can't ever give up. Gotta chase those turks wherever and whenever you can.

Sounds like it's time for you to open your personal turkey season early to get 'em before the poachers. ;-)

[ilbucksndux]

Here in Illinois we have a screwed up system that seems to work pretty good. Out season rind the First full week of April to the first week in May. That is broke up into 5 "seasons" When you get tags you get them for one of the 5 seasons and thats that. I get frustrated because we have to apply for tags in December(when I'm chasing duck sand trapping) and turkeys are far from my mind. The good thing about it is that you are not in the woods with everybody in the state that is hunting. It sucks that sometimes you cant hunt when you want but I feel it is less crowded. Commercialization of hunting all species is hurting us poor folks. Started out with deer here,then waterfowl and now seeing it  with turkeys. I cant imagine how it must be down in FLA where you guys have all the problems you do. 

[Planner]

Have y'all stepped back and realized about what you are complaining about?? Each and every one of you contribute to the same problem you are complaining about other people creating. You hunt turkeys and are complaining that other people hunt turkeys. I'm sorry, but who gave you the entitlement to decide who gets to hunt turkeys? You should embrace this, not fight it. Every one of those hunters in the woods is there with you to ensure a future in turkey hunting. Without them and you it would be much easier for anti hunters to push their agenda. Next time you see someone in the parking lot of your favorite WMA or come across someone in the woods- keep in mind they are there for the same reason... A love for the outdoors and chasing turkeys. I'd bet if you'd open a conversation with them you may find you have a lot in common. I've been fortunate to introduce turkey hunting to lots of friends and family over the years and I'm enjoying getting my kids involved. We need more fellow hunters, not fewer.


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[turkeywhisperer935]

My problem is not necessarily with the hunters it's all the stuck-up landowners and if you knew my situation you'd understand. All these said people's relatives could hunt my grandfather's land at free will when they hunted now if I ask them naw I can't hunt. I don't have anywhere cause my family's said land has been clear cut and I have to beg or pay alot more money to hunt. I'm sick of it, what's going to kill hunting is nowhere to hunt. Not anti's or anything else.

[trkehunr93]

Just be patient, that piece of property that was clear cut will produce again.  All the lush growth will attract turkeys for food and nesting cover.  I'm sure there are lots of logging roads now that gobblers would love to strut on.  I would take a lemon and make lemonade with it, make that piece of family land work for you if you can get in there and plant a small food plot or plots.  Keep your chin up and keep knocking on those doors, try asking to hunt something other than turkeys like small game and show the landowner your a decent person and they may change their mind.  The glass is always half full my friend! 


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[silvestris]

I've been fortunate to introduce turkey hunting to lots of friends and family over the years and I'm enjoying getting my kids involved. We need more fellow hunters, not fewer.

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That is why God made squirrels and rabbits, to introduce people to.  Introduction is exponential.