Courtesy

[THattaway]

Learn to hunt with courtesy. Can't say enough about it. This is not a competitive sport, at least it shouldn't be. If you intrude on another hunter, i.e. knowingly setting up in hearing distance of another hunter then you are courting danger or even a confrontation. No bird is worth getting shot over. If you are hunting public land then treat the other guy the way you would want to be treated. That may mean driving on to another area where there isn't a truck parked. Turkey hunting is not like deer hunting where folks may climb a tree and be content with hunting a few acres. Most will generally roam around some so parking 100 yards down the road from another hunter and going on in the woods isn't much of a buffer.

The last two seasons I've run up on the same hunter in the same general area who stalked my calls as I worked toms.  He spooked the toms in both encounters and was unapologetic in spite of knowingly busting up my hunt. This is a new twist for me as I have never experienced this type behavior in that popular public area which I've hunted for over 30 years. Sure I've had other hunters walk up on me and me on them but in both cases we were always friendly, apologized for the intrusion and went the other way. Something tells me that unfortunately there is just less regard for the other guy in the woods these days.

So, as a practice, I don't willfully go on and hunt an area I am certain there is already a hunter working. If I hear another hunter's calls, and am sure it is such, I do an about face and leave the area to him. Just a good practice to keep me from getting a face full of shot and ensures less competition when I do strike up a tom.

Those times when I have had the common decency to move on and not step on and molest another's hunt makes me firmly believe I've been rewarded with successful hunts later on after doing so. Sorry to stump here so long and harp on this but let me impress you new hunters (that is to whom I am trying to reach here) that what goes around truly comes around. Don't sell out your morals or ethics for a kill shot because if you do then all you will have is a dead bird to show for it.

[davisd9]

Agreed! Also if a guy has been kind enough to take you to one of his "spots", please be respectful to keep it secret and only hunt it with the host.


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[dirtnap]

Agreed! Also if a guy has been kind enough to take you to one of his "spots", please be respectful to keep it secret and only hunt it with the host.


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I've been burned on that one a time or three.

I now just hunt with my 12 year old son for the most part.

[MK M GOBL]

This "Hunter" didn't show much respect for our hunt, this was the opening morning of WI Youth Turkey Season last year... The good end to the story was the boy got his bird after we made a move mid-morning

MK M GOBL

[guesswho]

We probably would have had an educational talk.

[Bowguy]

Great post!!!

[MK M GOBL]

We probably would have had an educational talk.

We did, the guy (17yr old) had a young girl along and I politely as I could explained to him that the easement they have is across to the next property and he is not able to park on this property. He said but the property he hunts doesn't start until after the fence on at the end of the timber, in the field where they were hunting... Once she was in the truck, I told the guy next time think a little, you had to see my blind when you walked within 10ft of it and you still left your truck parked there... How do you think the boy I have out on his first turkey hunt is feeling right now... Hope this year goes better as far as he is concerned.

MK M GOBL

[WNCTracker]

Wow that's pretty ballsy


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[culpeper]

Excellent post!  It's unfortunate that many of us will confront "those who don't get it" and we will not likely be able to change their behavior if they act without respect, but I do believe that we can and must educate by example, children and younger folks about decent and appropriate behavior.  This should be the norm for any behavior, but when we all work so hard to get time to hunt, do our homework to find the birds, respect what has been created for us; it does get your attention quick when people toss it all out the window and act like they are the only one in the world.

[turkey harvester]

I was hunting private property last year, left my keys in the truck , and some jack leg moved it so they could drive into the field I was hunting. I was already set up on a bird so I didn't immediately approach them. Needless to say the hunt didn't work out, but when I went to try to find them they drove out other end of property. Property owner wasn't very happy either. Don't leave your keys in your truck, even on private, lol. 

[greencop01]

  The Golden Rule, "Do unto others ...... If someone is at my spot, I drive to another one. Someone busts my hunt I try to reason with them. We have to take the other side of valor at times. The older I get the mellower I get. There's always another turkey, many interlopers just need to have someone talk to them. Today too many people could care less about others than themselves. Do the right thing and Be Safe Out there!

[GobbleNut]

I have found over the years that a few "sound shots" in the direction of any artificial calling I hear usually does the trick. 

[Naylor649]

I always take the high road and it has payed off a few times. More duck hunting than turkey but last year me and the brother n law set up on the backside of my father n law property with a pop up because it was raining. Neighbor has maybe a 20x20 square in the bottom of this, seen our blind and decided as we had two long beards working our decoys to come down and split wood. Busted the entire hunt and couldn't get them the rest of the morning they hung on us on a ridge. Another neighbor watched him do it, met up with us later in the day at our shed to drink a few beers and gave us permission to hunt his 50 acres. Next morning both of us killed our turkeys. The older gentleman said you boys did right by just picking up and leaving. Now we have another spot to go for as long as the man is alive. Do one as you'd do to others. Great thread.

[The Woodsman]

I understand everyone's thoughts and wonder how big the tracts of land you are hunting.

If I go down to the local gamelands (close to 5000 acres) and see a vehicle at a parking area, I'm parking and hunting. There's usually plenty of space and multiple points of interest. I don't purposely try to follow the other guy because I have no idea which way the other person went unless we depart at the same time. I have had hunts interrupted and unintentionally interrupted other hunts. It happens.

If I hear a gobbler, I'm setting up. If I can call him to the gun then I'm trying. If I pull him away from the other hunter, so be it. Maybe it's a hen I am competing with.....

My point is that you need to survey the situation and develop a plan based on what you see.

Denny

[LaLongbeard]

I only hunt public land and have experienced everything you could imagine in bad human behaviour. I've learned over the years to not get so mad because these plugs never kill a turkey its there lack of ability that causes them to hunt like they do.