Boxcalled to death in PA

[Cutt]

I normally sit the first Saturday out in PA, being I hunt Public, but happened to be off today, so decided to go. Had a bird going first thing only to have a guy come in even though he heard me calling and try to boxcall him to death for 2 hours. The bird ended up working away, so I figured the mad boxcaller left? At 10:00 I raised him again where he gobbled off and on and had him cover 150 yards and had him at 40 looking for me, just couldn't put a beard on him, and figured no more calling he'll come a bit closer to verify it isn't a jake. But then the mad boxcaller returns and turns the bird off my coarse. Have you ever wanted to take another hunter's boxcall and shove it up his?

[Cottonmouth]

There's one lease I hunt where every time I hunt there, some guy on the property next to me will stand on the line and owl hoot constantly.  I mean 2 hrs straight.  He doesn't call....it kinda gets on my nerves because I can't concentrate with a hoot flute symphony going on.

[Cut N Run]

Twice, I have heard a guy with a bad crow call habit set up beside the swamp on the property next to one of the farms I hunt.  As soon as the real crows start calling, so does he, like somehow he expects to call a gobbler into range with a crow call. 

A few years ago a gobbler was responding to my calls on the ridge about 90 yards west of me.  I had put the box call down, was clucking & purring occasionally on the mouth call, and scratching leaves beside me.  The gobbler went quiet for what seemed to be too long, but I couldn't risk moving my head to find him for fear of getting busted moving.  The next thing I know the bird gobbled downhill of me and the guy by the swamp fired up his crow call again to coax the gobbler to him(?). The gobbler had walked behind me on the same horse trail I came in on & I couldn't hear him walking.  I clucked & purred on the mouth call, which turned the gobbler back uphill to within 11 yards, where I put his lights out.

Jim

[Cutt]

I know it's Public, but what burns me is, hunters know you are working a bird and could care less. They just flank around to a different point, and join in working the bird too. Happens a lot here, where I always moved on if I come across someone working a bird, just don't get it, why some know they are doing it and obviously don't care?

[Cut N Run]

I'm not a huge fan of hunting public land.  I know that sometimes public is the only option and public land gobblers are definitely earned. Unfortunately, not everybody went to the same school of hunting ethics when they were coming up and there are some @-holes in our ranks. You don't have to pass a character test before you get a hunting license.

Because of questionable public hunting options in my area and not having a lot of extra money to spend on a big lease, I started helping out at a couple of small farms in the area in exchange for rights to hunt there.  Working at the farms definitely cuts into my free time, but it does help keep me in shape.  I have exclusive rights to hunt some pretty decent land that I kill turkeys on regularly enough.

Sorry that this won't help you deal with jerks.  Just explore other options.  It may require you to re-evaluate your priorities.  Giving up some spare time in exchange for a safe & sane place to hunt can provide missing satisfaction & help reduce aggravation.

Jim

[fallhnt]

It's public land....you made the choice to stay. Should have moved on.

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[JK Spurs]

A typical day in the PA woods. I love when they drive up and down the road box calling from the truck window. I hate Saturday's in PA, week days are the best after these types of folks go back to work.

[chatterbox]

I feel your pain!
All I have is public land to hunt, but I have learned a few tricks along the way.
It's been my experience, that if I don't kill him by 7 am, I take a break, and get something to eat.
This accomplishes 2 goals. One, it gets me away from the idiots, that will be done by then, and lets me fill my stomach.
I get back in the woods by 9, and by around 10, the action can get better as the hens go to nest.
Of the last 4 birds I have seen die, only one was at first light. The other 3 were late morning kills.
This gives me a huge advantage over many of the so called " hunters " in my area.
Most guys leave by 8 at the latest.
Just be patient, and wait the idiots out.
Guys who enjoy the hunt more than the kill are the ones who are successful.

[Banana]

PA sure does have a lot of knuckleheads and know-it-all hunters.  I would bet a lot more than other states.  Its frustrating, but after the first week you never see those people again.       

[Bowguy]

When I was a kid n hunted Pa a lot I remember the way most locals did back than. They'd sit on a log n work a push pin to death. The whole woods would be talking in some areas. Didn't take but one or two trips into the area to decide that area wasn't for me

[mspaci]

I hunt alot of public in CT. Hardly ever see anyone. However, if there is a car in an area I move on because I dont want to interfere with them. Mike

[owlhoot]

Here in Missouri they love to run and gun and the box calling sounds like a 40 pound hen !

[tha bugman]

One guy in particular in PA.  He called and called. Actually ran into him on the way out.  Told me I would never kill the bird I was on.  Funny thing...he seemed to like the ride home in my truck the next day and I never called to him the first time.


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[donjuan]

It is frustrating. I used to live in PA, and I've had this happen in KS on private land with neighbors sneaking up against my fence. In fairness to Elmer fudd there, if your calling is tuned in, he may not have known it was a hen.  Glad you could vent some frustration here and we all know how hard turkeys can be without human interference

[Cutt]

It's public land....you made the choice to stay. Should have moved on.

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Really? I got there first, well before any vehicles, got on this bird at first light as I guessed with a great setup, and was sitting there an hour before flydown and once on the ground had him gobbling 60-70 yards below me. Then the other two arrive after the fact, so I should have just left and let these two idiots have at him? So what you are saying, is consideration to other hunters does not apply on Public?

You got it backwards as the post was about hunters should be giving way to others working a bird first, not the guy working the bird giving way to others that come in, makes no sense.