Public Land Head Scratchers

[uarobert]

Mine was just this morning.
Went out for a pre work hunt. I went ahead and posted up at a spot where a gobbler seems to always go between 8 and 9.
I gave myself a hard time limit of 9 to get up and head to work.
He fired up about 8:30 along a fence line within 100yd, but I couldn't get him to budge.
He got quiet about 8:45 and I was ready to wait him out til the last second.
Once 9:00 hit, I had to go.
About as soon as I got up I heard some terrible calling coming from the adjacent trail, toward the road.
When I got to the top of the hill I heard awful crow calling and lots of it.
I looked in the direction and saw 2 bright-as-new blaze orange vests.
Granted, this is on a military base and we have to wear an orange hat when we are moving, but not huge vests.

[g8rvet]

I know two guys that were hunting a draw area on public across from an open public area.  The only bird they heard that responded was on the wrong side of the big river, about 10:00am.  This bird was right on the other bank of the river.  They were standing on a 25 foot bluff looking down at him.  About that time, a fisherman comes hauling arse down the river.  One of the guys waves at him frantically to see if he will stop and give them a ride to the other side.

He did not see US and motored on down the river, the bird steadily gobbling as the 60HP two cycle boat screamed on by.  Maybe he did see us and just wondered "WTH" and never looked at us.  I told my SIL (the waver) that I was not jumping down a 25 foot bluff into an aluminum boat to kill a turkey anyways! 

[Spurs]

I usually try to go out during the youth hunt to keep tabs on birds.  I work pipeline, so I don't get many chances to carry a kid.  Last year, I was perched on a big nob and heard a big bunch of jakes with at least one gobbler on an adjacent ridge.  I got in the truck and headed to pin pin them.  When I got over there, there's an old gent sitting in it in full camo.  He informed me that his grandsons were after those birds.  Now these birds were about 300 yards off the road.  Shortly after meeting the grandfather, I hear a crow call.  The toms/jakes tear it up, but they are going away by now.  Then me and the grandpa listen to that grandson blow that crow call about 50 more times.  We have a good laugh together.

After the boys got through blowing the reed outta that crow call, they came back to the road defeated.  The oldest one was prolly 19, the other two toting a gun were prolly 13-15.  I decided to do my good deed, so I got them to follow me.  It was still pretty early, so I pointed them in the direction of a saddle not far off the road.  The morning prior, I had listened to 2 toms burning the woods down on that saddle mid morning...and three other mornings the week before.  Those kids jumped outta the truck like it was a school house brawl and headed out.  I gave my good luck and proceeded to another spot to hear another ridge system.  I no more than got out of my truck and BOOM BOOM BOOM.  Well, I couldn't stand it, I spun around to see if those boys got it done.  Sure as heck, the youngest boy had cracked ones neck, but the older youth missed the second one. 

[tal]

 Moving slow I was calling every so often when a rustle of leaves and movement caught my attention. A hunter facing away from me had heard the calls and started on a  mouth diaphragm. I will never support gun control of any stripe but I think there should be a waiting period for latex. http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/Smileys/classic/TooFunny.gif  I nicknamed him the motor boater. The poor guy had no roll over or two part to his yelp. Sounded like a boat motor revving. I cutt real hard and he got excited. The rpm's increased and it sounded like he was having a mini melt down. I gave him a couple more calls and started backing out before I laughed out loud. You gotta find the humor or stay ill a lot sometimes on public space.

[Plush]

As far as sticks across the trail, I do that.  In the dark, it lets me know where I need to cut into the woods to a pre-scouted position.

Interesting concept, though that wasn't what this person did because there was still snow on the ground and no sign of him going into the woods there. I guess he could have marked it for another similar reason, but I don't know why.

[Brad_Colvin]

I've got my share of public land head scratching stories, but the worst ones are the head scratchers from hunting clubs I've been in. All the deer hunting members can't stand the thought of an opening week happening and them not being there. Makes for some fine entertainment.

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[KYFrid]

We hunt a piece of private land that's right beside a piece a private also but the guy who owns it lets anybody hunt it so it might as well be public. Every year a guy drives up in an old loud ford poppin gravel every 50 yards. He'll brake, hold his arms out and call with a box. Turkeys will actually answer him but he wont turn his truck off or wait long enough to hear them.

That fine gentleman has helped me and my brother bag some fine gobblers over the years.

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[renegade19]

This is a good laugh.

I was in a hurry one evening getting to where I planned on setting up yo catch the birds going back to roost. When I was heading down the old logging road in a hurry I felt a bad rumbling in my lower intestine. Oh no I got to go! I just kept on going until I could hold it anymore. I stopped next to a tree, threw off the gear, dropped my drawers and started to relieve myself. I turned my head to look up the mountain and their he was another hunter set up about 20yrds from where I was relieving myself. I was so embarrassed and felt soooooo bad for that poor guy. He never said a word. He just got up and left.

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Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner!   

[tal]

 Now I'm wondering about my motor boater... LOL. What if he wasn't calling??? LOL

[yelpy]

I've got my share of public land head scratching stories, but the worst ones are the head scratchers from hunting clubs I've been in. All the deer hunting members can't stand the thought of an opening week happening and them not being there. Makes for some fine entertainment.

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I cant stand the clubs. It's like a darn rat race. Same as the first day of trout fishing around here. It's a joke!!! You could have 3000 acres to hunt and someone always has to be on top of you because they are afraid your going to shoot the only bird or deer on the property and they won't be in on it.

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[Happy]

I've got my share of public land head scratching stories, but the worst ones are the head scratchers from hunting clubs I've been in. All the deer hunting members can't stand the thought of an opening week happening and them not being there. Makes for some fine entertainment.

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I cant stand the clubs. It's like a darn rat race. Same as the first day of trout fishing around here. It's a joke!!! You could have 3000 acres to hunt and someone always has to be on top of you because they are afraid your going to shoot the only bird or deer on the property and they won't be in on it.

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Yup, they remind me of kids jacked up on chocolate and mt.dew.  Come to think about most are about as smart. Nice thing is that they don't have the stamina to hunt an entire season and once they have buggered all the birds up and made them "call shy" they quit.

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[Upfold99]

I've got my share of public land head scratching stories, but the worst ones are the head scratchers from hunting clubs I've been in. All the deer hunting members can't stand the thought of an opening week happening and them not being there. Makes for some fine entertainment.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I cant stand the clubs. It's like a darn rat race. Same as the first day of trout fishing around here. It's a joke!!! You could have 3000 acres to hunt and someone always has to be on top of you because they are afraid your going to shoot the only bird or deer on the property and they won't be in on it.

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Lol

[hush]

[/quote]Lol
[/quote]
Bwahhaahhaa!!

[idgobble]

I get a kick outta telling some hunters something ridiculous when they start questioning me about whether I've seen or heard anything today.  They'll say, "Seen anything this morning?". I'll say,"No, but I  heard a couple gobblers quacking and up in a tree over there where they're building a nest. "  or, "Nope, but there's a raccoon over there laying it's eggs."  Then I walk off while they look at me like they don't know what to think. Then they go home and post about it on the Old Gobbler forum board. 

[aclawrence]

I get a kick outta telling some hunters something ridiculous when they start questioning me about whether I've seen or heard anything today.  They'll say, "Seen anything this morning?". I'll say,"No, but I  heard a couple gobblers quacking and up in a tree over there where they're building a nest. "  or, "Nope, but there's a raccoon over there laying it's eggs."  Then I walk off while they look at me like they don't know what to think. Then they go home and post about it on the Old Gobbler forum board. 

That's good stuff.  I'm going to have to add that to my public land dodging the answer routine.