Ethics, abilities and desperation in Turkey hunting

[LaLongbeard]

With all the would you or not threads it got me thinking. We've all had the guy drive up to the gate or turnoff right behind you and have probably been beat to a spot a time or two. What about blatantly trying to follow another hunter to a spot?
     Last season I was tent camping in a RV type camp ground. It cost a few dollars to camp but was a better option as I felt the chance of thievery would be less in a campground with people all around. I was there couple days before the opener scouting. I noticed the inhabitants of the RV park did not wave or speak but only mean mugged when I drove thru. Out of state plates sometimes does that. Most of the campers were older people that were not hunters. After opening day I figured out who the hunters were because they were  wearing  Camo. Two days of scouting and an uneventful opening day I noticed I was up and leaving well before anyone else was up? Second day I killed a Gobbler at 9:30. I cleaned the Gobbler on a picnic table next to the tent, only option. I noticed the camo gang already into the beer at 11am  watching with open mouth stares. I could only shoot one a day so did not hunt the pm. But two of the "hunters".  drove up and asked "were you huntin" I said I don't remember lol. One asked specifics "U hunting the WMA or NF?"  I said U should know better than to ask.
     Well I figured what was next at 3am I was up and gone. Fortunately I killed another Gobbler off the limb. I got it cleaned before the mouth breathers got back.
    Next morning 3am both of the curious campers were in their  trucks as I pulled out. I had a 20 min drive and daylight was about 6:30? Both trucks pulled out with me but the public land was in that direction. The closer I was getting to my turn off I realized these clowns are following me. I drove past my turn off a few miles and took a turn into the NF drove a while and parked in a random turn off. Both trucks passed me and kept going. I got out and waited for daylight, place was a bust. I left.
      Next morning I was gone at 2 am and drove to another area. On the way back I drove to the random spot and there was the red Z71 in the same spot I parked the day before lol.
    Anyone deal with this level of desperation?

[hotspur]

That has happened a lot on public duck hunts, I have had people drive up as I was getting out of my truck and ask which way Iwas going more than once. I usually point in the oopposite direction I want to go and they will say that's where I wanted to go, so I'll say fine have it your way

[TonyTurk]

I love turkey hunting but not enough to get up at 2 or 3 am to follow another hunter to a spot.  Lord have mercy. 

[Happy]

Yes, I have dealt with it before. Fortunately i live in the mountains and where i park is only half the battle. Once they figure that out they loose interest pretty quick. But that observation is parallel to society in general anymore. Everyone is out for themselves and themselves only. No one cares about who they hurt or ruin on as long as they get what they want. Want to mess around with some other guys wife? Go for it. Want to lie about someone to get yourself ahead? No big deal. I am not surprised to see the attitude pop over to the hunting world at all. That's why I have been practicing social distancing before it was cool.

[Greg Massey]

I love turkey hunting but not enough to get up at 2 or 3 am to follow another hunter to a spot.  Lord have mercy.

x2 ... i would just go to Kroger and buy turkey , if they ever get anymore in stock..

[GobbleNut]

Over the years I have had many encounters with folks that were looking for advice on where to go and/or how to go about turkey hunting in an area I was hunting.  Short of taking them by the hand and leading them to birds, I will invariably try to give them the best advice I can on how to go about it. I have yet to have a negative encounter with those folks other than them expressing their sincere appreciation for the help with smiles on their faces.  Go figure....

[Jstocks]

Common practice for me to be up at 3 am when hunting private land in Mississippi. For those in states who don't have to deal with hunting clubs, be thankful. For those who live in states with hunting clubs, you know what I'm taking about. First to the sign out board gets the best place to hunt.

Witnessed a guy this week use the sign out board to mark his spot the day before, but he wrote down "5:30 AM" opening day. Some folks are just selfish and unethical

[aclawrence]

Would it be unethical to let the air out of a couple truck tires during the middle  of the night. I've heard you can put a little bitty rock between the cover and the valve stem  and screw it on enough to slowly leak out the air.  I don't get that nervous going to my spots but I'm taking out my daughter to the WMA youth in the morning and I'm nervous people are going to be driving up and blowing all kind of calls trying to find birds for next weekend. I found a pair of gobblers out strutting in a cutover all by themselves yesterday but it's close to a main road. I'm hoping they'll fly down in our lap.


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[Brian Fahs]

 Hunting parked trucks instead of gobbling turkeys is the norm on some big public tracts I hunt. It's sad but a lot of guys know each other there and most know who puts the work in to find them.

I have put cameras on access points to see how much pressure is put on those spots. It's amazing who shows up when certain people know you are not hunting that day. The daily phone interrogations from friends you never hear from for 10 months usually lead to the newest pictures.

I realize it's public but those same guys would be miles away complaining about no turkeys again if not for poaching information. I am happy for the opportunity to hunt some good public ground and really do enjoy the challenge. I don't like to lie but I have learned over 40 years of doing this to be guarded in what information I give out.

[LaLongbeard]

I guess some people only hunt in areas with polite friendly people, were it's always sunny and rainbows abound.  Some of us hunt in the real world go figure.
    There was just a few years ago an old man on this very forum advising a new hunter about finding spots. His advice was to not even bother hunting opening morning but to drive thru the area he was going to hunt and make notes of were everyone parked and then go back and  hunt these spots, making sure to be there extra early to beat the other guy?  He went on to say that was his preferred tactic. I also know for a fact this old man hasn't killed a Gobbler in several years lol.
     

[Dtrkyman]

Have never really seen it turkey hunting, one time on a public pheasant hunt I walked up to a line, at the front of the line were buckets and chairs with names on them.

I walked to the front of them and kicked one aside, the rest of the line soon followed!

[hotspur]

In Louisiana and I'm sure its common in Mississippi too , on public land your. Biggest competition are locals, they know the roads k ow the land and they are good woodsmen. They will get. Between you and what you think is your gobbler, they will kill him coming to your calls or spook him by accident

[silvestris]

I guess some people only hunt in areas with polite friendly people, were it's always sunny and rainbows abound.  Some of us hunt in the real world go figure.
    There was just a few years ago an old man on this very forum advising a new hunter about finding spots. His advice was to not even bother hunting opening morning but to drive thru the area he was going to hunt and make notes of were everyone parked and then go back and  hunt these spots, making sure to be there extra early to beat the other guy?  He went on to say that was his preferred tactic. I also know for a fact this old man hasn't killed a Gobbler in several years lol.
   

You don't know a thing about me, but I have learned quite a bit about you.

[Gooserbat]

Sounds like the op needs to find a new place to camp. 

[Fullfan]

Hate to say it, but several Ark guys have doing the same and worse where I hunt in SE Missouri. Not a problem for 25 years, but the last 3 have been bad.