Any fellow WV turkey hunters or anyone for that matter ever hunt this WMA or know anything about turkey population in the area? Any info. appreciated.
Thanks for the reply. Searching for an area that holds turkey. My part of WV is hurting. I got one bird this year that did not gobble and only heard one on adjoining private prop.
Some Jack Hole from Kentucky burnt it this spring on you tube. Good luck!!!
Home School Hunter maybe???
Quote from: WV Flopper on May 28, 2025, 06:49:16 PMSome Jack Hole from Kentucky burnt it this spring on you tube. Good luck!!!
Home School Hunter maybe???
As much as I hated to, I had to check it out. I'd never heard of this place until 3 years and I bet i've heard the name from 10 different folks since. Buddy and I were talking the other day about how a lot of loose lips are obviously spreading the word. Now theres a YouTube video, WITH EXACT COORDINATES POSTED, that has 200k views in 2 months. That poor WMA. Really hate it for the locals.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on May 29, 2025, 09:28:57 AMQuote from: WV Flopper on May 28, 2025, 06:49:16 PMSome Jack Hole from Kentucky burnt it this spring on you tube. Good luck!!!
Home School Hunter maybe???
As much as I hated to, I had to check it out. I'd never heard of this place until 3 years and I bet i've heard the name from 10 different folks since. Buddy and I were talking the other day about how a lot of loose lips are obviously spreading the word. Now theres a YouTube video, WITH EXACT COORDINATES POSTED, that has 200k views in 2 months. That poor WMA. Really hate it for the locals.
Definately a shame! I'm from WV originally and used to hunt there quite a bit.
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Quote from: WV Flopper on May 28, 2025, 06:49:16 PMSome Jack Hole from Kentucky burnt it this spring on you tube. Good luck!!!
Home School Hunter maybe???
Search WMAs on YouTube or just an internet search for that matter and you'll see lots of info from the state agencies 'burning' spots. People love to blame youtubers, but states are actually worse about posting specific information on locations.
Quote from: joey46 on May 29, 2025, 03:00:46 PMDoes WV list this area on a public web site or was it always a super secret? When I lived up in central Ohio is was easily accessible.
It's pretty easy to search and find. (as are any WMAs) But even so, once OnX and other mapping apps were available, 'secret spots' no longer exist.
WV DNR also has Information about public land on their website? Wow! Im certain that's what influenced thousands to start traveling and chasing 49. Hold on......all these cats are wearing greenleaf leafy tops and take kneeling on knee gobbler pictures..... is that on the Website too?
Quote from: arkrem870 on May 31, 2025, 07:13:22 AMWV DNR also has Information about public land on their website? Wow! Im certain that's what influenced thousands to start traveling and chasing 49. Hold on......all these cats are wearing greenleaf leafy tops and take kneeling on knee gobbler pictures..... is that on the Website too?
I understand that you feel threatened by those who hunt and dress in a particular camo pattern or form their cap in a different manner than you. I understand how incredibly frustrating it must be for you when they post a photo of their success on your land having killed one of your gobblers. I understand that you're bothered by how they position their knee for their photos.
Is there anything any of us can do to help you with your tolerance of others who share your passion for turkey hunting?
I'm a reasonable and respectful turkey hunter. I don't park beside others. I move on when I'm beat to a spot even if "there is 2000 acres behind that gate". I hunt old school...rarely using a decoy. Blind. Fan etc. I don't sneak up and shoot turkeys. I don't crawl around. I sit with my back to a tree and use my experience to call and kill turkeys. As I've done for 30 years. That said.....if you do these things and it's legal I'll respect your right to hunt how you want to hunt.
But I draw the line at supporting commercial hunting and filming of turkey hunting on public lands.
And. Now I am reaping what they've sown .... state after state is taking opportunity. And more lining up
Loose lips sink ships.
You know it and I know it.
I think you are very confused in which group is selfish. It's the ones that are monetizing our public resources. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction..... what's the reaction in this case? Loss of opportunity - I mean it's thread after thread of opportunity on the chopping block. If you don't believe it now you are either dumb or on the take.
The YouTubers, influencers whatever you call them have definitely not made things better. The ones that think it doesn't matter or don't care either don't hunt public land or don't mind losing opportunities like some of us.
There has always been new Turkey hunters entering the sport every year. But until the YouTubers and these sheep followers combined to make the perfect storm the sport could easily handle it.
Can some of you not comprehend the sport can no longer sustain the numbers? Can you not understand most of these sheep would not be in the woods without the YouTubers influencers? Look up the word influence maybe?
And that's why people laugh at these guys dressing up like the YouTubers.
Never in all my years have I seen anyone in the woods dressed up like Ben Lee or Will Primos etc. some of these guys from hat to boots to gun vest the whole outfit, it's comical to say the least.
And again none of the YouTube nonsense has helped the Wild Turkey one bit. It only put money in a few influencers pockets and is now CLEARLY causing hunting opportunities to be lost.
I guess some of you are at the end and old enough that your just glad to be breathing and don't care what's happening cause you ain't gonna be here in 10 years so who cares? Some of us will have to deal with this nonsense for years if not decades.
I think both sides have points to be made. I personally do not agree with videoing the killing of wildlife for profit, especially on public land. I also don't think anything will change unless some laws are made in that regard, which is probably unlikely. As someone who has been a turkey hunting nut for 25 or so years, I also plan to keep being me. I do wish we kept the true picture in mind. That is making sure that turkey populations stay in good order. I don't feel that killing a crap ton of gobblers every year is any better, video or no video. I have to pull the reigns back on myself from time to time. Truth of the matter is, either the we show some restraint on both sides or more regulations will take care of it for us, and I doubt it will be at the expense of the youtubers.
Never in all my years have I seen anyone in the woods dressed up like Ben Lee or Will Primos etc.
Wow! People dress differently now than they did in the 70s or 80s?
Who woulda thunk it.
Times they did change didnt they.
Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on June 01, 2025, 09:58:18 AMNever in all my years have I seen anyone in the woods dressed up like Ben Lee or Will Primos etc.
Wow! People dress differently now than they did in the 70s or 80s?
Who woulda thunk it.
Times they did change didnt they.
Perfect example of not comprehending the subject matter lol. Your post explained to me some of the arguments back and forth on this subject. It's clear some of you don't even know what it is we are talking about. 🤣
No I think we get it. You dont like having to share your public land with so called YouTubers. You dont like them killing one of your gobblers.
Therefore youre resigned to criticizing the way they dress or how they position their knee for a kill picture.
So ask yourself, is this more telling on your character or theirs?
If you are complaining about too many hunters for the resource and you are still hunting then you are a hypocrite. Start fishing and leave the turkeys alone.😉
;D
Definitely liberties being taken away. Just in the form of quotas, draws, regulation.
You conveniently left out your desire to suppress people's free speech and ability to move freely. Sounds familiar to other groups in history....
Quote from: CALLM2U on June 01, 2025, 01:21:22 PMYou conveniently left out your desire to suppress people's free speech and ability to move freely. Sounds familiar to other groups in history....
So we let it burn because we don't want to disturb the commercial hunters exploiting our public resources for profit. What's been loss to this point is the tip of the iceberg. Bookmark this thread and lost opportunity thread - look again in 6-8 years.
Just stop the facade. You don't actually care about the turkeys. You care about having to share the woods with other people. You're as transparent as glass.
If you actually cared about turkeys you'd be advocating for things like predator control which study after study after study shows has a significant impact on turkeys. You would be shouting that from the rooftops instead of ranting about having to share the woods.
And don't pretend you do both. That would be about as hilarious as your hypocrisy on social media and non-residents.
Quote from: arkrem870 on June 01, 2025, 01:13:46 PMDefinitely liberties being taken away. Just in the form of quotas, draws, regulation.
LOL. You act like you own the resources.
Liberties taken away?
How ironic you want to keep the so called Youtubers away from your resources. But you complain about liberties taken away...
I think there are issues with the way things are done in a lot of places, but at this point it is impossible to put the genie back in the bottle with the way people are connected. I think the new will need to wear off of turkey hunting and that's gonna take a while. I think it is like anything else. People will get in and be head over heels, but at some point, most of them will drop off and lose interest for one reason or another. Just like DH88. He's finally gotten married and having a kid, so that will help tremendously.
Our time and resources would be much better used if everyone that cares would find 40 acres and work diligently on the habitat and predators so that you have a hand in making more turkeys. I promise it would be better than time spent in front of the computer.
I think we are in the good ol days and can provide pics to prove it, but I probably won't ;)
The damage has been done and I doubt it will reverse itself. Look at waterfowl hunting for example.
I wish we could go back to the days when hunting was for your own satisfaction. Even those who speak so openly about their great respect for the resource can't help but post a handful of kill pics for another state they crossed off their list. Seems a lot of guys chase the reputation of being a turkey killer to the point that they forego ethics and defend their ways with legality.
People that kill turkeys kill turkeys. It's the ways it's always been....but you can't turn a blind eye to the regulations / quotas / draw etc that have come about in the last 6-8 years since the influencer saturation. Heck I shot 5 gobblers in the first 5 days of season on a mid March opener not too long ago. Now I can't hunt that spot til April and can only shoot one turkey. I'm advocating for people to stop consuming influencers content. And driving this current trend of "hunter satisfaction" regulations. One is directly related to the other.
A common theme I've found.... The places everyone screams about the pressure being too high all have excellent and realistic opportunities for good action if you are smart and willing to put in the work. I've hunted several of the places that get all the bad press. I've had excellent hunts in all of them. There are definite and reproducible things you can do to avoid pressure and find birds on these "heavily hunted" places.
I would say changes are coming down the pike for WV. I always filled out a yearly survey for WV. This year, I got an email invite to another survey, and it was a whole different beast. A ton of choices on season dates and bag limits. Also, the option to ban rifles for turkey hunting. I hammered the crap out of that one. Sometimes, I am on the ban train and proud of it.
Quote from: Happy on June 14, 2025, 08:34:20 PMI would say changes are coming down the pike for WV. I always filled out a yearly survey for WV. This year, I got an email invite to another survey, and it was a whole different beast. A ton of choices on season dates and bag limits. Also, the option to ban rifles for turkey hunting. I hammered the crap out of that one. Sometimes, I am on the ban train and proud of it.
I haven't hunted WV since 2017 and I also received this survey. I agree with you on the rifle issue. Virginia won't budge on it either.
I agree with you on that one, Joey. Time will tell.
No place for rifles in Spring Turkey season. It just makes it easy for the road hunters that cruise back roads and pluck off field birds, especially in the afternoon.
I was at a show/ expo years ago and asked a guy from Department of Game if he thought they'd consider banning rifles for Spring Turkey.
I was taken aback by his response, "No, 22-250 is too effective." He obviously spoke from personal experience. That tells you all you need to know about their attitude towards the issue.
Ive occasionally run into guys with their deer rifles and big 3-9 x 40 scopes. Thats so comforting when youre trying to work a bird in the woods and you see that guy across the field from you.
Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on June 15, 2025, 09:57:01 PMNo place for rifles in Spring Turkey season. It just makes it easy for the road hunters that cruise back roads and pluck off field birds, especially in the afternoon.
I was at a show/ expo years ago and asked a guy from Department of Game if he thought they'd consider banning rifles for Spring Turkey.
I was taken aback by his response, "No, 22-250 is too effective." He obviously spoke from personal experience. That tells you all you need to know about their attitude towards the issue.
Ive occasionally run into guys with their deer rifles and big 3-9 x 40 scopes. Thats so comforting when youre trying to work a bird in the woods and you see that guy across the field from you.
220 swift no flop lazer beam!!!