Most of the time when people mentioning running into other hunters on public land they talk about the negative encounters. However I feel like the negatives are really exaggerated sometimes. So what are some of the more positive experiences you guys have had?
Last year me and a couple buddies hunted public and overall had a great experience. Opening morning we ran into a guy setup on the edge of a field (it was before daylight so we didn't see his set up). We apologized and went the other way. He had said he had roosted one there the night before and invited us to join his setup if we wanted. We politely declined and went elsewhere just out of curtesy. It was still nice of the guy to offer though. Anyways, we saw him getting into his truck a couple hours later with a jake. We gave congrats and high fives, he told us good luck and we went separate ways.
Overall it was just a nice, friendly, encounter which restored my faith in that there are still good people around willing to share and be kind. Sometimes we get caught up in the killing rather than the enjoyment of the spring hunt.
Anyone else have a positive story about hunting public?
I've got birds on my lease and some private land but this year I killed both of my birds on public land. I've seen good times and frustrating times hunting them. Overall 5 of my birds have came off public lands
Only hunted public and bumped into someone once turkey hunting deer more prevalent but I haven't ever had a bad experience hunting public but I haven't done much of it. Like you said always friendly and courteous and always tried to stay out of the others way.
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I have taken two slams on public land so I have run into my share of idiotes, one even shot one of my decoys one time down in Florada. Florada public is hard hunting because of all the people and even if you do walk in the dark for two hours you can still have things messed up from a disabled person drive in on top of you at the last minute, but that just the extra challenges of trying to get a turkey in certain WPA down there. Been down there three times and I love it because there are idiotes like I said but still more great people. As far as not talking to anyone well that is what hunting is all about telling stories. So if you don't want to talk to me I will HUNT for some one else that will. Because that guy that shot my decoy he was the biggest turkey I will ever see in the turkey woods.
shot a deer once and some guy i didnt even know asked if i needed help dragging it.
I hunt primarily public land. Depending on where I go is the differences. Over the years I have learned where people are going to mess you up. I have a few spots where I never see anyone. I have weekday spots and weekend spots. People that hunt before work are lots of times limited to where they can go. So if it is place close to a main highway increases the chance you will run into other folks.
After posting about bad experiences on public lands, I have to say that I have had met some nice folks also. I hunt public everywhere I go and usually meet someone who is decent. Had some boys in Kentucky pick me up along the road, miles from my truck, in a torrential downpour. I wouldn't have minded the walk but I didn't mind the ride either! There's still a bunch of good ol boys out there.
I've been one to post on bad public land experiences, hunting public for more than 30 years makes me feel like i've seen it all, but must admit that the good experiences far out-weigh the bad.
Killed my 1st deer, my 1st turkey, and my 1st archery buck on public lands in NC. It's not all been bad and many days I look forward to hitting a road at a NF gate and walking about 2 hours out away from the world.
All 3 of my turkeys came from public land. I try to be nice to people and lighten the mood. People are always tense and expecting confrontation. It's public land hunting so keep calm and hunt on! I've had a lot of good hunting but I generally try to avoid people on public.
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I hunt public land and have never had a problem. Never had anyone walk in on me. The people I have talked to have all been friendly and courteous.
I've seen other hunters but only at a distance. I've given them wide berths when I do. I've probably killed 70% of my birds off of public land. Heard of some bad experiences but I try to focus on the harder to reach areas and less popular seasons here in Illinois.
I often been offered and have taken some rides back to my truck. Met some really great people camping and hunting in the NF. Given and recieved info from hunters of other game and I have seen the best turkey hunting I ever experienced. Not unlike this year cold and snow persisted into april especially in the mt/NF. We happened to pick the Weekend it broke to go. Absolutely the best, most extended gobbling Ive ever seen. Literally everywhere you went and all day.
I met one of my best buddies in the mtn about 5 years ago. We both got to our truck at the same time after dark and ended up talking to almost 11 that night. I don't think a day has went by we haven't talked since. Another out of stater I run into in tenn is a really nice fellow I chat with to when I see him as well as a guy on this board that hunts the same area. I've had a few bad experiences but more good than bad
The bad experiences I have had on public land have been from deer and duck hunters. Yes we do get guys from the city/northern Illinois that come and think they are gonna get one over on us dumb hillbillys . 99% of the (local) turkey hunters are good people that will go out of their way to get away from another guy in the woods.
I met some guys from Alabama up here deer hunting a few years ago bow hunting and we struck up a conversation and we have been good friends ever since.
ive had people wanna help me out and ive had guys that seemed liked they wanted to thump me for being there
I had a very good experience with a fellow hunter this Saturday. I ended up getting a punctured tire just before I got to my spot and was trying to change the tire after a short hunt. After I got the lugs off, the wheel was stuck tight. A lady was driving by after her hunt and was kind enough to give me a ride the GW office to get a sledge and drive me back to the truck and help get it off. She definitely exemplified the good side of people on public land.
Had plenty of bad public hunting when chasing ducks but not too bad with turkey. I've probably had more frustrating experiences on some leases than on public...
I've had several good experiences on public land. Met a lot of good folks.
I've been very fortunate to not have any really bad experiences with other hunters on public ground when it comes to turkey hunting. I hope it stays that way.
I hunt a certain public land spot, that ive only bumped into one hunter over ten years. other spots ive run into hunters before and its usually a good experience. I normally hunt public land for turkeys and im usually the guy thats walking in while everyone else is walking out.
Mostly good. Heard some stories, but none too bad for me. Had more problems in a club I USED to be in.
I told a kid where I had seen one earlier and he ended up going there and killing his first bird. I've helped a few folks track deer. I really just try to avoid people as much as possible though.
In all honesty, I've had many more good experiences than bad when hunting public land. I killed my first turkey on public land and although I've been blessed with access to thousands of acres of private land, I still find myself hunting public land more than half the time. I feel like it's made me a better turkey hunter. I've heard hunting public land described as man vs. man vs. animal and I think that's pretty accurate. It's often frustrating, and dejecting, and aggravating, and tough, but when you are looking down the barrel at a longbeard that you know has been called to and stalked on by numerous turkey hunters over the years, it's a feeling that is indescribably rewarding.
I met a man I now call a good friend of mine while hunting public land. He was new to turkey hunting at the time and would pick my brain at the parking area after the morning hunts. One morning we both pulled up to the same spot and decided to hunt together and have been ever since.
I hunt both public and private land. For turkeys all of my encounters have been good. Most folks are friendly, helpful and courteous. Deer hunters are a different story, most I've come across are good folks, but there sure are a lot of idiots out there.
Last year I didn't make it in the timber one morning till late morning. A fellow hunter was walking out and as we passed we stopped, shot the bull and he told me where he was setup and told me what he saw and told me the direction the flock was headed. I didn't shoot a bird but I did see the flock and had a couple hens come close by.
We were working a bird 2 years ago on a piece of government woods and had already seen another hunter's bootprints not far away. We heard him calling to the same bird, but we were on the other side of the bird and were closer. Well the bird goes quiet for 20 minutes, and we figured he had spooked the bird trying to cut us off. We heard footsteps coming up the other side of the ridge, and being the hotheads we were (and mad after messing up 3 hunts in a row) we stood up, ready to cuss this fella out. Turns out it was the turkey walking up on us, and the other hunter had backed off when he heard us calling.
One of the first years I hunted in Kansas I ran into a group of guys from Tennessee that had all killed at least one and were headed home. They gave me their maps and pointed exactly where they had hunted, found birds, killed, and set up. Super great guys.
Have had my share of not so great experiences on public land but I can remind two recent good experiences on public land.
First was getting pulled out of the mud on the side of a main road by some other hunters.
Second is not my story but my turkey hunting buddies. He was setup about 50 yards in woods off a trail. He see a guy walking into his setup so he stands up to alert him. The guy motions him over and makes the signal for 2.
Apparently the guy could see 2 gobblers working down the trail to them. They immediately setup hit the call and had to birds come walking in to there setup. It would have been a good double but the other guy didn't want to shoot a jake. But very cool that they were able to share the hunt like that.
I've had many experiences on public land, some positive, some negative. Basically I have found that if you put in your time scouting and pay your dues, you can have excellent experiences on public land. But you'll have plenty of bad times prior to that.
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Most of my experiences have been good. Been messed up by others and have messed up others. I set up on a bird with my dad one morning and he came straight in. Killed him right after fly down. As we were admiring the bird, a woman stood up out of the brush about 80 yards away. We came in from another direction and set up in the dark. I felt terrible.
Her husband had dropped her off before we got there. It was a regular roost and we both knew the birds would be there. She saw us set up and never whistled or anything.
My worst experience was on private land. Had my jake decoy shot right at daylight one time. I spotted the hunters and scooted around around the tree for protection. I tried to get their attention, but couldn't. My split decision to scoot around the tree saved me. BOOM!