What do you consider heavily hunted

[Bowguy]

I see lots of posts saying guys are on land "heavily hunted". Wondering what guys consider to label a place as so. What they do to avoid such places n why hunt there?
I mean are guys being sportsman n giving you a bird you're working? Do you like working the same bird someone just finished trying? Why not just go somewhere else?
I live in Jersey, also hunt NY. In 35 years I've seen guys twice in the turkey woods. A few more at trucks n i avoided the area they were frequenting. Id even avoid an area guys were scouting or driving past regular. Turkey hunting for the most part isn't a social sport so what's the attraction with heavily hunted areas?

[Cutt]

I see lots of posts saying guys are on land "heavily hunted". Wondering what guys consider to label a place as so. What they do to avoid such places n why hunt there?

Somewhere like Public that is hunted just about everyday by someone.

I mean are guys being sportsman n giving you a bird you're working?

I wish it always happened that way, but not that often on Public.

Do you like working the same bird someone just finished trying?

Sure if they are done, why not, very rewarding taking a bird that many have messed with.

Why not just go somewhere else?

Limited to areas, and all areas will more than likely have hunters too, the last week is only time I actually find no one at all hunting on some Public areas, but that's not even a given.

Turkey hunting for the most part isn't a social sport so what's the attraction with heavily hunted areas?

Some live in areas with not enough Public land, and way too many hunters, and they want to hunt too. You are obviously very spoiled with your hunting, I don't mean that in a bad way, but consider yourself lucky.

[Spitten and drummen]

My 1200 acre lease with 6 serious turkey hunters chasing them 7 days a week is what I call over pressured. Now keep in mind all 6 don't hunt everyday , but there is never less than 3. On this lease there is only 3 areas that hold birds. The rest is 8 year old cutover. We have alot of birds but it went from hearing a dozen in the morning gobbling to almost none. I have killed a bird and another guy killed one. I have hunted ten days straight , most of the day and have heard 1 bird. 2 of the new guys run up and down every road we have hammering them with calls and bumping birds off their roost. Can't say much as its the lease holders good buddies. Sorry but this post just let me vent a little lol.

[Bowguy]

It's ok to vent n I also understand sharing leases but isn't there a mountain no one wants to climb? A walk in too far for most guys? A river you can cRoss to hit an isolated island? Man if not Id go crazy. I figured in populated NJ, not that I live in one of the more populated areas, but if we can escape I figured it'd be easier other places. We also share leases n some spots I avoid, the few guys that do hunt similar areas as me I normally beat there since I'll often be there sleeping for a couple hours before light. Thank God most guys in my area are gentleman n give you space

[Greg Massey]

We have 3 farms we hunt and every year we let one sit out .. We call that farm the safety zone for that year and just let the birds do what birds do... 3 of us hunt just over a 1000 ac,, total... one of the three just hunts about 4 times the hold season...

[Fullfan]

 99 % of the property in PA

[fallhnt]

I only hunt public and when I'm working a bird and somebody walks past me to get to the bird...that is heavily hunted.

[Bowguy]

Ok I uderstand the heavily hunted but I guess I'm wondering why that's just a given. I live in a town where we lease lots of land, lots of our old pieces are now public. Some easy pieces were great n if I hunted there Id have company. I make adjustments to be left alone by doing things I posted earlier. One mountain is often all it takes plus people don't see mountain birds n they're more natural. Isn't there any other land?

[Cutt]

Isn't there any other land?

Public only, private areas are a thing of the past unless you or a relative own the property. If you find any Private around here that let you hunt, they let everyone hunt, so it ends up worse than Public at times.

Sure one can drive a couple hours to other Public but you still stand the chance of other hunters. One year I was so disgusted with Public around my home and others boggering me up, I took Wed off work and drove 2 hours North to get away from others, Wrong! Got there well before daylight as I was the only car at the time. Had two birds working in from 60 yards and they all the sudden flew staight up in the air. Then here came a hunter right behind them non stop on a mouthcall. He parked where I did and saw my truck, but obviously did not care. Needless to say, I do not take days off and drive North anymore.

[Happy]

I have two types of land I primarily hunt. 1. Public land- large chunks of land with birds hidden in pockets. Believe me you can hunt all day and not hear a bird if you are in the wrong spot. It's first come and first serve. I always arrive early and head deep into the woods. Even if I know of birds closer to the road I pass them. I avoid "the fat man 500" at all costs. Most guys won't hunt an area unless there are birds that are audible from the parking lot. That's where my 500 yard rule comes in. I kill birds by hiking in deep and staying late and just basically out working people.
2. Club property- This club could be a hunting heaven but it will never happen. This is about 60,000 acres in the great state of Wv. Problem is there are gravel roads everywhere. The majority of turkey and deer seasons there are vehicles and side by sides everywhere. Rifles loaded and the window down. A popular joke is that the preferred camo of the club is tinted windows. These boys pretty well have no concern for anything. I have heard plenty of pot shots at birds while they are still on the roost and I don't know how many breasted out birds I have found along the roads. A lot of these boys don't have jobs and just drive and shoot turkeys every day of season. Doesn't matter what you say about it, nothing changes. To much ground and to few people to stop them and they know it. I kill birds by walking. I may take a bike a certain distance and then once I am ready to hunt I an a half mile from the bike and I don't get back on it until I am ready to go home. After two weeks of season these birds are night and day different and it doesn't pay to have any vehicle noise around when your hunting. Most of the "serious" turkey hunters drive 4 wheelers around and stop long enough to throw a bunch of loud yelps out on a box call (often times they don't even shut the bike off ) and then they roar off to another location. So in my typical season I am dealing with "pressured" birds 95% of the time. I don't believe in call shy but I do believe in pressure. I see it every year.

[mudhen]

Once saw 75 cars parked at a 2700 acre public wildlife area....

Talked to two guys that hunted 10 days straight for a bearded hen...


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[Marc]

Anytime there are more turkey hunters than turkeys...

[wvmntnhick]

I've hunted the same club as mentioned above. He's not joking about the atv, trucks, and everything else. We've killed birds there during the third and fourth weeks of season but it can be quite difficult at times. Just when you think you've found a spot that you can get away from people, a vehicle of some sort comes blasting by. It's truly sad as the club could literally be the best turkey hunting area in the region but because it's not managed worth a hoot, things aren't all that great. I'd bet good money that there are guys hunting those birds right now and season doesn't open until the 18th. It's sad. As for public land, I try to stay away in our state for various reasons. We allow rifles and I've always been a fan. Used one for years and will probably still bring one into play at times. Having said that, because of the large number of guys that hunt it, I fear for my life when using a decoy. WV has one of the highest rates of spring turkey hunting "accidents." Not against the use of rifles. Just wish that guys would make sure that they're shooting at live birds and that the area around is clear of hunters before blasting away.  I'd much prefer to see my wife and kids again. Heck, last spring we had two guys come sneaking in on us on some private ground that was only supposed to have us on it. Sad situation when one doesn't know or respect the boundaries set forth by landowners. Had to have a lengthy conversation with a fella last spring that was sneaking around on some property that I've got sole control of the hunting on as well. This leads to birds and land that's heavily pressured and shouldn't be. All for greed in the end. All because they don't take the time to secure property for themselves or because they won't take the chance on public land. Not everyone is lucky enough to find good private ground. It's made me very thankful to be on some of the property I have access to here. I've seen both worlds. It's not easy to get unpressured birds everywhere.

[Snoodsniper]

You want to see heavily hunted ....just come hunt turkeys in PA.

[WildTigerTrout]

99 % of the property in PA

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