Public land unspoken rules

[paboxcall]

Even on private your not safe...It's amazing how low some people will get just to say the shot a turkey, not hunted a turkey, but just killed one. Idiots

Very true. Years ago I hunted several hundred private acres exclusively, but it was surrounded by public land. One quiet day, buddy and I were set up on a pipeline for a few hours making couple hen calls every ten minutes to get something going. Without warning some bozo stepped out of the tree line across from us with his shotgun at 3/4 arms pointing his muzzle at the two hen decoys between us. When he saw the dekes, he took off running back for the public ground. Jerk.

[RutnNStrutn]

Personally, I do this....
- If I see a hunter by his truck at o'dark thirty, I always go up to him and ask him where he's going to be so I don't booger him up, or vice versa. I usually also check to see if he'll be back the next day.
- If I hear another hunter owling or hen calling, I head the other way, even if a gobbler is answering him.
- If I spot another hunter's set up, I head the other way.
- I usually go in quite a ways and go deep to avoid other hunters.
- I scout ahead of time to find good areas that others won't be likely to go. Most hunters are lazy and only want to walk a few hundred yards from their vehicles.
- Put a lot of thought into using decoys, and if you choose to do so, be careful on your placement. I've had hunters sneak in and shoot at my decoys, even though they were hens. There are a lot of idiot hunters out there.
- Hunt late, until shooting hours are over. Most unsuccessful hunters get bored by 9 or 10 o'clock. After that you have the woods to yourself.

[High plains drifter]

Public land, has lots of very inexperienced hunters!!!

[chadly]

Public land, has lots of very inexperienced hunters!!!

This may be true but there are a bunch of very experienced as well.

[fallhnt]

Public land, has lots of very inexperienced hunters!!!

This may be true but there are a bunch of very experienced as well.

Same for private.
As for rules....yes they are unspoken.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[raven105]

Do your best to give others space if they are working a bird and do your best to avoid areas you know people are hunting. That's all you can do. Above all be safe. It's public land and open to anyone so sometimes you will run into people and vice versa. Nothing to get to worked up over.

This is solid advice right here.  I think patience is key on public.  If you haven't already, check out The Hunting Public on youtube.  Those boys hunt public land almost exclusively and have real success.  Great series to follow through the year.  Good luck!

[tha bugman]

Do your best to give others space if they are working a bird and do your best to avoid areas you know people are hunting. That's all you can do. Above all be safe. It's public land and open to anyone so sometimes you will run into people and vice versa. Nothing to get to worked up over.

This is solid advice right here.  I think patience is key on public.  If you haven't already, check out The Hunting Public on youtube.  Those boys hunt public land almost exclusively and have real success.  Great series to follow through the year.  Good luck!

Check out The Pinhoti Project as well.

[MS Turkey Chaser]

I'm on my 2nd or 3rd rewatch of the Pinhoti Project now.  Dave does a really good job of explaining his strategies and knows how to get on some public land turkeys.  Probably my favorite hunting series on youtube right now.

[grayfox]

Lots of good advice already given here. Public land is pretty much all that I have ever hunted when turkey hunting. Not too much I haven't seen over the years. It can be really frustrating at times. My buddy even had a guy a few years ago tell him he was gonna powder his *%s. My buddy was trying to call in a gobbler at the time & the guy got mad cause he heard the gobbler a ways off & when he got closer he realized my buddy was already on him. I can't even remember the number of times i've had other hunters come in on me knowing I was already there but just didn't care. Some people even get off on trying to slip in on someone & killing the turkey out from under them. I've wittnesed some sorry low down good for nothin's but also have met some of the nicest people. Some I even became good friends with. For several years I would mostly listen for gobblers in the mornings & would come back later after most everyone had left & hunt them. Killed several birds that way. Good luck & mostly be careful.

[Gooserbat]

I hunt a lot of public ground.  I do try not to barge in on someone else but over the years it's happened I'm sure.  I don't however just leave a spot I was at first just because someone tries to horn me out.  I don't do anything unsafe or try to mess someone else up but I won't leave an area for the sake of the other guy.  Public ground is just that....Public. 

[mudbug_4]

A few years ago my son and I camped out for the VA opener. We were parked at a cul-de-sac in public land two hours before daylight. We had someone drive up around 30 minutes before it was time to head in the woods. They started getting their gear together and so I approached them and let them know I was heading to the (only) ridge at the end of the trail with my 10-year old son. They said they were heading there too, and that there were lots of turkeys around. It turned out there was only one turkey gobbling...that is, until they walked to him and spooked him away from my son and me. Not good public land etiquette.

[Chordeiles]

Personally, I do this....
- If I see a hunter by his truck at o'dark thirty, I always go up to him and ask him where he's going to be so I don't booger him up, or vice versa. I usually also check to see if he'll be back the next day.
- If I hear another hunter owling or hen calling, I head the other way, even if a gobbler is answering him.
- If I spot another hunter's set up, I head the other way.
- I usually go in quite a ways and go deep to avoid other hunters.
- I scout ahead of time to find good areas that others won't be likely to go. Most hunters are lazy and only want to walk a few hundred yards from their vehicles.
- Put a lot of thought into using decoys, and if you choose to do so, be careful on your placement. I've had hunters sneak in and shoot at my decoys, even though they were hens. There are a lot of idiot hunters out there.
- Hunt late, until shooting hours are over. Most unsuccessful hunters get bored by 9 or 10 o'clock. After that you have the woods to yourself.

Words to live by, in the turkey woods, right here.