Newbie Question on Avoiding the Crowds

Come spring time, how far is far enough when walking into public land to turkey hunt? I've been walking/scouting and generally keeping an eye on a piece of mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest. I haven't seen a lot of hunter activity durring deer season, but have never watched it durring turkey season ('08 will be my first spring in the woods). There is no shortage of land in the NF (and Cohutta WMA), and from what I understand there are plenty of turkey. I just don't want to spend the winter and early spring scouting ground that I'll have to abandon due to heavy hunter preasure.

For you mountain hunters, how deep does one typically need to walk in the NF to find yourself a 100 acres or so to focus on? For example, if I'm at least 1 mile from the nearest FS road, am I pretty much alone. Or, should I think more like 3-5 miles, and plan on camping?

Any thoughts are welcomed. I'm not afraid of walking, but dread the thought of ruining someone elses hunt or putting in a lot of time scouting ground I won't end up hunting.

CharrDad

A mile ought to do it in the mountains.

Thanks dutchman, I'm not above doing what it takes to get the job done...but a 1 mile is better than 3. I'm not as young as I'd like to think.

CharrDad

The mountains definitely separate the men from the boys. Remember, it's public land. I have been walked up on way back in several times. (and been walked up on).

If you are hunting the area I think you will be, I hunted there a few years back and NEVER saw another human being. But what a beast of a walk it was too. Guess I am too lazy and old to do that trek anymore

You don't always have to trek far and wide, I've found plenty just off the road that I've had to myself. Some WMA's are more condusive to this than others, better road systems, more acerage, it all depends, week day or weekend.......etc. Weekdays are always better.

You're right about that Gadget. I'm convinced I'll spend most of my time in 08 hunting during the week. I've been doing most of my scouting this fall during the weekdays and am amazed at how few folks I'm seeing in the woods.

CharrDad

Gadget said:

You don't always have to trek far and wide, I've found plenty just off the road that I've had to myself. Some WMA's are more condusive to this than others, better road systems, more acerage, it all depends, week day or weekend.......etc. Weekdays are always better.

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Gadget is right and on a place like the CNF or Cohutta WMA, further is not always best. I've done my fair share of walking those mountains, but I've also had good hunting around some of the roads.

A buddy of mine and myself know of one guy who had great luck on the road in the WMA

A high or steep ridge right by the road that stands between you and a honey hole can keep the lazy and/or infirm (I could qualify on both counts) off of you. Just be sure you have a good topo of the area and that you don't walk your mile back into a place only to discover that some other guy walked in from another road near by and only had to cover half that distance.

Dang, dutchman. That's a great point. There is no substitute for good maps. I'd hate to crawl way back IN some holler only to find out I had spent the better part of the walk working my way OUT to the road on the other side.

Great advice.
CharrDad