Public Land turkey hunting

Jody Hawk · Jan 5, 2006

I'm hearing lots of folks saying that they want to hunt public land more this year. Let me say this, it's a whole new ball game out there. On public land when that bird sounds off at daybreak and you are headed to him, there's usually somebody else headed to him too. You'll have folks who are courteous and won't interfere when you are working a bird but you'll also encounter those who will try their darndest to call him away from you. The birds are tougher and smarter too, remember he plays this game every morning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's some good hunting on public land but if you hunt it long enough these things mentioned above will happen. Public land hunting is definitely not for the one who can't control his temper.

coon dawg · Jan 5, 2006

..........

2 friends of mine killed 5 mature Gobblers between 'em off Redlands last year................hunt on Weds/Thurs.............find remote little areas of the mgmt. area...............and they did not hunt that much to do it...............

Thunderbeard · Jan 5, 2006

I agree one hundred and ten percent. I have had people try calling the bird away from me. In most cases the bird goes silent. I thought that most turkey hunters had a little respect, but in most cases they just want a bird.

dutchman · Jan 5, 2006

The man's telling you right.

I've had it both ways (public land and leased land) and I can tell you there is a difference in how the birds will act in response to a call. Sure, you'll get a dumb two year old bird every now and then that can't wait to run in to a call gobbling every other step and get shot in the head. But, by and large, public land birds are harder to fool with than their private property cousins.

To be consistently successful (however you define that) on public land, you've gotta be willing to get up earlier, walk farther, stay longer, and generally work harder than you would if you were hunting on a lease.

coon dawg · Jan 5, 2006

.............

dutchman said:
The man's telling you right.

I've had it both ways (public land and leased land) and I can tell you there is a difference in how the birds will act in response to a call. Sure, you'll get a dumb two year old bird every now and then that can't wait to run in to a call gobbling every other step and get shot in the head. But, by and large, public land birds are harder to fool with than their private property cousins.

To be consistently successful (however you define that) on public land, you've gotta be willing to get up earlier, walk farther, stay longer, and generally work harder than you would if you were hunting on a lease.

true dat!!!.........and be ready for the gobbler to come in silent!

Thunderbeard · Jan 5, 2006

coon dawg said:
true dat!!!.........and be ready for the gobbler to come in silent!

Yes your are right, They will be silent and they are Call shy even to locator calls. I've seen it happen. I used a crow call last year on oconee national forest and they ran. :shoot:

Jody Hawk · Jan 5, 2006

Public land gobblers are definitely less vocal. I truly believe that some public land gobblers do not gobble at all !!!!

gsubo · Jan 5, 2006

I have learned over the past 2 seasons just how hard public land birds are. I've hunted Ft stewart the past 2 seasons and have heard way more birds than ive heard the last 5 years in my old hunting clubs because of the good management there(prescribed burns, food plots, etc.)..BUT Ive only killed two out there. I'll put it this way..I went about 4 mornings every week last turkey season. I heard gobbling and was on birds every single time i went except one day which was in May about a week before the season closed. None of these birds came to calls. I killed one jake in a food plot and missed another big gobbler and i never made a peep..just got in front of him. Its hard to turn them once they fly down and head a direction..and i notice alot of times they dont do the same thing day after day so its tough to pattern em. I guess what im trying to say is its definately no cake walk..and those gobblers whooped me last year.

dutchman · Jan 5, 2006

Jody Hawk said:
Public land gobblers are definitely less vocal. I truly believe that some public land gobblers do not gobble at all !!!!

You'd better believe that!

R Smith · Jan 5, 2006

I think a lot depends on how much you sound like every other turkey hunter out there and just how fired up the birds are at the moment.

The birds in my avatar came in from opposite directions. I shot the first bird and was stuffing him in my game vest when the second sounded off. Shot both within 3 minutes. That is the 5th time I have taken two birds minutes apart, in one case seconds. I have also taken 2 doubles (two birds with one shot, not double beards) and all on WMA's.

The key is know your land, listen to what your birds are doing at the moment and be flexable. Sometimes scratching in the leaves will bring in a bird that just won't come to a call. Think like a turkey....... my wife tells me that's why I kill so many.... :rofl:

Arrow3 · Jan 5, 2006

Im gonna give them some chases this year...I'll have to see if them boys are as tough as y'all say...

kevincox · Jan 5, 2006

I have had good success on a few mgt areas because 1. I hunt only during the week. 2. I like to hunt mid-am and early pm. 3. I hunt less popular areas of the WMA and 4. I do not use locator calls on WMA'S. Last year a hunter owl hooted 1/4 mile from me for 15 mins. I then heard himcrank up his truck and leave. Soon after I heard some hens cackle from the roost. I set up and clucked a few times and then I hear Gobbbbbbbbbleeeee! I clucked one more time and 5 minutes later I dropped the hammer on a nice 3 1/2 yr old bird.

Jody Hawk · Jan 6, 2006

Kevin,
I had a similar situation last year at B.F.Grant. At daybreak I heard several different hunters blowing owl hooters but after no gobbles they left. I've hunted this area for years and knew there was a gobbler in there. So I sat down, gave a few soft yelps and clucks every ten minutes and less than an hour later I was toten one out. He came in silent and never made a peep. I love public land hunting because I feel like I've accomplished more when I kill one.

Arrow3 · Jan 6, 2006

Jody Hawk said:
Kevin,
I had a similar situation last year at B.F.Grant. At daybreak I heard several different hunters blowing owl hooters but after no gobbles they left. I've hunted this area for years and knew there was a gobbler in there. So I sat down, gave a few soft yelps and clucks and thirty minutes later I was toten one out. He came in silent and never made a peep.

Yeah, but it was a jake and you shot him with a crossbow.... :pop:

Jody Hawk · Jan 6, 2006

Arrow3 said:
Yeah, but it was a jake and you shot him with a crossbow....

Well don't tell it to everybody. :rofl:

dutchman · Jan 6, 2006

Arrow3 said:
Im gonna give them some chases this year...I'll have to see if them boys are as tough as y'all say...

Why would we lie about something like that?

Gadget · Jan 9, 2006

Jody Hawk said:
There's some good hunting on public land but if you hunt it long enough these things mentioned above will happen. Public land hunting is definitely not for the one who can't control his temper.

Yeah I've had some excellent hunts on public land, as good as any on private, but it's hard to find days like that, usually during the week. And yeah, there are some rude ppl. I had a guy come in on a friend and me at Piedmont the year before last, we tried to whistle, owl hoot and anything else to wave him off, but then he got up and walked right past us and into the bird. We felt the need to sight in our shotguns shortly after that.....

short stop · Jan 9, 2006

kevincox said:
I have had good success on a few mgt areas because 1. I hunt only during the week. 2. I like to hunt mid-am and early pm. 3. I hunt less popular areas of the WMA

I got prime time private ground but cannot resist hunting WMA's becuz of the challenge . Kevin has some of the best answers to be a sucessful public land hunter . #2 being mid am to early PM has gotten more birds in the bag for me than any other reason. Most hunters are GONE by 9am if they dont find a hot bird .

Dupree · Jan 9, 2006

Last year at Paulding I was set up on a bird and while he was gobbling his head off two other longbeards came in shooting range from my left and I was able to kill one of them. If it wasn't for dry leaves being so noisy I wouldnt have known they were coming. This was one of the few times I didnt have someone mess me up. I need to find some private land, because I have never turkey hunted anywhere but wma land. In the last few years I have killed 7 turkeys from wmas.

Robk · Jan 9, 2006

Last spring was my first time hunting WMA's and the one that I hunted the most last year was my most challenging hunt ever. The only time that I saw a bird was the next to last weekend of the season and although I didnt take one last year I am really looking forward to the hunt this next season. I got more response with a mouth reed at daybreak than I did with either of my locator calls.

Rob

Public Land turkey hunting

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