JMB
Senior Member
At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly and too much like a "the way it used to be", I've gotta voice my opninon on a few things. More hunters in the woods, less private land available, and shrinking habitat means more pressure on public lands that hold turkeys. The internet and technology have both directly and inadvertently increased pressure on places I personally hunt. How do I know this? I've asked other hunters I see with out of state or county license plates how they found out. You know what the near unanimous answer is...the internet. I started turkey hunting in the 80s, there was no internet and we guarded our spots closely. The way I was raised. If someone asks, don't be rude, but don't give up anything because if you tell one, you've told ten. Turkey hunting isn't a team sport and no I don't want company from people I don't know when I'm in the woods. For the last few years, it's been getting worse; pressure, cars parked every mile on public land that used to be unknown or at least un-pressured. I've nearly been shot twice, had multiple birds buggered up, and talked to too many guys who, I'm sorry-but, have no business being in the woods (apologies to you millennials who have the offense meter of a 7 year old girl from Vermont). What do I think some issues are...
The new DNR telecheck, while neat to look at, is basically pointing a finger on a map and saying "here is where the turkeys are" county by county. I mean, give us the harvest record, but is the by county harvest total level of transparency really necessary?
On this forum: When someone says "Great kill on ____WMA or even national forest...you're drawing an x on a map for trollers and other hunters. Granted it's a big x and no, maybe it will be hard to find "your" spot but I guarantee it will be an x on somebody's honey hole. If nothing else it puts an easy arrow for cyber scouters to follow. What's wrong with just saying public land? I mean, it's great that you're excited and want to post every detail of your hunt and the success, but just omitting the WMA or NF name would keep the cyber guys guessing.
Companies focusing on making a buck and marketing the easiest course of action to pulling the trigger on a 65 yard shot. Learn to call, learn to hunt...it's a skill and you don't learn the trade sitting in a blind with a remote driving a gobbler decoy around a clover patch for 8 hours.
I'm all for mapping, GIS software advancements, and for sure the DNR telecheck because it's finally showing what some of us have been saying since 2003 (turkeys are going bye bye). I do think that all of us have a duty to try and not blow up public hunting opportunities for the masses. Let them do what we did, figure it out with maps, chance, and boot leather. Private messages is what location donations are for, not an open forum.
Just saying and yes, I'm done with my rant
Good luck to everyone for the remainder of the season and stay safe out there!!!!!
JB
The new DNR telecheck, while neat to look at, is basically pointing a finger on a map and saying "here is where the turkeys are" county by county. I mean, give us the harvest record, but is the by county harvest total level of transparency really necessary?
On this forum: When someone says "Great kill on ____WMA or even national forest...you're drawing an x on a map for trollers and other hunters. Granted it's a big x and no, maybe it will be hard to find "your" spot but I guarantee it will be an x on somebody's honey hole. If nothing else it puts an easy arrow for cyber scouters to follow. What's wrong with just saying public land? I mean, it's great that you're excited and want to post every detail of your hunt and the success, but just omitting the WMA or NF name would keep the cyber guys guessing.
Companies focusing on making a buck and marketing the easiest course of action to pulling the trigger on a 65 yard shot. Learn to call, learn to hunt...it's a skill and you don't learn the trade sitting in a blind with a remote driving a gobbler decoy around a clover patch for 8 hours.
I'm all for mapping, GIS software advancements, and for sure the DNR telecheck because it's finally showing what some of us have been saying since 2003 (turkeys are going bye bye). I do think that all of us have a duty to try and not blow up public hunting opportunities for the masses. Let them do what we did, figure it out with maps, chance, and boot leather. Private messages is what location donations are for, not an open forum.
Just saying and yes, I'm done with my rant
Good luck to everyone for the remainder of the season and stay safe out there!!!!!
JB