ORIGINAL: Fullback24
I like to watch the outdoor channel, and I like to watch turkey hunting videos, not really to learn something, but I enjoy watching it....one thing I've noticed is the terrain, most of these guys on the TV are hunting fairly flat looking ground......me, I'm working out right now for the upcoming season, one because here, you're either going up or down, and two, I make the hikes to try to get away from the majority of the pressure......another observation is that the TV hunters get away with a heck of alot more movement and noise than I've ever seen.....People often times ask me about the hunting around here in south-west VA....I tell them that the gobblers don't come in looking for a hen, they come in looking for something to run from......I'm going to say, and I honestly believe this, but I believe that some of the best turkeyHUNTERSin the United States are not on the TV, but they live here, in Giles County, VA. The Pembroke Turkey Posse didn't get its' name by killing a turkey or two a year....I'm not an expert nor do I profess to be, but I'd rather spring gobbler hunt than anything......Mr. Longbeard, I'm in total agreement with you....public land will make you a better turkey hunter, and is harder to hunt because they normally don't hear a call everyday, buteven I have had a birdor two come inon a string,a hunt that seemed just to easy, only to humbled again down the road...I'd say if you have NEVER experienced at least one kamkazie then youmay need to rethink your positon or tactics.....like you said earlier about the blind hog....Whatever the circumstance, I'd prefer not to lesson or cheapen someone elses birds because they're taken on private or public....the only thing I will raise an eyebrow at is this sniper hunting and roost shooting.....I do feel like, if someone can't kill them with a shotgun via calling them in, then they need not kill.....that's getting away from the subject.....anyway, like I've said before, I've been to NY for the past 2 years on public land and have heard more gobbling and called in more turkeys than any 4 day hunt I've ever been on......I tend to think that those yankee toms just like a seductive southern mountain draw...LOL...Ya'll ever read Tom Kelly's Tenth Legion?? I'm reading it again for the 4th time, the first two chapter covers all this....not about public vs. private, but about the people.
Nice post. Killing a turkey anywhere is a trophy, but dealing with public ground birds will, over time, harden your resovle. Lengthen your patience span. It will learn you howto mix patience with dogged determination. On public ground you must not only figure in a strategy to kill the bird, but figure other hunters into the mix as well. Lot more to consider than when hunting birds that only u r likely to duel with. To say it will make a better hunter out of you is NOT to say it will make youa better hunter than anyone else. I hunt both public & private tho much of my first 13 years were ALL public, the past couple years i have gotten more access onto private ground. Other than having other hunters in the mix, it was close to the same. .Tho hard pressured birds are tuffer, and your going to find a much larger petrcentage of pressured birds on public, even there if you getTHAT bird in THAT right frame of mind, he can be jusr as easy as anywhere. I have always said that leaving your decoys at home will make a much better turkey hunter out of ya, but people get thier dander up, thinking im putting down those who do while elevating myself but i feel it's true. But thats for another thread another time.