well i went to southern indiana for the opening week. I was hunting on state ground. I seen around 50 hens and about 14 toms. i was bow hunting so i needed a close shot. out of the 14 toms all but three were on private ground. I seen them as i was leaving for home on the last day. I have never been so fortunate to be able to hunt turkeys on private land. So i have become good at the public ground. The thing to remember you need to hunt as far from the roads as possible. you need to get to the woods first and leave last. Even if i means sleeping in your ground blind. But it doesn't mean that you'll get a bird. i sleep in the woods and i still lost a bird this year because of another hunter came in on me while i was calling a bird.the bird spooked after that. So you can either get mad or smile. i choose to smile because that is the thing about public land.oh yeah you'll have mushroom hunters walking around so that is always something you need to keep on your mind as well.