nothin like public land huh!? thats pretty much all i hunt......and i have 1000 storys like yours.....and im only 17!!! one day ill own my own land....and noone but me dad a few close friends and my kids will be able to hunt it......if theres any land left to buy when im older.....turkey huntings gota be the hardest thing to hunt on public land.....they call to the birds before the season.....chase them all around....and scare every bird within 10 miles.....BEFORE the season starts.....then come time to hunt the birds wont respond for jack.....me and dad started to walk farther and farther in......were upto about 2 miles one way now.....and still have the occassional weekend warrior back there with us......we know hes there because he usually stalks us as we call....i lost many chances at my first turkey because guys heard my soon to be long beard going nuts to my calls so he runs down into the woods and the turkey busts him as he runs after the gobbles.....but when you dont have private land to hunt....what can you do??? if a private land owner around here lets you hunt they usually let everybody and their grandmothers hunt the land too.....so its not much better.....oh well........hiking in a few miles at 4am is kinda fun.......just what i want to do just to find me a turkey.....thats after an hour and a half drive till we get to our spot.....oh man...i cant wait for saturday...the memorys......if i didnt love hunting turkeys so much i wouldnt do it......but man.....something about them big ole birds.....they make me do some strange things.....next friday i wont even sleep.....i get off work at midnite and have to be out the door by 330am........ill come home get my gear ready shower and then maybe ill have time to doze off....good luck......youll find a bird that wants to talk.....just stick with it