Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Public Land Hunters

Bowman

Junior Member
45
5
Something I've been wondering for years with Public land turkey hunters? Are the majority of these hunters, just ignorant or just don't care?

Don't take this post the wrong way as it does not apply to all, although the majority I encounter. And I realize it's Public and will run into hunters at time to time which I expect because it is Public.

This is the typical scenario I'm referring to, being I work nights and do not get to the woods till around 8:30. This has happened many times over the years, and twice already this year. I get to an area with no vehicles at 8:00 or so enter the woods, no one is around, and strike a bird, After a half hour or so of off and on hen talk, another hunter moves in and is answering my calls and will not leave and screws up my hunt.

So my question is a hunter pulls into Public and sees your vehicle does it even register in his head if he hers a hen, it's more than likely a hunter being a vehicle is there, or do they simply not care? I know when I enter the woods and other vehicles are around I listen very carefully for hen sound and avoid them areas, because it's more than likely a hunter as the vehicle there tells me this. Just don't understand this? Even the last bird I killed last year was the same scenario, no cars , then a hunter shows up after I have been working a walking and talking gobbler for an hour, and proceeded to chase him around with calling knowing he saw my vehicle and heard me calling, as I lucked out as the original bird I was working he boggered only to have another work to me from another direction that only gobbled once.
 
Last edited:
Yes there are jackwagons out there, but I have heard some hens that I thought were hunters and ended up being wild turkeys. Sometimes it is tough to tell.

Honestly I seldom ever park and go hunt a spot where I see another vehicle. Usually enough places that I can go somewhere where no one else is parked. Still sometimes run into people who maybe came in from a different direction.
 

Sgt Fury

Sgt. Spellchecker
2F50AD5A-CDEF-424A-9C14-255F42C344BD.gif

This is the perfect answer given earlier by @Jackalope 😂
 

Bowman

Junior Member
45
5
Yes there are jackwagons out there, but I have heard some hens that I thought were hunters and ended up being wild turkeys. Sometimes it is tough to tell.

Honestly I seldom ever park and go hunt a spot where I see another vehicle. Usually enough places that I can go somewhere where no one else is parked. Still sometimes run into people who maybe came in from a different direction.
 

Bowman

Junior Member
45
5
True, although as with turkey hunting one should always assume a hen is another hunter. And this Public I'm referring to is only one access point, as you can't come in the other side unless you are swimming, so I know if no vehicles are there, no ones in there. As I realize there are different access points on other lands, but not this one is why I go there when there are no vehicles, but every time after getting screwed up, I come out and there is now a vehicle there.
 
Last edited:

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
People are inherantly selfish and lazy. Public land seems to concentrate them. Odds are they're driving the roads listening for gobbles. When they hear the bird you're working they dive in and try to pull him to them. Theres only like a quarter an acre per every hunter in Ohio. 1/10th on an acre of public per person in the state.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Sgt Fury
Kinda funny I had it happen this morning. About 9:00 a gobbler fired up below me. I started calling and right after that I thought someone was cutting in on my right and was calling. This was private property. Ended up being a hen who walked up and started feeding in front of me. 3 gobblers ended up coming in and I am sure the live decoy helped. Anyway headed to camp to hunt tomorrow.

46797082165_f7333bd0f6_o.jpg