State Game Land Turkey Hunting

[TurkeyHuntPA_NY]

Hey guys

How many of you hunt State Game Lands?

How well do you do and how many hunters you run into?

[BIGTOM]

Been hunting State Land for the last 15 years. I still fill my tags but the good old days are gone with the popularty of the sport!! It seems that the # of hunters double every year!!! That being said alot of my birds are killed late in the season after the crowds leave or way off the beaten path where nobody wants to go. A word to anybody who hunts State Land if you here a bird gobbling chances are there is another hunter working him. Stay clear let him enjoy his hunt and GO FIND YOUR OWN BIRD!!!! Last year my buddy and I had at least 6 hunts screwed up but other hunter coming in on birds we were working!!! How you may ask do you know if another hunter is working a bird? You don't but when in DOUGHT BACK OUT!!!

[TurkeyHuntPA_NY]

what area of the state you hunting BIGTOM?

[Fantail]

Have taken some of my best Birds off State land / WMA.

[G-Man]

I've driven by hanging bog and cranberry hollow after opening weekend i'm lucky to see another car. The place has turkeys,just noone seems to hunt them after opening weekend. 7000 acres or so. not that its easy walking in some areas it is called hanging bog

[BIGTOM]

what area of the state you hunting BIGTOM?

The Catskills

[meatmuzzy]

Been hunting State Land for the last 15 years. I still fill my tags but the good old days are gone with the popularty of the sport!! It seems that the # of hunters double every year!!! That being said alot of my birds are killed late in the season after the crowds leave or way off the beaten path where nobody wants to go. A word to anybody who hunts State Land if you here a bird gobbling chances are there is another hunter working him. Stay clear let him enjoy his hunt and GO FIND YOUR OWN BIRD!!!! Last year my buddy and I had at least 6 hunts screwed up but other hunter coming in on birds we were working!!! How you may ask do you know if another hunter is working a bird? You don't but when in DOUGHT BACK OUT!!!

so your telling me the next time im hunting state land and hear a bird gobble to just automatically assume another hunter is on the bird and just ignore it??? I dont think so im going after the bird until I have reason to believe another hunter is working the bird (hear yelps or see cars parked).  Isnt that why we are there in the first place?  If I took your approach id be walking around state land for the rest of my life hearing birds gobble and assuming other hunters are on them.  Hunting state land is just that, STATE LAND, which means there will be other hunters hunting the same land.  It comes with the territory. 

[BIGTOM]

What i'm saying is use some common sence!!! I've had guy's park right behind my car and walk right past me after I've made my presence obvious!! Two years ago I had a bird killed 60 yards in front of me after another hunter snuck into my set up all the while hearing me work the bird. The kicker is he parked behind me fisrt thing in the morning and I told him where I planed to hunt so he took the other side of the road only to come back after hearing the bird gobble on the roost. I personaly have walked away from birds after hearing what I thought was a hunter yelping only to find out I was the only one in the woods!! I would rather give up the hunt then ruin someones hunt!!! I've been turkey hunting for over 40 years and have found my fair share of jerks that just don't give a damn about the next guy. My father brought me up to a SPORTSMAN!!! You bust up my set up all the while knowing that another hunter just might be working a bird then your a slob!!!

State Land doesn't mean all fair in love and war!!!!

[meatmuzzy]

agreed.  Like I said, if someone knows your there and busts your setup then thats just rediculous and they deserve to catch an ear full.  But if there are no cars and no sign of human activity and theres a bird hammering away, im going after it and so would you.