Pinning Public Land Turkey

Hunting gobblers on public lands has different rules than hunting them on private properties. When hunting public lands, you're trying to outsmart other hunters as well as the turkeys.

turkey Try scouting from your vehicle. Drive around the property, calling frequently and noting where you hear replies from turkeys on a map and also designating these places as waypoints on your GPS. Dedicated turkey hunters may drive 50 miles or more in a day, scouting like this.

Turkeys on public lands also hear a lot of calls because there are more hunters looking for them. So, change calls frequently. A public-land wild turkey often won't come to a call until he sees a hen.

When hunting on public lands, you have to take a few more chances. Be aggressive and attempt to get to the tom quickly. Be prepared to spook more turkeys than you will when hunting private lands. However, don't let the excitement of the hunt make you oblivious to hunting ethics.

If you spot a hunter's vehicle, hunt in a different area. If you see or hear another hunter working a tom, quietly leave that spot, and go find a different gobbler. Be respectful. Remember - no turkey is worth another person's life.