I got out late on the first day of the whitetail rife season in NH last year. Two trucks parked where I was headed. I had to walk past one of them in a ground blind to get to my treestand. I sat somewhere else. The out of state truck shot the big 8 I had on cam at my stand an hour before daylight. Sucks. But, it is what it is. Right down the road from my house. I was late. The second spot I went to is where I killed my biggest doe. It was a blessing in disguise. I was able to take that 140 lbs doe with my Great-Great Grandfather's 30-30 on my Dad's birthday. It was memorable and awesome! That is the difference between right and wrong on public. It's a hunter's ethics that come into question. It says so much about you every time, Dave. Thanks for sharing. That would've been hard for me to handle so professionally. Good job. Good luck this year! Take care and God bless. -Love from NH
I am glad this hunt worked out for you . . it is appalling to see what people's behavior / attitude can be like out in the woods - you held your ground appropriately and was respectful
I have not had many encounters like that one before. I only hope I can handle it as well as Dave and his brother did if it ever happens to me. Keep up the good work boys.
Good job the way you handled the other guys, alot of folks could learn a few things by that...Congrats on the bird...good things happen to good people...
Just had public land issues this week. I heard them coming down the path letting loose with owl calls, I hollered back a few times to let them know I was there which caused the turkey I had been working for almost 45 minutes to gobble. Instead of moving on quietly they sat down and started calling. I know it’s public land, but to start calling to a bird another hunter is already working really pisses you off. This happened twice in three days.
That’s why I pay for a lease. You’re still competing, but at least you usually know who and what you’re dealing with. Sucks but it beats constant confrontation.
It’s always a possibility to run into other hunters on public but unwritten rules are not always abided by unfortunately. But in the end it usually works out. Good video, good hunt 👍👍💯
I'm 43 , been hunting public my whole life and I hunt HARD. I have drove past THE SPOT I wanted to be at hundreds of times because someone beat me there. Been getting my butt kicked by some long beards (miss once, call them in 2 other times once at 30 yards, once to 10 feet and couldn't get shots. Anyways, I get there at 3 am every morning. This is PA public, you want a spot you better get there early. Most guys respect that. Well this idiot walks right back through the middle of my set Saturday morning at 10 or so, the birds had.already moved away so I just packed up and left. I hunt Monday Tuesday and have the miss and close falls. Then Wed morning ive been there at the parking lot since like 250 am waiting to go back in and this guy pulls into the parking lot. I see its the same truck as from Saturday so I'm pretty hot about it so I say to him...hey , where you planning on hunting? ( this is a big patch of land, we could have both been hunting different flocks from this lot so I want to give the benefit of the doubt and keep in mind, he walked RIGHT UP to me on saturday then just waved at me like we were buddies) so he says I'm gonna go sit back at so and so....which is exactly where he walked up to me at the other day. Now I know in this day and age you gotta watch yourself and a turkey isn't worth your life but I absolutely saw red, what is wrong with people??? I let him know that neither one of us was going to be seeing turkeys if thats how he was going to try and be. Luckily enough for both of us, he backed away and got in his truck. One of the very first lessons I learned from my dad was that we dont hunt near other people. Now if its deer rifle season, I understand its not the same, that's why I dont hunt gun. But as far as I'm concerned if someone else get there first , its there spot. If we all gave each other that same respect we would do way better.
Private land gobblers are way easier to bag than public land. 3 year olds and up. There's no comparison. The only comparison might be some longbeards on both are more cautios and don't respond like others do.
It’s public. Not private and claiming spots. I have no respect for grown men who wait till the last minute and then try to mess up your hunt acting entitled
At least your public land confrontation ended peacefully. A number of years ago I spent about 45 minutes coaxing a Tom and hens towards me, only to have him shot at by another hunter. Not only did this person not call and attempted to intercept this bird, but they made a poor shot. The bird hobbled into shooting range from me and I killed him. As I went to go claim my prize, this fella starts yelling at me to step away from “his bird”. Things escalated quickly when he raised his barrel at me. I love turkey hunting, but it’s not worth my life. Sometimes it’s better to give in rather than get in an argument. Needless to say this guy got what was coming to him. I followed him at a distance back to his truck, where I recorded his plates and vehicle make/model. He was reported to fish and game, as well as the local police. All of this resulted in him being charged with assault with a deadly weapon. All for a turkey?!? Be safe out there.
I'm glad you didn't get injured because that individual wasn't a sportsman but a damn thug or a unethical backdoor hunter who has no business being in the woods.
Dave is correct. First come first serve. I’ve had hunters in my spot before me and I just keep driving to my next spot. Gotta have a few back up plans on public land. Nice swamp ghost!!
People need to understand if your not in your spot and someone is already beat you to it then you need to find another place to hunt, plane and simple folks. It doesn't matter how much you've scouted it or have got already set up for the hunt. YOU SNOOZE YOU LOOSE !!!!
😂😂 deal with that crap every year here in Kentucky they set up a blind and think its there private property hate to tell u bud but every outdoors man that buys hunting license owns public land
As I was climbing a tree one morning almost the height I wanted another person I will not call him a hunter that he is not, just a person. He tells me that this is his ridge, I said you may want to come earlier to YOUR ridge, and at that point in time I had already killed about 10 deer off of HIS ridge. People kill me.
I was on a Central Florida romp and stomp hunt today. Found at least 6 deer stands still in the woods. I’m tired of people leaving blinds and sometimes ribbons to mark “their “ spots..... you are correct it’s all first come first serve on public land! ... I disregard ribbons and stands in the woods now!.... kudos to you for standing your ground.... congrats on a fine bird!
People blow my mind. We were hiking in (don't have the luxury of bikes) for about a half hour, and got to where my son had been hearing a few birds the day before, and there was a truck pulled to the side with a guy and his son standing there. So, we went ahead and hiked for about 15 minutes more down the trail. As it started getting light, we heard a bird gobble, WAY off. We were standing in the road waiting in hopes that that one might go again and set off one closer. Here come the guy and his son from the truck walking up on us, and asks us if we were hearing anything. Just then the turkey gobbles, my son says "Yes, were listening to that one right there" and this guy grabs his son and busts off through the saw palmetto making a bee line for it. We just stayed there and shook our heads.
Had something similar happen to me on private land. Me and a friend on closing day morning called a turkey to the edge of a bush no more than 50 yards from us, then these morons (who arrived 1 hour after us mind you) that claimed to be seasoned turkey hunters start going ape-shit on their call nonstop until the turkey goes away. Even going as far as to STAND UP and walk out into the field to call. To top it off? One of the assholes was hunting without a tag. He told me earlier in the season he filled both his tags (he was calling for his friend) and there he was, toting his shotgun.
You handled yourself great in that situation. That guy talked in circles and all but said “I wanna be here and I dont care you were first. I claimed this spot. Yesterday.” I really enjoy what you do with your content. I changed my turkey hunting approach to your style and haven’t looked back. I don’t miss sitting on the field edge calling for hours over decoys at all! Go Pinhoti Project Go Dave!
In most cases there's plenty other places to go. It's all about respect and trying to stay safe the best you can. I wouldn't leave on account of someone getting there before me. That's like having 9 pissers in a bathroom and 2 people using them side by side
lol, you're probably right. And it really is pathetic that Dave had to explain what "manners are and what common courtesy means" to a man of his age. This is the exact reason I quit Deer hunting because of situations like that, people literally being 75-150 yards up a tree on both sides of me all the way down this logging road. It just got too scary. Good luck this spring!
Public land hunting is great as long as people are respectful. Just last weekend hunting public land in Florida had a bird shot out from under us by someone just like that guy. Ethics and respect. Just last 2 while hunting public land had the same guy that was not to be seen first day and half shows up parks right past my truck gets out starts calling at truck. Had to give him lesson in ethics and respect
Great to see you back at it Dave. You and your brother look pretty scrappy I’m surprised that clown hung around and pushed as long as he did considering you beat him to the gate. Look forward to more vids. Keep posting more it helps pass the time during all this nonsense....
Public land stresses me tf out for that exact reason, I’d rather hunt my 15 acres of private than hunt big public land where people are constantly walking through and getting possessive of areas. Plus it’s easier to get shot on public either on accident or maybe not
Old school turkey hunter here. Hunted public land once and said “never again”. I don’t hold the “public” in very high regard these days and REALLY don’t with firearms involved! That word “public” is problematic. I understand the first come, first to hunt ideology just don’t know if others do. And there is the problem. But kudos to you guys for dealing with this moron Yankee so well. I would stick to ‘Bama if I were you all!
A blind or a stand does NOT reserve a spot on public land and give that person the area. First come, first serve. Now on private land, if i see a treestand that hasn't been abandoned, I won't put a stand within 400 yards. If you want to hunt a spot on public land, get there early. Exactly what I plan on doing in kentucky in a few weeks
If you have ever hunted public land in Kansas…. You already know what I’m going to say about them so called sportsmanship and their lack of respect! But I kill one every year lol
Keep the Tradition and the Great Manners guys. I'm a rookie and guys like him hate us... sorry buddy I wake up early than you, oh and I do my leg work! I got already 2 experiences with 2 different hunters. I keep it cool (camera on ALWAYS). #BeSafe #FromIowa #Rookie
Public land first come first serve. But respectfully I tend to just stay away from hunting near other stands or blinds even when I’m there first. Rather not let some douche ruin my hunt. Great hunt btw
Congrats on a nice gobbler! Thanks for the great videos you do they are awesome to watch. I hope to run into you one day in south Florida. I have hunted Florida public land all my life and encounters like this are occurring more frequently. It sucks you had that happen, but you handled yourself well. Some hunters will even put up decoy false blinds in an attempt to claim additional hunting space that given day. You stood your ground and I would have done the same in that situation.
Great video Dave!! What's happened to woodsmen? Use to be an escape from the low brows in town. You wave at another hunter these days as they drive by and they scowl at you with their flat bills in their 100k worth of truck w/ a tire package worth more than my truck. Maybe it's just Florida.
Congrats fellas...I have experienced the same type of encounter on FL public lands on a number of occasions, made me so mad my eyes bleed. Simply inexcusable behavior.
Oh dang somebody beat me here...ooh there’s one gobbling on this side, I bet the guy parked here is hunting the other side...ridiculous🤯 well handled Dave👍🏻 #imgoingtothegobbledipshit
Happened to me opening day here in Mississippi with 2 Arkansas guys . They got to watch me shoot the bird to, they would not confront me or speak......
Daniel Smith I hate that.... Hope It don’t give us Arkansans a bad name, not all of us are Aholes lol, now you know how we feel during duck season 😂 place we used to hunt in SW AR we stopped hunting it for all the TX license plates lol.... maybe the AGFC will get it together as we won’t have to go out of state to kill birds.
Great video. Looking forward to many more this season. 5 days into the Georgia season and haven't seen many birds yet. As the season goes on more and more people get tired of it and quit and the hunting always gets better. It's seems to be like that every year.
and that is why I don't hunt public land.. we are lucky in that we have permission on some great private land ( sole exclusive rights for 17 years now) but it is an hour drive.. I have public land ( a small parcel) about 10 minutes from my house and I go there often for wildlife photography.. I see so many stands in there it is any wonder there are deer left in there.. I have thought of hunting it on a day when I get home early from work or something of that nature as it's so close, but I don't wanna be that guy who carelessly stumbles in on other hunters and screws things up...
What type of clowns does it take to leave a doghouse blind on state land and Claim that’s there spot. You boys are Patient for sure. I can’t stand the guys that will park right next to you. I’m hoping any turkey hunter that see this understands theirs a turkey hunting Etiquette when it comes to arriving first. If the other hunter got there first move on. If you don’t have a back up plan shame on you for not doing your scouting.
Blinds and treestands don't hold the spot for you on public land. It's first come, first serve, period! I had a guy start yelling at me on public one day saying I was hunting too close to his stand, and too close to his buddy's property line. So in his mind, not only did he think his stand held the spot for him, but apparently his friend's property also had a buffer zone... Give me a break. Got no use for people like that.
I'm just benge watching your older videos that I've seen as the years have been going bye . I never thought to drop a like on them all so I'm going back thru and as I watch them all I'm dropping the like . I am so excited to see your films on The Mossy Oak Go Live here on RU-vid!!! Keep up the Good work an God Bless You all people !!!
Played peek a boo with that three year old ! Nice paint brush and hooks !! Enjoy the heck out of your videos ! Imma new subscriber and will watch all of your videos. Don’t hurt the population to bad Dave !! Save 3 or 2 for seed ! Happy hunting and most of all be safe !!
I put a climber on a tree on public land the evening before the deer opener it was in a spot with minimal trees in a power line, I got to “my”tree early but someone was in “my” tree, they removed my stand and climbed the tree with their climber. When I got there I picked my climber up and told him good luck. Kudos to you guys for handling the situation so well, they should have backed out....
Ive used the wind before to my advantage,I had a gobbler in a long narrow field,had 3 hens with him,i came around them and knew they would feed back to the other end of the field,i slipped in the woods,and had a guilly suit on,they never knew i was there,until it was too late,the hens feed back up,just as i thought they would,and he followed them,he was 30 yrds from me when i took the shot,it was a great hunt
I know how you feel brother.. it is frustrating... there are some people out there that shouldn't be able to carry a hunt license. Their Hunting courtesy level sucks... Great videos keep up the great work. God-bless
I agree I think it's just the rules of the woods and common courtesy first one in gets to hunt where he wants. In Colorado I believe if you set up a tree stand or a blind and someone else beats you to it they can use it, not that I would do that but it is legal.
Your show is as real as it gets when it comes to turkey hunting. It's like I'm right in the woods with you! Glad to see someone video all the obstacles a turkey hunter faces in the woods when you chasing long beards.
good lord! did you have to put the bead 2 feet to the side to get the windage right? great hunt! I'm out of work for a couple weeks and considered traveling south
