If you truly feel like turkey hunting (especially on public land) is in serious trouble, then I challenge YOU to not make a single post on ANY of your social media platforms about killing a public land turkey during the 2025 season. If the cause is greater than you, then this shouldn't be a problem. Right?
A challenge to ALL for 2025
- Thread starter Jbird22
- Start date
easy for me.......I dont generally hunt public 
Chickenrig
Well-Known Member
Omega
Well-Known Member
I'm not a turkey hunter so not quite following, are you saying that people hunt public land turkeys to brag, or that posting about it brings out more turkey hunters?
From what I gather, and I may be wrong, from the posts about turkeys, things like corn piles, low poult counts and predators have more to do about them being in "trouble" than hunters.
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
Don't think I've ever posted that mine were public. If you can read between the lines in my videos then you may pick up on it there if other hunters get involved somehow.
Florida just approved a ban on non-resident hunters for the 1st 9 days on public beginning in 2026. It's all but imminent that other states will reciprocate.
IMO, it's a gold rush effect that has been greatly exacerbated by people glamorizing their public land endeavours on various social media platforms.
Ditto! Many of us old heads screamed this from the top of the mountain a decade ago about a particular middle TN WMA, and other public lands, but some could not see the forest for the trees, while others were publicly chasing self gratification and fame. Once the horse is out of the barn, the damage is done and unretractable. There is nothing wrong with celebrating your success and being VERY generalized about location/details. Good luck, hope you all have a great season.
ImThere
Well-Known Member
I only hunt public land turkeys. Why would I not share my success (if I have any) with my tndeer brothers?
Share your success all you want. But in your sharing, do you feel it's necessary to identify it as a public land kill or just a kill in general?
I agree. The best days are behind us. More state draws and tag systems coming. I would hate to be just getting into Turkey hunting.
ImThere
Well-Known Member
I don't think I've ever mentioned where I hunt.
That's not what I was referring to. My post was meant for those who feel like they HAVE to specify in their posts that it's a public land kill and offer way more specific information than they should.
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Unfortunately, I'm afraid this is probably more true than I'd like to admit. My only hope is that some of these newly imposed regulations will weed out a good portion of those who hunt mostly for attention-seeking purposes.
I still remember when hunting public wasn't cool!
Huntaholic
Well-Known Member
I hunt a mix of public and private. Most years I will start on public and kill 1 or 2 before the GOOGANS booger everything up.
Will likely get struck down if challenged under "dormant commerce clause" jurisprudence.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
Easy if you don't post at all. Plus I don't hunt public anymore.
StalkingWolf
Well-Known Member
Isn't this a social media platform?
It could be viewed as that, but does not reach near the audience FB, IG and other SM platforms. Regardless, the point is every detail of your public land kill/grip and grin location does not have to be shared unless you want a bunch of company going forward.
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I don't think anyone gets upset with people sharing their success in just a picture. I rarely put anything on that I kill but have shared a few here and some stories, (never my face) . This is the only social media site I even do and have ever put anything on. The cringe effect comes when someone shares the name of the WMA they were hunting how many they heard and gives coordinates to the parking spot . An old school turkey hunter knows better than to give out that pertinent information to anyone(not even his spouse )but putting it on social media is detrimental to so many others . In state , out of state, Private /public. I never tell where I am as a resident or non resident hunter , it's not beneficial to anyone. It's going to get so you can't even hunt out of state anymore. I do hope everyone has a great season and remember "Tick a lock"! Andy Griffith phrase, 
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deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
Yes it is. Even though people don't think it is.
This is my only social media.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
I don't hunt public but have just never understand how anyone that did would think it was even a remotely good idea to share location on a public-facing internet site. Heck, back in the day I'd scuff out gobbler tracks and strut/drags marks on logging roads on PRIVATE land.
I'm pretty sure posting where you shot it has zero affect on the turkey numbers.
Private land - post pictures and make sure everyone knows it was private land
Public land - post pictures but don't say where you shot it.
Not sure I understand the "challenge". Not trying to be a smart
or disrespectful, just curious.
Please enlighten me
Private land - post pictures and make sure everyone knows it was private land
Public land - post pictures but don't say where you shot it.
Not sure I understand the "challenge". Not trying to be a smart
or disrespectful, just curious. Please enlighten me
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- 13,575
Heres a better one, if you kill a private post it as a public
I get it now.Heres a better one, if you kill a private post it as a public
Bgoodman30
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- Nov 21, 2016
- Messages
- 2,883
Sorry man but the secrets out. The hunting public has to be 7-8 years old by now.. Its a new challenge now yelp him away from the other 3 goons surrounding him...
The hunting public has to be 7-8 years old by now.. Its a new challenge now yelp him away from the other 3 goons surrounding him...Exposing specific public land info will almost certainly lead to more hunting pressure. If more people are hunting an already finite number of birds, wouldn't it stand to reason that there's a greater potential for more gobblers to get killed?I'm pretty sure posting where you shot it has zero affect on the turkey numbers.
Private land - post pictures and make sure everyone knows it was private land
Public land - post pictures but don't say where you shot it.
Not sure I understand the "challenge". Not trying to be a smart
Please enlighten me
But that wasn't the point to my post. My post was 100% intended for those who claim to TRULY care about not losing public land hunting opportunity (as mentioned for FL in 2026). Shouldn't those who fall into that category be willing to do their part by not glamorizing public land kills on social media? Its a test of willingness to put aside the pats on the back for the sake of not losing additional opportunities.
Where did I say to make sure everyone knows if it was private land? I didn't. I specifically said to NOT specify that it was public land. The BEST thing to do is to NOT specify AT ALL since it's nobody's business to begin with.
Personally, I don't even talk specifics about where (private or public) I kill turkeys around most people I consider friends. There's no way I'm doing that on a platform for thousands of strangers to see.
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That makes sense. I hunt private land so I don't know anything about "hunting pressure". Wasn't trying to be an a$$hat, it comes natural sometimes
, I guess it's equal to posting your honey hole while fishing and the next weekend there are 5 boats there. I'm a traditionalist with deer and now turkey hunting, heck I still hand call coyotes. Appreciate the explanation. Hope my comment wasn't taken out of context.
