Thoughts on Pinhoti dealing with pressure

[PickettSFHunter]

Skip to around the 7 minute 30 second mark if you want to see the interaction with the other hunters that I'm discussing. I agree, as public land hunters, we should turn around once we become aware that we've been beat to a turkey. But the way Dave Owens addressed these other hunters? In my opinion, pretty terrible. The public woods are not our individual woods. Right thing to turn around, yes. Right thing to basically demand it? Not in my opinion. All broadcasted on YouTube. Change my mind/perspective here if you have a different view. What are y'all's thoughts?

 

[megalomaniac]

In general, if you are the first one at the access gate to a small track of public, you should have it to yourself. If it's a huge track accessed from a small area, everybody's welcome.

I would never walk toward and work a bird I knew someone else was already working. That being said, there's a few places in the US you can expect competition from other hunters, and just have to roll with it. Big Cypress is one of those places.

He did seem a little crass insisting the others turn around and he was there first. He probably would have turned around himself had the shoe been on the other foot, however.

 

[TheLBLman]

In general, if you are the first one at the access gate to a small track of public, you should have it to yourself. If it's a huge track accessed from a small area, everybody's welcome.

Totally agree.
It's just that many seem to have issues sorting out the differences between an access point to a small area vs a huge area.

 

[th88]

At this point, if I knew Dave was in an area, I'd purposefully come in on him to ruin his hunt. He's sure as hell helped ruin plenty of mine the past few seasons!

 

[TDW05]

I don't see a problem there IMO.

 

[deerfever]

I am not sure that the guys even hear what he is saying , We can because the camera is right by him. He motions for them to turn around by circling his hand. He is definitely letting them know he is there but then again if you got to a spot at 315 AM , walked back no telling how far , heard a bird , then have two guys scraping a box call by you that seen you walking in ahead of them, You Might feel like they should turn around also. I don't care if there is 10 miles of road behind a gate. If you beat me to it, It's yours turkey hunting!

 

[cowhunter71]

If I knew he was going to "crawl" 'em, I would have done my best to spook that Gobbler. Guy has gotten pathetic with the amount of Gobblers he has to "crawl" in order to kill.

 

[catman529]

I've seen people on this forum say they'd have started a fight with the arkansas boys who shot my bird off the roost back in 2017. I see nothing wrong with what Dave did. The other hunters were pushing the bird away, Dave knew what was up, he means business. Some of y'all are incredibly salty over a guy who's killed more turkeys than you'll ever shake a stick at, and understands turkey biology, vocalizations and behavior more than most if not all of y'all ever will. Kinda laughable seeing some of the responses here to a minor incident on public land, and some heavily hunted land at that.

 

[cowhunter71]

I've seen people on this forum say they'd have started a fight with the arkansas boys who shot my bird off the roost back in 2017. I see nothing wrong with what Dave did. The other hunters were pushing the bird away, Dave knew what was up, he means business. Some of y'all are incredibly salty over a guy who's killed more turkeys than you'll ever shake a stick at, and understands turkey biology, vocalizations and behavior more than most if not all of y'all ever will. Kinda laughable seeing some of the responses here to a minor incident on public land, and some heavily hunted land at that.

All that "understanding" and he still has to "crawl" 50% of the Gobblers he and his crew kill. I can smell the end of your nose from here.

 

[Andy S.]

He's sure as hell helped ruin plenty of mine the past few seasons!

I wish I had a dollar for every turkey hunter that has written this RECENTLY on other hunting forums. It's a pretty widely accepted opinion for old school dedicated public land turkey hunters. The same hunters are sick and tired of the "we need more turkey hunters" BS that every YouTuber is spewing. Tell the d*mn truth; you sell merchandise, second hand calls, want the likes and the follows in hopes you will eventually get paid to hunt for a living. It is as simple as that. Anyone with half a brain saw this shi*tshow brewing 3-5 years ago.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

My perspective comes from someone that owns several hunting properties but mostly hunts public land. If I put myself in this situation on public land, and I've been there plenty, I am simply going to wave, whistle, whatever, and hope that the hunters have enough respect to go back. To say "Time to turn around boss" with a tone like you own the place? No. Land I own, yes there will be words. I don't own public land. Hope that helps more with my thoughts. The public land in question in this video is huge. The fact is, you aren't sure who is who and where they came in from. There are multiple access points and many locals ride in in swamp buggies, UTV's, etc. Other hunters aren't always aware a bird is being worked. I guess I just have a more non-confrontational approach on public land.

 

[catman529]

All that "understanding" and he still has to "crawl" 50% of the Gobblers he and his crew kill. I can smell the end of your nose from here.

If you're just trying to get a response from me, well then you got it. But I will bite my tongue on the obvious response that I should have given.

 

[woodsman04]

I don't doubt Dave's ability to call, woodsmanship, knowledge, or drive. I appreciate that about him.

But I can't stand what public land hunting has turned in to because of social media. He is getting some what of a taste of his own medicine.

Alabama has made more restrictions, and I'm glad they did because now the whole world can't come hunt the early season. Sucks for the local regular guys.

 

[Grouse]

I'd never speak to anyone like that. Even if they were a big goober squawking like a fool I've even talked to folks Ive bumped into while moving in on a bird, asked if they had ever killed a turkey, they said no so I told them how to kill him and moved on, and grinned real big when I heard a shot because I remember what it's like to be in the fledgling stage kinda being clueless and blundering around feeling like a turkey was a unicorn lol. Dad didn't hunt turkeys so I was on my own and learned the hard way. I know experience will mean more to them than me. I swear I look at all my fans and ropes of beards and can't remember the hunt for half of them anyways. Been after them on public off and on 10 years or so now. And only had 2 encounters with others. Just some overlooked and unused places I've grown to love. On my second encounter it was a real old timer that was in a plaid shirt and blue jeans. I caught a glimpse of his blued shotgun Barrell followed by the way to fast way too loud licks on a longbox we all love to hate to top it off I caught sight of the windshield of his truck no more than 60 yards away between him and the bird he claimed to had heard. Said he was too fat too get his dip out of his back pocket sitting down so he had to stop and get out. When he did he heard a gobble, shut the door where it was and " setup " on the side of the road lol. I gave him a whistle and motioned the direction I was heading but he waved me over. He started apologizing profusely and saying I hope I didn't offend you. I had to keep telling him that this is public land and that he owns it as much as I do and he has every right to do what he was doing. We talked for a little while, it was about 2 or 3 and spitting snow and I was 5 miles from the truck and honestly I was a little burned out for the day. He ended up giving me a ride back to the truck and I told him how to kill those turkey birds along the way! Talked my now wife into going behind my parents house that evening and cold calling near a roosting knob and sure enough a lonely one came creeping in half strut and she scrambled his egg! Life is short, be nice!

 

[Spurhunter]

I've been a big Dave fan since he started Pinhoti but I thought he was pretty rude in this incident. Maybe the other guys knew he was there but I don't think so. He himself said he had only been soft calling. He could have easily spoke to the guys nicely. And he could've edited it out of the video, but he was proud of it. He's lucky they didn't loop around and bump the bird.

 

[redblood]

I dont hunt public and havent had to deal with such interactions. I can see both sides. Its just the nature of turkey hunting oublic land id wager. If i was the other guy, it wouldnt have been the competition for a 20 pound bird that would have bothered me, but the tone he used. That bird would have lived for another day because i would have addressed him right there. Im pretty sure im not cut out for public land turkey.

 

[PalsPal]

And he could've edited it out of the video, but he was proud of it.

You know, I didn't watch the video, and was just reading the responses. Of course, I had to put my boots on for the obvious "dander raisers" and get my usual chuckle, but this is the best point of the entire thread.

That fact alone tells me all I need to know. He probably was ticked, tired, etc and may have spoke before thinking things through. But, he didn't have to broadcast it. It makes him look like a punk!

 

[deerfever]

I agree with his tone is uncalled for but again I do not know that the guys can even hear him. To me it's like he is saying it to himself but the camera picks it up. Sometimes people do come in from different access points and they simply don't know. I was working a bird hot and heavy one day about 10 years ago. I was getting my gun up and ready as I could tell he was coming. Boom! I about jumped out of my skin. A guy had come in from a side access point , I had no clue . I could hear the bird flopping. I went down to speak with him and he was so excited he could hardly speak. It was his first bird! He never made a call and said he thought I was a hen and he was letting her do the work. I was absolutely tickled for him and glad I could help even though I almost went down from shock when he shot. I went back to the truck went elsewhere and killed one later that morning myself. I guess my point is that sometimes people do come in from other places. I just assumed that was the guys that followed him in that he had beaten to the gate and he was aggravated.

 

[Madbowh]

I definitely have a more non confrontational approach on public land, to me it is first come first serve unless I have been scouting a area stand hung and not seen anyone still won't be confrontational but if I've been there and not seen anyone then show up one day to see someone parked in still going on with my day. I've been hunting a spot third or fourth day got in my stand at dark no vehicles around sun came up was a guy 100yards in front of me came in way early. Nicely got down at lunch told him I've been there and wasstaying he moved no issues.

 

[St. Augustine Strutter]

Hollywood Dave and the Pinhoti Project have become a bit of a joke over the last year or two. Its now all about Dave and the stupid cigar, and the social media views and likes. He is now no different than a product pushing social media personality that lets the fan boy comments from teenagers go to his head. By the way, there is a reason chubbs doesn't hunt much with him any longer.

Catman, while on a MUCH smaller and less influential platform, is quickly falling into that category. Turkeys in trees, wearing hats with his own name on them, sunglasses for turkey photos, etc. it's comical hahaha.