What would you do?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I have a situation, I actually began hunting Turkeys in the late '80's in Pe Ell, I hunted all over, searching for these damn birds.
After seeing a few, but never harvesting one, I finnally headed east.
Wow !
Absolutely no comparison !
But because my only Turkey hunting partner moved to Montana, I was left to search for them alone...
Due to work, kids, moving, etc. I did not hunt Turkey for several years.
I ended up relocating to Chehalis, and remembered a few places that I had found Turkeys in the past, and started hunting them again (6 years ago)
I wore out my boots, I found isolated pockets with small flocks, even could have harvested a Tom (If I was not attempting to draw my recurve)
It was fun, I embraced the challenge.
My goal IS to get one with my recurve.
But work, finances, and family (easter, opening day of fishing, etc) limited my ability to hunt as much during season as I would have liked.
Now my 11 year old daughter passed her hunter safety course (100%  )
And I promised her that because she did her part, I would do mine.
I went to my #1 spot, or tried to because it is part of WH's permit area (Bunker Creek)
So we went to my #2 spot, new logging, open gates and high truck traffic made me go to a new spot i had found a few years ago...
We walked in a short ways, took the first spur, and lo and behold, found Turkeys !!
upon further investigation, discovered a flock of 16+ birds !!
 
As we went back for youth season, we actually got right under the flock in the dark, I had the opportunnity to tell her that she could not shoot one because it just was not right to shoot one out of the roost, she was O.K. with that.
Problem is, as we learned the new area, we found 2 trail cameras and a cleared out area for a blind.
I try to explain to her how it is not respectful to move in on another hunters spot, but she says "we found it too"
And after how hard I have searched for these "Phantoms" it is hard to keep looking, when we know there are at least 6 Toms in this flock.
We both will be happy if she gets a Jake, but I feel guilty hunting in an area someone else has obviously spent time prepping for the season.
I thought about leaving a note on one of the cameras, but did not get to it...
I would move on and search for a new spot if it was for me, but should I take my daughter there ?
What if the person will not be hunting until the weekend ?
Is it fair to be there tommorrow morning with my daughter and try to get one, or spend miles walking her legs off searching for a new spot ?
It is private property/public access, nothing legally wrong, but in my attempt to teach my daughter how to respect the game and others, is it right ?
Time is ticking, and I will only be able to hunt a few days this year because of going to college and work, so any time we get to hunt will be severely limited.
I dont want to discourage a new hunter by walking away from the best spot I have EVER found for easterns, but am concerned about her losing interest when we might not find another spot in the time we have...
What would you do?

[MerriamMagician]

Public is public. First come first serve imo. If someone was in my hunting area, I would move on as I know they have every right to be there as well.

I'm with Naches on this on. There is no reason you shouldn't hunt there. You found the birds fair and square yourself, and besides you mentioned that you knew about the spot years ago so its not like its exclusively someone else's spot. The people may not even be hunting there till a weekend since the opener is a weekday. Go in there and have her kill a big one! 

[Mfowl]

Hunt it! If you get there and there is already a truck there then go somewhere else. If your first then go for it! You've already punished yourself enough trying to get an Eastern with a recurve, experience some success for a change.

[scottcrb]

Hunt it! If you get there and there is already a truck there then go somewhere else. If your first then go for it! You've already punished yourself enough trying to get an Eastern with a recurve, experience some success for a change.

hunt it . just don't walk in on someone else set up if there is already a rig parked there or there are decoys set up . guys in camo turkey hunting can be hard to see but if no signs point to there already being someone set up in that area when you get there it is just as much yours as anyone elses

[Gobble Doc]

If it is public then I would go for it. Maybe the game cams are for deer?

[Dan-o]

Agrred.

It's public land.

And of course as so many said, if someone is there first, don't walk in on their hunt.

[kevinlisa06]

Personally I would hunt it since it is public land. If a rig is parked there then find a new spot or hunt in a different area off that road if it has other spur roads off of it. If someone is up in there look at the road to see where the tracks lead and go in a different direction. Good luck


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[lokidog]

 Ditto.   Good luck to you both!

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[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Thanks for making me feel better !  we are off to the gate now.. 3:30 AM

[Eli346]

Good luck!

[mtnseth]

Well, Bow, did your daughter put the smack down on an eastern?  Details!

[rainshadow1]

Too late for the Youth season, but I agree with the dittos.... If someone is on stand, back out, but otherwise, go for it!

Hope you got her in on one!!!

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

We arrived at the gate early, got to a spot that was the nearest open hill near where they roost.
I put a lone hen decoy out on side of road and we settled in off to the side against a couple of trees.
As the day started to get from black to grey, the robins began the chorus.
A little pink was showing through the tree-tops to the east, when I herd the first turkey clucks from about 50 yards away...
I decided to join in, using a pot and striker call, I just imitated the sounds I heard..
GOOOBBBLLEE !!! we sat there listening to several turkeys just hammering, gobbling from one to another.
I made a few more clucks, then a few yelps, confident that at least one Tom could see the decoy, received an immediate response from at least 4 Toms.
We were settled in, hidden from view by ferns and stumps, completely confident that soon one would either land in the road, or come walking up it.
It sounded like Turkeys were everywhere, we just could not see any.
As the sun came out, the Turkey sounds moved further away, into the forest and we were left alone, wondering how we had made a mistake.
Now full daylight, and not a sound from the birds telling us which way they went, and we decided to get up and investigate.
A large circle around, with me attempting to get a response to my calls, but these Easterns had performed the disappearing trick I was so used to.
We did find that directly north of our spot is private "no trespassing" area, with an isolated residence, so I told her we could not go look for them in that direction, but that must be where they had headed.
We then picked a spot a short distance on the access side, built a small blind and decided we would come back in the afternoon and hope that we could intercept them as they came back to roost.
After going home, a snack and a short nap later, we returned.
Got to talk to a Port Blakely employee about if he had seen any Turkeys while he was back there, and he gave us a few pointers, but seemed like he had seen them in the forest a few times quite a distance away from where we were hunting, but only a few here, a lone one there, you know, NORMAL reports for when people see Easterns.
Back in our spot, we got comfortable in the blind we had made, and settled in for a long wait.
A few hours later, I woke Brigette up, and told her it should be almost time, tried a few calls, nothing...
we sat there, wondering if our plan was going to work...
As it began to get dark in the trees, I tried some more calls... Gobbllee !
Unfortunately, it seemed to come from over where we had been in the morning 
We hurriedly attempted to get out of there and around to other side of hill, but as the light faded, and shooting time past, I had to explain that we had been beaten again.
Turkeys, 3, my daughter and I, zero.
We are having fun, getting exercise and enjoying each others company, this is the most fun I have ever had Turkey hunting, but I am beginning to realize that the few opportunities I have had were sheer luck, and I need to learn how to Turkey hunt.
Cannot think of anyone I would rather learn it with than my daughter, and am grateful that we are not just burning boot leather attempting to find some.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Oh, I forgot, no sign of another hunter.

[Mfowl]

Better luck next time! I hope you took notes for your next hunt. Maybe try to hunt your ground blind in the morning and your hillside spot in the afternoon. Also, I usually try to refrain from calling at birds on the roost. I like to wait for fly down then start in while they are assembling for the morning. Sounds like you have a good spot, maybe as the season progresses those toms will become more receptive.