I just retired from the Navy after 30 years of service, stationed in Norfolk the past 14 years. Bought a house 5 minutes from FT AP Hill so I can hun FT AP Hill daily if I want to. Working now at Dahlgren Navy Base, life is good.

Rich

Hey everyone My name is Peter. I was born and raised in missouri and joined the marines when i was 18. I've been stationed in quantico va no for 3 yrs. Ive been turkey hunting in missouri with my dad ever since i can remember and I'm a proud owner of a 19lb gobbler with a 10 inch beard when i was 10 and a 22 lb first beard 6 1/2 inches and second was 8 inches when i was 16. I know virginia is very rich in hunting but i can not find a place around quantico with decent turkeys or even an area with consistant turkeys. Im willing to travel around virginia to hunt but i have no networks out here. I hope I can network with the fellow hunters and maybe you all can point me in a direction. This will be my last year in virginia for spring turkey and I would love to bag one. thank you all.

Welcome to the Board..

I think you Midwest Guys are spoiled a little.. Quantico is about as good as it gets up here in NOVA .. unless you want to go down to central VA around Franklin or Bedford (usually around the highest kill counties in the state) you have about the best hunting around right there on Base ..

I hunted Quantico for years because that was all there was up here to hunt if you don't have any private land to hunt.. I have since begged and pleaded my way to a few private places and don't hunt it much anymore, but believe me when I say the private land I hunt is no better than MCBQ .. it's just more convenaint of a drive for me and I don't get turned away.. I always managed to kill a couple of birds there every year and only a very few times didn't hear something to play with..

I hope I'm not sounding on a high horse or anything, but have you actually given the base a try.. being active duty you should get all the prime areas to hunt anyway before us civilians get the leftovers

I did hunt on base. the only thing I don't like was I had to share that area with 2,3 or even 4 people depending on the area. I know I was spoiled in missouri. Turkeys everywhere and good size turkeys too. I also new all the people who had farm land too. It's different out here not knowing the farmers. Where are some areas to hun down in Bedford and franklin counties?

Check out FT AP Hill, they killed 51 birds there last spring. I tagged out on all 3 of my gobblers there last year. Your only about 45 minutes away.

Rich

If you go down to Central VA you will run into the same problem .. hunting public land around here anywhere in the state is crowded, but they do have more Turkeys than we do up here.. We just get used to the crowds .. most guys leave the woods early and don't hunt the entire season .. if you stick it out you can score ..

Check out the VDGIF web site.. they have a good list of public land.. here is a link to the find game engine..

http://www.findgame.org/

If you want some private land, my only suggestion is to knock on some doors .. being Military might give you some advantage I don't know. I never had much luck knocking on doors around here until I starting taking my then 4 year old son with me

Good luck..

Hey thanks for all the information i think during the week days im going to try a.p. and weekends try some other places down south and camp out. good luck to you guys this year

Kevin Layman im 27 from warren county va, now living in shenandoah county. Im a career firefighter and been married for 4 years. Started hunting deer at the age 12 and just recently got into spring turkey hunting. 2 years ago i decided to give it a try and after taking one long beard and one jake, along with several other encounters and misses.....im forever HOOKED. Nothing like the sound of gobbles breaking the silence as the sun is starting to rise!!

Hi guys! My name is Joe, I'm, 59, killed my first spring turkey at a young age of 16, been hooked ever since. Love spring turkey hunting.... I'm also a duck and goose hunter!
I'm married, have two grown daughters and live in central Va. Chesterfield to be exact. Hope to retire in the next couple years....then it will be "FULLTIME CHASING FEATHERS"

Hey Everyone,

My name is Jason Kosmann. I am fairly new to the turkey hunting world. This will be my second year turkey hunting and just can't get enough. I recently moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Roanoke, Va. so looking to find some fellow turkey hunters to hang out with and enjoy the hunt. As well I am starting a online bird hunting call site that will hopefully be a great place for bird hunters of all kind to enjoy hunting videos, sound files, pictures, competition vides and great calls to buy. Hope to get to know you guys and meet some great people.

Welcome brother, glad you found Va. Turkey

Hi fellas,
Im new to this site but cant wait to participate this season. My name is Frank Lankford and I was born and raised in Birmingham but have been in Va about 4 years now for school and really dont plan on leavin soon. I'm an avid watefowler and am actually new to the sport but have been meaning to try it for some time now as I hear it is nothing short of addictive. Ill be hunting a piece I have access to in Nelson co on the Tye so I'm expecting good things. Ill look forward to learning a lot on this forum and keepin yall updated with my stories.

My names Scotty from Richmond VA, Im 27 and this will be my second Spring turkey season as a hunter...I was fortunate enought to bag a good sized jake on my first hunt last Spring, he walked 15 yards in front of me, I couldnt resist...although we were hearing some bigger birds, I was too excited not to take the shot. My family was never big into hunting...I had been deer hunting a few times, but that was about it...then I started dating a girl whos father hunts just about all game and has been all his life and was excited and willing to get me involved. I had always had interest, just no one to go with and no experience...So last year we went duck hunting a few times, he took me turkey hunting and called in the birds for me (probably the fastest my heart has ever beaten) and this year we got out to the duck blinds a good amount and we've been planning some turkey hunts. Saying that I'm addicted is an understatement. I feel extremely lucky to have someone show me the ropes and who wants me involved with their hunts. And this website is great. I've been reading it everyday since I found it.

My name is Kristopher, I live in Stanardsville, VA (just north of Charlottesville, VA). Been turkey hunting for 3 years now. Taking my 13 year old on 4/3/2010 and we are both very excited. Married for 15 years now and my wife is comfortable with me hunting, but she refuses to eat anything I kill. Maybe that will change some day.

Hello everyone, my name is Don Ryder. I live in Bath County and have lived here all my life. I love the mountains and don't know if I could ever leave them. I've been a hunter all my life and I shot my first turkey when I was 9 years old. I've worked at The Homestead Shooting Club as a shooting instructor for the past 19 years. This is where my screen name comes from but it applies to hunting as well. I joined this board last year and look at it about everyday but never have posted. I love all the posts and stories everyone writes so I thought I would join in. With the season drawing close hopefully I will have something good to post. My son is 9 years old and we're going to get after it on youth day. He has taken a few deer but never a turkey so he is ready to make it happen. Good luck to everyone and if your ever in Bath stop by the shooting club for a visit.