Northwest Fishing Reports

Anybody going turkey hunting this season. Here in the northeast section of the State ( at least near where I live) the turkeys I see are still in there winter coveys.

I am not shure how to hunt these birds when they haven't started there normal spring activities like struting. I haven't found any articles on how to hunt turkeys when its still like winter. Anybody have any suggestions or know where an article on this can be found.

I've always wanted to turkey hunt.But have never gone...maybe this will be the year.

kevinb wrote:I've always wanted to turkey hunt.But have never gone...maybe this will be the year.

I am a pretty good turkey caller ( I use voice no call) I know my friend does well in southern Oregon in spring and all he does is hunt in between food and rousting. They will key in on lone calls looking for the lost bird.

Well if you ever driving on johnson creek road dont hit one:-$ they are good in the deep fryer though you can probably call them from the pheasant release drop off site if you hike back in,Im sure the farmers out in that area wont let anybody on there property to set up for one to make it easier.Off hwy 507

I am not to experienced with how to hunt them when they are still hunkered down for the winter, but I would have to imagine that with the next week of warm weather coming in a few should be starting to strut by the weekend after opening. I will be hitting the Cle Eleum area hard that weekend with a friend and can only hope for the best. Good luck to you.

It is still early in the season. Looking at the weather down here in Pullman at least, it looks to be getting warmer. I know back home at least, near Ellensburg, they have been up and about even a few weeks ago. They will be in their spring routes by the time that we are able to get out there and hunt them.

Reports from around Cle Elum sound very poor so far, but I am heading over to try a few spots anyways. I am heading east in about an hour.

Well I drove up to my normal hunting spot north of Deer Park and there was still 2' of snow. I drove down to Tum Tum and stopped at some state land (On top of Willow bay hill between Willow and Stone Lodge) and turkeys everywhere in the biggest coveys I have ever seen. I dropped off my nephews there this morning so will see how they do. I will post their efferts this evening.

Went out yesterday and it was not very good. Saw one bird running over a hill, heard only two gobbles all day, and everyone else was reporting the same. Still a lot of snow pac around in areas it normally isn't, but I really think that it is the cold and not the snow that is keeping the birds inactive. We did find a real nice spot that we may return to in the coming weeks if the weather cooperates and makes a turn for the better.

I'll be heading to Golden Dale to get mine. Turkeys are really stupid ass birds.

KurtO wrote:I'll be heading to Golden Dale to get mine. Turkeys are really stupid ass birds.

You must be hunting domesticated turkey's on a farm I take it,:scratch: because wild turkey's are not very stupid. A bird that is so observent and aware of it's surroundings and spooks so easily cannot be that stupid. Unless you are refering to the fact that they have a short term memory than I guess that you could sorta say they are stupid because of that.

If you want to hunt a stupid bird then grouse are perfect. You could walk up and kill a grouse with a stick, I would like to see that done with a turkey, it just won't happen.

mallard83 wrote:

KurtO wrote:I'll be heading to Golden Dale to get mine. Turkeys are really stupid ass birds.

You must be hunting domesticated turkey's on a farm I take it,:scratch: because wild turkey's are not very stupid. A bird that is so observent and aware of it's surroundings and spooks so easily cannot be that stupid. Unless you are refering to the fact that they have a short term memory than I guess that you could sorta say they are stupid because of that.

If you want to hunt a stupid bird then grouse are perfect. You could walk up and kill a grouse with a stick, I would like to see that done with a turkey, it just won't happen.

This all depends on hunting pressure I agree that Turkey can be allusive but if they have no reason to be like on my wifes Grandfathers farm in Wy. they get pretty dumb! They will stand in the roads in front of the truck and gobble at the horn. How high of an iq is that? You could get out and hit them over the head!

Grouse are worse for sure I don't know how they make it](*,)

I am talking about wild birds!

bigbasstaz wrote:

mallard83 wrote:

KurtO wrote:I'll be heading to Golden Dale to get mine. Turkeys are really stupid ass birds.

You must be hunting domesticated turkey's on a farm I take it,:scratch: because wild turkey's are not very stupid. A bird that is so observent and aware of it's surroundings and spooks so easily cannot be that stupid. Unless you are refering to the fact that they have a short term memory than I guess that you could sorta say they are stupid because of that.

If you want to hunt a stupid bird then grouse are perfect. You could walk up and kill a grouse with a stick, I would like to see that done with a turkey, it just won't happen.

This all depends on hunting pressure I agree that Turkey can be allusive but if they have no reason to be like on my wifes Grandfathers farm in Wy. they get pretty dumb! They will stand in the roads in front of the truck and gobble at the horn. How high of an iq is that? You could get out and hit them over the head!

Grouse are worse for sure I don't know how they make it](*,)

Well if your reasoning is that they are stupid only when they are not pressured than I guess that you could say the same for all other animals. A lot of other animals are also like this when the have no fear of being killed, it is not because they are stupid it is because they have no reason to be fearful.

And I don't know about Wyoming Turkeys but here in Washington during hunting season there is absolutly no way you will kill a Turkey with a stick. During grouse season however, even pressured birds are very easy to walk right up to. All I am saying is that from my experience with wild Washington turkeys is that they are far from stupid.

I am not saying that Turkeys are extremely smart they are just not as stupid as a lot of people believe.

Well I just got back from picking up my nephews and they seen a lot of birds but could get close enough to any. Nor could they get any close enough to them. They tried calling most of the day and they got plenty of gobbling but no other response. They are in such large coveys still they just aren't acting like they should by now.

About Turkeys being stupid. I would never call them stupid, not smart either but wary and the best eyesight that I have ever observed of an animal. A few years ago I was hunting turkeys late in the season on a clear sunny day. I called a few jakes right to me and as I was watching the about ten yards away they all cocked thier heads sidways. Cocked as to look up then scatterd, so I looked up expecting to see a hawk or an eagle. I peerd to see nothing at first then I noticed a jet way in the hell up there. I knew thet an eye blink could scare them but I never though a jet that I could barley make out would.

Good luck at whatever you tackle.

I want to go and try with a bow. Yes, a bow

kevinb wrote:I want to go and try with a bow. Yes, a bow

Me also we should go in the fall!

bigbasstaz wrote:

kevinb wrote:I want to go and try with a bow. Yes, a bow

Me also we should go in the fall!

I have never tried with a bow before. With a shot gun a good shot is the neck or head, what about a bow. Where would be a kill shot/best shot with a bow? Just wondering because I have been getting more interested in bow hunting in the last year or so.

Through the wings up high from what remember I will look it up !

bigbasstaz wrote:Through the wings up high from what remember I will look it up !

I was kind of figuring that it would be a heart or lung shot with a bow.