RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

The bearded hen that just walked through the yard sure look's tempting...lol

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

I heard 2 birds this morning around Skookumchuck, but I ain't sayin where.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> It wasn't too crowded because of the rain, so I'm hoping they'll shut up from now until next Sunday so I can go after him alone. The first shock gobble courtesy of a mouthy coyote between me and him at 6:30am. The second fired off to a peacock courtesy of me at about 7:45am. Unfortunately they were both about a miles walk from me, and I had to leave by 9:00am. I'll chase 'em next weekend. If I don't get him, it'll haunt me until next year. A bird still talking at 7:45 means you've gotta a decent shot at him if you can get on him and stay with him until his hens go nest at 10:00 or so. I won't have anywhere else to be next Sunday. It'll be a showdown with a longbeard if I can beat the other hunters to the spot. Looks like I'll be rolling out EARLY next Sunday. I can't wait.

Wayne, you gotta get those birds talking before we come over a week from Thursday. Are they still henned up, or are they just not interested right now? What's the weather been like the last couple of days?

Wash, from what I have seen around here, the birds are spread out and it's too dang thick to see 'em in the woods. And there ain't as many as they would like you to believe. How the heck would they know if you can't see 'em to count 'em. These birds are just like Easterns get everywhere. They don't like to talk much, unless they are hot. I also wonder how much the weather has to do with it around here. Our current temps are what it's like in early March back in MS. They don't really fire up until it warms up some later in March there. Just wondering if that may affect it. It's the things that make you go hmmmmm.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

Edited by - slee on 04/28/2002 01:02:24

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Slee,when you say thick stuff, are we talking a 10 year old cutting with salial up to your hips, the doug fir are 10-15 feet tall where the trees shade out sunlight?? I see alot of this kind of cover, with only deer trails, well they are more like deer tunnels. Is this the kind of thick stuff we are talking about???? Turkeys are in this?????If thats the case, then you can have them!!! I wonder if my confusion is based on a differing opinion of what thick stuff is??? Because frankly, I see a turkey having a hard time getting around in some of this stuff. JMTCW

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Wash, while turkeys prefer more open areas, they will go through that kind of stuff. They usually don't hang out in it because they can't see predators in it. When I say thick stuff, I mean knee high to waist high stuff with intermittent open areas. You usually can't see into these places, and they spook before you get to 'em. I haven't been at it around here very long at all, so I can't say where exactly they hang out. I haven't had any luck finding them either, but it would stand to reason that an accurate count would be impossible to make in this type of terrain. They usually make counts based on observations in open areas or at bait sites, and enter them into some type of formula for estimating total population(I think). If the birds don't come out to either, they probably aren't counted. But if most of the birds in an area come in, you get a skewed population estimate of more birds than are actually there. I have a hard time believing Easterns are doing as well as they seem to think. Wayne or WANWTF can tell you how they come up with these magic numbers, but I don't believe there are as many running around here as they say. I think the populations are spotty. And what I call a good population of Easterns and what they call good are probably 2 totally different things.

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

slee....as of last week ....they were still henned up....this week-end...I have no idea....could'nt even get one to gobble....or even get a hen fired up.....sure hope thing's change soon... !!!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Slee, the stuff you describe sure sounds better than the stuff I had invisioned, and the stuff I was hunting! But I did find turkey turds, in the really thick stuff. I wonder if they winter there,or ride out bad winter storms, and are now moving to more open areas for the spring and summer? Question after question from me, I'll give you all a free autographed copy of the book I'll write, when I have answers to all these turkey question!!!!!! Slee have you ever harvestd a turkey from the west side of the state???

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

No, I haven't even had the opportunity to match wits with a vocal tom around here. I only went once for Easterns last season, and twice this season. Like I said, I'm having a helluva time findin 'em. At least now I know where 2 gobblers were yesterday. I'll go back after them next Sunday since I know they at least frequent that spot. Back home, I have seen Easterns come through a cut-over that you would have to crawl through. They will go anywhere, they just don't spend much time in those kinds of places because they become too vulnerable to yotes and bobcats. Turkeys are dumb as rocks, but they are very paranoid.

Wayne, let me know if they start talking. I've got 2 guys in MS that are very interested, besides the 2 guys here in western WA that will be accompanying them to Kettle Falls. I didn't like chasin those tightlipped birds last year, and I ain't wanting to do it again this year. Sooner or later they gotta get vocal. It's pretty much later now.

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Well, I was hoping to hear a little better news from over your way Wayne. I'm bringing my father over Wednesday to try and get a long beard. This will be the third year in a row that I have tried to get him a turkey for his birthday (he will turn 69 tomorrow). Sounds like we will have to target a mute one!

Heck Slee, maybe you are going to time your trip just right. I think I am returning the 5th so I will try to give you an update before you leave. Hopefully things will heat up REAL soon!

Wash, I know what you mean about those darn Easterns (&quot;you can have them!!!&quot;). It's hard emough for me to kill a Merriams!

Hope everyone is doing well.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

AFTERNOON ALL, HOPE ALL IS WELL IN WASHINGTON, HOWS THE WEATHER BEEN??? ITS BEEN TERRIBLE HERE, RAIN AND GAIL FORCE WINDS, GOTTA LOVE IT. WORK IS THE SAME WE ARE NOW ON 12 HOUR SHIFTS BECUASE SOME ONE MESSED UP SO THE WHOLE SQUADRON IS PAYING THE PRICE.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Robb you aren't helping the tourist industry with your weather reports. I don't think I'd ever want to come visit you. Do you guys ever see the sun?

Wash, shoot me an e-mail and tell me where you've been chasin 'em in the Capital Forest. I'll tell you the spots that I've been told to check out. Maybe between the 2 of us, we can figure out where to find you a bird. I won't get down there to hunt this year, so I'll tell you everything I know(which ain't much) about the birds there. If you ain't findin birds, I may not get down there next year either. What is the hunting pressure like in there? I've been told by several that it is pretty bad, plus you've got hikers and bikers in there.

Moose Eyes, I'd really appreciate the report. Where are you taking your father? If you want to shoot me an e-mail, I can give you a report on some spots we found last year in Kettle Falls. I'll even tell you where a good campsite is with birds right behind(practically in) camp. And those mute ones taste the same.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>



Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

THE WEATHER WAS NICE WE HAD OVER 30 DAYS WITH OUT ANY RAIN OR WIND, AND THEN THIS WEEKEND IT MADE UP FOR THE DRY SPEEL

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Sound's like your gonna be with guite a crowd slee....................... Moose Eyes...Good luck with your Dad, hope this will be his year.........Robb....sunny and 72 today.. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Not too crowded Wayne. I'm 1 of the 2 west siders, so there will be a total of 4 of us chasin longbeards. Sorry about the wording. There will only be 1 vehicle though, so I'm thinking of bringing my bike to hit the 4WD roads surrounding camp. I don't want to be stuck going with everybody else. Sounds like you guys are having some nice weather. I hope it hangs around for 2 more weeks, and the birds get vocal before we arrive. I liked the sound of those 10 gobblers firing off below our camp last year. They were strung out for nearly a mile. Almost as pretty as a church choir on Sunday morning. Have you had a chance to go for yourself? If so, I want to hear the story.

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Thanks for the encouragement, Wayne.

Slee - Thanks for the offer to help. I shot you an e-mail last night. Sounds like the weather is warming up. Is that any indication that the birds will begin vocalizing more? I sure hope so!

Anybody getting, or at least seeing, any birds? Not alot of positive reports.

WANWTF - I spoke with your dad. Sounds like he is going to have a nice mount. 6 beards?! Wow!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

YOU GUYS ARE LUCKY, ITS BEEN RAINING HERE ALL DAY, THE WIND IS STILL BLOWING, THE ONLY GOOD THING IS ALL THE FLYING FOR TONIGHT CANCLED, SO I'LL BE SITTING HERE FOR THE NEXT 12 HOURS DOING NOTHING

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Yeah Moose Eyes... he was tickled when he started countin' em'. Nice bird - was a great day all around - He called in another one the same day for a friend.

Ended up sitting out all last week with an appendic gone mad. Three little holes in my body and they sucked the thing out... better now though... Glad it didn't happen the week before when I was in the middle of no where.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

slee.....naw...have'nt had time for myself....But Thank's for askin.. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I have'nt taken a bird in 3 year's.....in a couple of week's I may extend that to 4....lol

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Ouch! That's a tough break, WANWTF. You are right though. A week earlier and you would have been in a world of hurt. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Hopefully good enough to go after an Eastern before the end of the season.

I am counting down the hours before we leave. Should be over near Hunters tomorrow around 3 or so. Hopefully I will get an encouraging report from some property owners where I plan to hunt and have my game plan all put together for the following morning.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

AFTERNOON ALL, HOPE ALL IS WELL IN WASHINGTON, NOT MUCH GOING ON HERE, FOUND OUT THE SQUADRON COMMANDER GOT FIRED ON TUESDAY, BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED. OTHER THAN THE NUMBER OF POSTS GOING DOWN I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Dang...scared to do any posting....the last one took me from a spike....to a fawn.... :(

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Yeah, I lost about 100 posts. I hope they get it straightened out. I don't know if it's premature aging or what, but my rack has shrunk. What are the birds doing Wayne? I'm chomping at the bit to get over there. One more week!!!

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

LOL... well I'm back to a starting member <img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Welcome aboard WANWTF, again.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I working on packing for next week's trip, getting my rainsuit and clothes washed up and waterproofing the boots. The forecast is calling for rain/snow early next week, but it is supposed to warm up by the end of the week. I guess you can just about flip a coin on the weather over there this time of year. I'm hoping for sunny and warm. I can get cloudy and cool right here at home. I'm so ready to go I'd hunt in knee deep snow if I had to, not that I'd want to.


Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

You are not kiddding Slee. When I was over that direction for the opener it was hot and nice one minute, then the temperature would drop and it would begin snowing so hard you couldn't see 100 yds. Bizzar stuff. Good luck! Stick w/your box calls - those merriams love em'!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Yeah, we experienced that last year along Deadman's Creek north of Kettle Falls. It was sunny and mid 60s one minute, then you could feel like a wave of cold air move in. The snow would fall for 10 minutes, then the sun would come back out and the temps would rise. This happened 3 or 4 times one afternoon. Really odd! I'll be ready for it though.


Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Well....Had a good friend come over and spend the week-end with me, from the west side....he brought his 79 1/2 year old father.......They both took their first Tom's ever....was to &quot;COOL&quot;.. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>....both about 20 lb's....one with a 8 1/2 in beard,the other had a 9 incher.....both had 3/4 in. spur's

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Hi Wayne ! Glad to hear youre bagging some more birds over there ! Have you guys had to work as hard to get them? I hear it's still been unusually cold over there. Good Hunting!, - - Rob

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Hey Rob.....Their still not acting like they ought to be this time of the season.....just not alot of gobblin

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Hi Wayne ! Yeah, I recently talked with some buddies who hunted in the Colville/Kettle Falls region and they got skunked. They ran into some cold weather, even got snowed on like we did. That was only about a week or 10 days ago. They weren't able to get much in terms of gobbles out of the birds. - - - I think they'd have had more success if they were able to find some gobblers and pattern their movements better. &gt;&gt;&gt; This year I think it'll be real tough for out of towners to drive on over, hear some gobbling, and bag a bird. Man, turkey hunting is a terrific challenge, isn't it? Just like it should be ! :) Good Hunting!, - - Rob

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Hey guys, tell me what you think of this theory. The birds haven't been talking or responding well to calls for basicly the whole season so far. The guys that just ride around tooting on locator calls aren't getting birds because they aren't answering or they aren't coming in when they switch to turkey calls. The veterans and especially locals are tagging birds because they have spots that have produced in the past. Does all of this sound pretty correct?

Here's my THEORY for how the birds will be when we arrive on Thursday. The birds will likely be very call shy, but they won't have been educated too much because most mature toms aren't coming to calls. What I mean is they haven't been educated like they get when they come into set-up after set-up. If they aren't coming in, they aren't getting conditioned to spook when they come into decoys or be extra paranoid. With this being said, if you can find their strut zones and roost areas you're almost tagging him. I'll bet there aren't as many idiots stumbling onto birds, blowing set-ups, and still tagging like there was last year. It sounds like this year is requiring the leg work before you bag your bird. Reminds me of the Easterns back home. So what do you guys think of my theory? I know it is oversimplified at best, but I'm optimistic.


Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Here's a report from one of those turkey hunting &quot;idiots&quot;.

Just got back from the Turkey capital of the Northwest (Stevens County). Went over with my father on May 1st. Arrived at the first property we had permission to hunt the afternoon of the 1st to check in with the property owner. He told us the previous parties that hunted his property had killed 7 birds. This is on his property totalling 200 acres, with several hundred adjacent state land acres. I was both excited and a little disappointed. I was wondering just how many birds his property could produce in one season. We decided to wait until late afternoon to hit his property to try to find a roosting bird to work the following morning.

Went up the road a bit to the next property I had permission to hunt out the Hunters-Springdale Road. I hunted this property last year but found no birds on it. Thought I would give it a try again this year because it looks like it should produce. I covered a lot of this property looking for sign and trying to elicit a shock gobble. Heard no gobbles and only found three old piles of hen droppings. Left a little disappointed but decided to check back in a couple of days.


Returned to the first property for an evening of scouting. I covered a large portion of it using locator calls and never heard a peep. All of the sign we saw appeared several days old. Kind of figured they were hit so hard the previous two weeks that they were pretty scatterred and call-shy. We planned to hunt it the following morning covering even more of the property looking for a bird to work. (At the rate I am progressing with this e-mail I can see it is going to take me forever to finish so I 'll try to take a little wind out of it.) I spent the following day hunting this property HARD trying to find a bird that wanted to talk a little. I also hunted the other property, as well as some public land a little farther north that has held birds in the past. The only gobbling I heard was while I was standing on the east shore of the Columbia river from birds on the WEST shore of the Columbia. The next two days was more of the same. Not one gobble! I felt like I was hunting in Pacific county it was so quiet. I felt bad for dragging my dad all around the woods so soon after he had his 69th birthday. Afterwards he told me I took two more years off of his life. Anyway, we were frustrated to say the least. We decided to sleep in this morning and pass on the property where all of the birds had been killed earlier in the season. After hunting elsewhere in the mid-morning we stopped off at the property owners house to say goodbye and to give him some elk sausage as a thank you. As we were leaving he mentioned that another party that arrived to hunt had gotton a bird that morning up next to the highway in the only spot we hadn't looked. I was focusing on the remote outer edges of the state land adjacent to his, thinking that's where heavily hunted birds would go, especially since the only way to access this state land is by water or another property owner who isn't real friendly to hunters. Obviously I was wrong. So I guess that's what it means when they say, &quot;that's turkey hunting!&quot;

The trip wasn't an entire waste of time though. I did manage to break a brand new never-tried-in-the-field turkey call. That Cody glass probably wouldn't have worked very well anyway. And here's more good news: the ticks seem to be doing quite well this year. I have never picked so many off before!

I do believe I have had about enough of turkey hunting . . . at least until about next February when I will convince myself that &quot;this will be my breakthrough year&quot;.

Slee, good luck! I sincerely hope you have much better news to share upon your return. As long as you aren't relying on any idiots like me you should do fine! :)

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

MORNING ALL HOPE ALL IS WELL IN WASHINGTON. SORRY TO HEAR THE BIRDS AREN'T WORKING WITH YOU GUYS THIS YEAR. NOT MUCH GOING ON HERE IN ENGLAND, THE WEATHER IS CRAPPY WIND AND RAIN AND TUNDER STORMS, THE NORM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. WELL NEED TO GO AND GET THE GARDEN PLANTED.

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Man I hate to hear that, about the ticks I mean. I hate them little boogers.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Just kidding. I hate that you or your dad didn't get something other than tick bitten. I know how you feel. That sounds just like our hunt last year except they started talking 2 days before we left. I just hope this crazy late weather doesn't mess 'em up too bad. It is supposed to shoot right back up to the mid 60's by Wednesday, but any sudden cold front usually makes 'em shut up anyway. From what I'm hearing from hunters right now, they don't need any other excuse to be tightlipped. Hang in there Moose Eyes, you'll get one if you stay on 'em. That's why we keep going back for more. It's about the hunt, not the kill. Glad you had a safe trip. Now you can rest up a while.

I'm about to walk out the door in 5 minutes headed to Skookumchuck. I'm hoping to beat everybody to the spot I heard those 2 birds last Saturday morning. Very similar weather, so I hope they want to talk to me. I'll let you guys know how it turns out on my last Eastern outing of the season.

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Moose Eyes - - turkey hunting is something else, isn't it? Definitely not &quot;shooting fish in a barrel&quot; !- - - I wanted to get out there one more time before the end of the season, but that doesn't look like it's gonna work out. On the plus side of things,- at least I won't get attacked by ticks. I've heard other guys say the same thing about running across tons of them this year. When I went up to Stevens County at the start of the season it was so cold (it snowed) that I really didn't notice or think much of them. Good Hunting!, - - Pointshoot

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Well....this morning...the wife and myself headed out to our &quot;Ace In The Hole&quot; spot....After sitting on the windy, chilly, hillside for a couple of hour's....thing improved....it started hailing...hard, off and on for the next few hour's...not a sighting or a peep of any feathered friend's... :(

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Wayne - - - Hmmmmm. If the &quot;honey hole&quot; spot is quiet with no action, that's saying a heck-of-a lot ! Hopefully it'll get a little warmer & normal in the final couple weeks of the season. Good Hunting!, - - Rob P.S. - - Tell Diane that no matter how turkey season turns out, -We'll give you guys plenty of action hunting geese this coming fall ! :)

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

LOL ...Rob....I think Diane's now saying.. &quot;Screw you Turkey's.....Come on Geese&quot;... <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

LOL Wayne ! Yeah a sore behind from sitting & frozen fingers can make you say such things! But it's far from over yet ! :) Good Hunting!, - - Rob

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

AFTERNOON ALL, HOPE THE WEATHER CHANGES FOR YOU GUYS AND GALS SO THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR TURKEY. NOT MUCH TO REPORT ON HERE IN ENGLAND SAME STUFF DIFFERENT DAY

RE: ANYBODY FROM WASHINGTON STILL AROUND???
 

Time to regroup for the east side. Johnson Creek was a complete bust. I got there and in position to hear those birds I heard last weekend at 5:10am . The wind was pretty high and the rain was coming and going, but I could've still heard them. I heard NOTHING!!!!! I have got to find somewhere else besides the Skookumchuck area to hunt Easterns. Too much pressure and too few birds. I walked waaaaay back into the woods, like 2 miles. Then went over to the powerlines and worked my way back. I must have walked 5+ miles for nothing, and I got wet too. I didn't see a single feather or fresh droppings anywhere, and I walked almost every road around the Johnson Creek drainage. Chalk it up to experience I guess.

I'm washing up stuff and packing for Thursday morning's road trip to Kettle Falls. I can't wait. The weather looks great, and the birds should be fired up. I may not sleep until Thursday night.

What are the birds doing Wayne? Are the hens nesting a lot now?


Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!