Oregon Turkey hunting info please
 

I moved to Beaverton, Oregon in December of 2006, and will be hunting Spring turkey this year. I will be going with my neighbor to Eastern Oregon, and have a coworker with land in the Southwest.

Recently I've heard that there is some decent hunting on the East side of Mt. Hood, which is only about a 2 hr trip from my house, and about 4 hr closer than either of the other opportunities. However, I've found that the information on these birds and hunting lands is not "readily accessible". Can anybody on here give me any advice on where to look (i.e. which BLM/NSF lands) for birds near Mt. Hood?

Thanks...

RE: Oregon Turkey hunting info please
 

Hey I am John Murphy

I live down here in Grants Pass, Oregon. I have never hunted over in eastern Oregon for turkey but down here is pretty good I got a 7 in bearded tom two years ago and my brother arrowed one last year so it is good turkey hunting all up and down from down here in grants pass to way up in Portland Oregon so thats all I can help you with cause I have never hunted over there in eastern Oregon but tell me how it goes when you go! and good luck to ya also!

John

RE: Oregon Turkey hunting info please
 

I've spent some time for a couple of years in the public lands SW of Dufur along the White River, but was disappointed in the early season. There is a lot of pressure there for the opener and what birds you locate are wary and are "educated" very quickly. You will find a lot more birds and action down in the SW part of the state along the I-5 corrodor.

But there are always more that one way to skin a cat! My suggestion is to put in some time in Douglas, Josephine or Jackson counties first. If you can find some private land ahead of time your chances to score will be greatly improved. Whether or not you have SW success in mid-April - if you have your calling down pat, I'd be thinking seriously about sliding over to the north central area and check out the east side of Mt. Hood later in the season after the hens start nesting and toms are more vulnerable to calls. It has worked each time for me!

RE: Oregon Turkey hunting info please
 

The east-side of Mt Hood would be the White River Unit, right? I turkey hunt there, there are turkeys there, and lots of hunters. Too many people road hunt there. I would advise goingduring the middle and late part of the season if you go there. Less people and less turkeys, the turkeys that are there are very much "educated", as the other guys says. I had two dudes shoot two turkeys out from underneath us after we did all of the work. Portland area hunters often rally in this area because it is close to home yet far enough from mama and the kids. There is plenty of public area to hunt. Get a map and scout it out. The best map store is at the state building in Portland, close to the conventioncenter. I am currently scouting another area to hunt. Good luck to you this year! Any other questions just let me know.

RE: Oregon Turkey hunting info please
 

Thanks for all of the information. I've contacted the ODFW wildlife biologist in charge of the upland bird unit, and have gotten tons of great information and advice. In regards to Mt. Hood and the White River Unit, his information and advice pretty much mirrors what you guys have said here.

Because I just realized that EACH tag costs $18, I'll try to tag out on my first outing. Now I just need to decide if I'm going South or East ;)