JBLM turkey's?

[JMTaylor]

 Is it worth even attempting around the base. I didn't get the chance to go last year or even look around. I know what it takes to get a good bird back home in Iowa but not sure yet around here. So I was just wanting to know if anyone knows how the birds are around the base.

[cem3434]

Few and far between.

[bobcat]

I wouldn't waste my time. If you want to hunt turkeys you have to go where there are turkeys.

[Wacenturion]

If you want to put in the time, it might pay off.  Try looking in the southern areas of the base, toward Tenino, Ranier, or even off the base on Weyerhauser lands.  Birds are there and have been since the mid 80's, but you have to burn the shoe leather behind gates to find them. Key is looking for droppings as you probably won't see of hear any.  The vegetation eats up the sound.  You'll find them in small scattered bunches, usually in and around reprod next to taller older timber.

One good thing is, if you locate some, you generally have them all to yourself.  Usually the last thing you see coming in before you shoot them in two dark sticks (legs) walking through the bush coming at you, that is unless you catch them moving on a skidder road.

Different than any turkey hunting you have ever done, even though they are Easterns like those you hunt in Iowa.  In fact some of the gene pool in those areas are from Iowa birds brought in and released.

[JMTaylor]

I'll see what the wife says maybe I can find some thank you for the info

[Dan-o]

IMHO, you've got about a 50X better chance at turkey if you can drive 2.5 hours from JBLM.

There just aren't the numbers near JBLM (again, my opinion).

Look at the harvest stats (in the turkey regs) and you'll see that ALMOST ALL of the turkeys are killed In East or south central Wa.   You can access passable turkey hunting in 2.5 hours.   Really great turkey hunting within 3 - 3.5.

[Mudman]

Never seen one on jblm.  Behind Rainier there may be a few, but very few and far between.  Might as well be looking for a moose if ya get my drift.

[Wacenturion]

Never seen one on jblm.  Behind Rainier there may be a few, but very few and far between.  Might as well be looking for a moose if ya get my drift.

Not so...but as I said above, you need to learn how to find and hunt these birds.  All you have to do is look at the harvest data over the past years.  While harvest is extremely low in comparison to the rest of the state it has steadily increased as those willing to work and educate themselves have become  successful.

Admittedly the most difficult of the three subspecies in the state to hunt, but also the best of the best when it comes together.  Ask anyone who has done a single season slam or even a multi-season slam.

[JMTaylor]

I've shoot plenty of Easterns what are the other subspecies and where they can be found I'd like one of those.

[bobcat]

You might look at the turkey regulations. It has all the harvest information and maps showing the distribution of all three species.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01367/wdfw01367.pdf

[Mudman]

Never seen one on jblm.  Behind Rainier there may be a few, but very few and far between.  Might as well be looking for a moose if ya get my drift.

Not so...but as I said above, you need to learn how to find and hunt these birds.  All you have to do is look at the harvest data over the past years.  While harvest is extremely low in comparison to the rest of the state it has steadily increased as those willing to work and educate themselves have become  successful.

Admittedly the most difficult of the three subspecies in the state to hunt, but also the best of the best when it comes together.  Ask anyone who has done a single season slam or even a multi-season slam.

You know alot more than I do.  I only know one small area that holds some turkeys jblm area. 

[Dan-o]

Look at the data in the regs bobcat posted.   Almost no turkeys killed in P50.....    And most that are killed in P50 are farther south like Mossy rock, Chehalis area.

The only guys I know that have gotten Easterns have gotten them off private land in the Mossy Rock or Chehalis.

I'm sure that the VERY OCCASIONAL bird gets killed within 1/2 hr of JBLM, but not many.

[bobcat]

I have seen quite a few Easterns over the years, in Thurston and Lewis Counties. Even saw some in Capitol Forest. There's a few around the Tenino area, and I've seen them near Pe Ell. Seen a couple in Minot peak, several in Lincoln Creek. But, I think there's less than there was 10 years ago. I could be wrong but I just don't see them anymore. Never have tried hunting them, they're just too scarce for me, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

[Mudman]

Ya they are out of skookumchuck. Alot of turkeys in the private fields J. Creek.  But I have seen em off Waldrick rd. and a few other places but rarely.  Never would of thought Capitol forest held any!

[Wacenturion]

One thing about these western Washington Easterns is that they prefer a certain age group of habitat in most cases, not all, as evidenced by those that you may see on private fields along Johnson Creek.  Others on Weyerhauser, DNR, etc. change locations after a few years.

They initially settle in to an area that they like, but after a few years of growth, that area is less attractive and they seek out new areas that somewhat duplicate where they once were.  Just think about how quickly areas you hunt in western Washington change over 5-6 years.  That's why you hear statements such as those that Bobcat made above.  It's not so much that they are gone, it's more of they have moved.  One has to be prepared to start looking after a honey hole that has held birds for years dries up.

They generally are not far, but one has to search 360 degrees to be successful.  May just be a ridge or valley away, may be further.  Couple that with you are likely to not see or him them while scouting, that is unless you have spent the time to figured these birds out.  I have helped several guys in the past and after a great deal of time scouting and being patient, they have been harvested birds or come close.  Some even have harvested additional birds in subsequent years.   

Again, if one doubts that they have decreased over the years just look at the harvest reports for the areas from Olympia south and east to Vancouver, and west to the coast.  It has steadily increased, even with the perceived difficulty of finding and hunting them.

Without question, the hardest turkey to hunt in this country....bar none. There is a reason people refer to them as "Ghosts".