Is it time to up the tag limit from 3 to 4????

[Diehard0123]

I am just wondering what everyone thinks.  keep the bag limits the way they are for Western Wa and the East slopes of the Cascades, but do you think populations in the Northeast and Southeast are at a point that WDFW could add an additional tag for these areas?

[buckcanyonlodge]

I live here. LEAVE the bag limit ALONE. Don't give the idiots at WDFW another excuse to charge more. Do you think we are overrun with turkeys??? One bad winter will wipe out half of them. What a stupid idea

[lokidog]

I live here. LEAVE the bag limit ALONE. Don't give the idiots at WDFW another excuse to charge more. Do you think we are overrun with turkeys??? One bad winter will wipe out half of them. What a stupid idea

   Dumb idea, sorry.

[Limhangerslayer]

No good hunting like it is.  Plus with the fall season they get plenty of hunting.

[Diehard0123]

So much for asking questions on this site and getting a repsectful opinion, Damn

[KFhunter]

The only reason it's 3 and not 2 is for the turkey mini slam in WA.  Dumping too many turkeys in the NE would cut down on the populations and result in a loss of successful hunters.   


My sis just moved to FL so I think I'll pursue the Turkey grand slam, not that I'm a fanatical turkey hunter (yet)but the opportunity is there so why not 

edit:  I love taking kids out after turkeys and that's really been getting me fired up after them myself. 

[Dan-o]

So much for asking questions on this site and getting a repsectful opinion, Damn

Not sure why you got stomped on.     


I agree with not upping the limit, but a little civility for an honest question isn't a bad thing.

[buckcanyonlodge]

Sorry for my reply last night. No excuse, but I'm on a 4 week bout of acute bronchitis and taking three different meds. Just hit me wrong.

[C-Money]

Sorry for my reply last night. No excuse, but I'm on a 4 week bout of acute bronchitis and taking three different meds. Just hit me wrong.

Wow! After 4 weeks I think "acute" has up graded to "chronic". I sure hope you can get better soon, 4 weeks is a long time.

All I know is, i hope I can finally tag another WA Tom, its been since the 90s for me since I have nailed one!

[lokidog]

So much for asking questions on this site and getting a repsectful opinion, Damn

Sorry, I don't see where the disrespect is?  I see a couple responses that said it is a dumb/stupid idea (including my own), noone attacked you personally or called you names.   

[HoofsandWings]

Lets do the math
3 turkeys in the spring
1 early fall
1 late fall
2 beardless
That is 7 tags
If you draw a permit, it is 8.

[bigtex]

Everything I've heard is the NE WA has had some hits to their populations because of the winters the past couple years.

[Austrian Hunter]

I'm happy with one a year    Like it was said, one bad winter screws the bird for a couple of years. 

[castor gitter]

The area I've hunted was hit hard by the 08 winter... Hasn't rebounded yet. Maybe other factors are in play but can't be sure. This year im looking for new spots

[Curly]

What effect do wolves have on the Turkey population? 

[KFhunter]

What effect do wolves have on the Turkey population? 

No primary affect, but turkeys really like cattle range areas. 

In the winter they come down to feed lot areas to hold over.  I think they'd survive, but cattle and turkeys kind of go hand in hand.
As cattle ranchers/farmers call it quits and stop turning over their fields or turning cattle out to range the deer/turkey populations are set back. 

[BOWHUNTER45]

No ...thats a bad idea ...most of the reasons are stated above ...We have a stable enough  population to carry out the bag limits now ...Do not need to kill more than that a year 

[gaddy]

fine the way it is. i think most are happy getting one let alone two as time & turks allow.

[Wacenturion]

Bad winters take their toll, but shooting mature hens in the fall and winter, you know, the ones that are proven successful nesters, doesn't help.  

[Diehard0123]

Well I am not saying that I agreed with upping the tag limits I was just curious what everyone thought.  I have noticed that some other states have done it in recent years to draw more out of state hunters and to increase revenue (not saying I agree with that either)  buckcanyonlodge no worries, I hope get to feelin better before opening day

[buckcanyonlodge]

Well I am not saying that I agreed with upping the tag limits I was just curious what everyone thought.  I have noticed that some other states have done it in recent years to draw more out of state hunters and to increase revenue (not saying I agree with that either)  buckcanyonlodge no worries, I hope get to feelin better before opening day

 

[boneaddict]

Bad idea

[turkeydancer]

Not a bad question to ask, but the current liberal seasons were set due to WDFW receiving many complaints about "excess" birds (note I refuse to use the term "nuisance" birds as WDFW describes them).  Especially the harvesting of hens has had an effect of populations. As mentioned earlier the winter of 2008 added to a significant drop in bird harvest that is now just starting to slowly rebound.  Seven birds a year is still a lot especially when you look at other states bag limits.   Although an increase in the limits may be possible in the future, just not a good idea at present.
      

[WAcoyotehunter]

Lets do the math
3 turkeys in the spring
1 early fall
1 late fall
2 beardless
That is 7 tags
If you draw a permit, it is 8.

I'm not so sure about your math here.  I think you can only kill 3 or 4 birds in a single year.  only 2 in the spring... ?

I wouldn't mind the WDFW upping the limit or making it more liberal in the fall.  There are plenty of turkeys up here.  Shoot them.

[WAcoyotehunter]

What effect do wolves have on the Turkey population? 

None. 

Turkeys are kind of a pain in the ass though.  They probably cause as much damage to crops as deer do up here. 

[pianoman9701]

I live here. LEAVE the bag limit ALONE. Don't give the idiots at WDFW another excuse to charge more. Do you think we are overrun with turkeys??? One bad winter will wipe out half of them. What a stupid idea

Lighten up Francis. He's just asking a question.

[pianoman9701]

So much for asking questions on this site and getting a repsectful opinion, Damn

Don't take it personally. Just before he responded to your post, he sat on one of his balls.   He was a little cranky then.

[buckcanyonlodge]

I live here. LEAVE the bag limit ALONE. Don't give the idiots at WDFW another excuse to charge more. Do you think we are overrun with turkeys??? One bad winter will wipe out half of them. What a stupid idea

Lighten up Francis. He's just asking a question.

 Already said Sorry.. You need to read all of the posts Linda  

[HoofsandWings]

Lets do the math
3 turkeys in the spring
1 early fall
1 late fall
2 beardless
That is 7 tags
If you draw a permit, it is 8.

I'm not so sure about your math here.  I think you can only kill 3 or 4 birds in a single year.  only 2 in the spring... ?

I wouldn't mind the WDFW upping the limit or making it more liberal in the fall.  There are plenty of turkeys up here.  Shoot them.

In the spring, 2 turkeys east of the cascades and 1 west of the cascades = 3 in the spring.
Several of the units in the NE corner have a 2 beardless bird hunt.
Then there are 1 bird in the early fall season and 1 bird in the late fall season.
However, they are not in the same units. (some are and some are not)

[MerriamMagician]

Hoofsandwings is correct. You can get 7 birds a year. I emailed WDFW with that same question last year and they confirmed it is 7 birds if you shoot 3 in the spring and four in the fall with all the seasons and permits. Honestly I think that is already too much with the lower populations of birds than in the early 2000's when the population in the NE corner was absolutely loaded. Bird numbers have been cut if half or worse from back then in this area. I remember back in those years seeing big flocks of 10-30 jakes everywhere and gobblers galore. Now I just see occasional jake flocks usually about 4-8 birds and way less gobblers, even a lot less hens than usual. Until we get several good springs and milder winters in a row and birds rebound hard there should be no tag increases. In fact I would support it being limited to no more than 3 or maaaaybe 4 birds a year and totally eliminate some of the fall seasons. Too many hens being taken this way. Just my  but I'v hunted turkeys long enough to know this is a valid argument.

[lokidog]

I've always thought killing hens in the fall was stupid, just my  .   But then, I don't have them eating my cattle feed all winter either.

[Chase 1]

It wasn't that long ago that getting two in a year was a crazy idea. O how a conversation can change. 

[MerriamMagician]

I agree I dont like hens being killed in the fall.  I did the fall hunt one time several years ago, shot a hen, and have never done it again. There is no thrill like in the spring runnin down gobblers and all that. To me the hunt wasnt even fun and I felt bad for months for shooting a hen.

[Wacenturion]

I've always thought killing hens in the fall was stupid, just my  .   But then, I don't have them eating my cattle feed all winter either.

Agree completely.  However if the fall season was gobblers only, not only would that promote safer turkey hunting, but less food would be consumed at those cattle feeders.  Gobblers eat more.

[baldopepper]

Have to say this doesn't appear to be a good year to bring that up.  Spent last weekend at my home in lower half of unit 121 and bird population in that area seems to be way down this year.  Kinda thought that during the winter when I was over there, but two days of looking around and I didn't see anywhere near the birds I saw last year.  Granted the weather was kind of crappy, especially Sunday, but I know the area pretty well and several of the normal hot spots had no birds. Problem seems to me that once WDFW changes those types of bag limits they have a tendency to stick with them even when the populations don't justify it.  Turkeys just seem to be an afterthought to them anyway.  If this turns out to be another cold, wet spring I really think they need to look hard at that fall hen hunt - could be the birds were just hunkered down this past weekend, but I kind of doubt that totally justifies the lack of birds I saw. Looks to be a tough opening weekend between the few birds and the crappy weather forecast-don't anticipate anyone will be getting far off the main roads-side roads were really sloppy Sunday and it was snowing when you got very high up.

[Nick 139]

i hunt up north every year and there are plenty of birds up there... not for or against anything but most turkey hunter are gone from the field my the second weekend... only 20% of hunters would even spend the 18 bucks to buy a 3rd tag and only half of them would prolly even fill those tags.   there are turkeys in Pullman and Pasco i have seen them Personally so we are not just gonna wipe them out of washington with one bad winter!

[Treefiddy]

I live here. LEAVE the bag limit ALONE. Don't give the idiots at WDFW another excuse to charge more. Do you think we are overrun with turkeys??? One bad winter will wipe out half of them. What a stupid idea

Lighten up Francis. He's just asking a question.

 Already said Sorry.. You need to read all of the posts Linda

Not to change the subject but I love your lodge. We camp up at Cloverleaf every summer for the last 25 years and it's great to see it open again!

[buckcanyonlodge]

I live here. LEAVE the bag limit ALONE. Don't give the idiots at WDFW another excuse to charge more. Do you think we are overrun with turkeys??? One bad winter will wipe out half of them. What a stupid idea

Lighten up Francis. He's just asking a question.

 Already said Sorry.. You need to read all of the posts Linda

Not to change the subject but I love your lodge. We camp up at Cloverleaf every summer for the last 25 years and it's great to see it open again!

Stop by and say Hi. I'd give you the nickel tour!