Going fpr the slam

[rosscrazyelk]

Well I decided I am going to try and go for the slam. Now to figure out how to break it to the wife..
The hardest one will probably be the eastern any advice is welcome..

[trophyhunt]

I've never shot a turkey myself, would love to someday. You should do good Ross, I've heard it's a lot like hunting elk in the rut.  If I draw for spring bear in the blues ill have to give it a try, seen a few down there.

[scottcrb]

Definitely not going to be easy. Good luck!

[NRA4LIFE]

Go to Missouri (on your way to Florida to get that Osceola).

[packmule]

Steep learning curve with the eastern if you haven't previously hunted them in WA.

A good approach is to focus on the eastern first, unless you KNOW you can get a Rio, Merriam or both quickly and get back to hunting the eastern.  You probably have the longest window of opportunity for the Merriam because of their population size and distribution across the state.  Probably others will have other opinions on how to approach it.

Either way, good luck and have fun!  Hope to hear about your successes in mid-May!

[Woodchuck]

Ross is an animal, if anyone here can it's him 

[jackelope]

Washington slam or the grand slam?

[Eli346]

Send me a pm on the eastern as I may have some info for you. I really don't want to throw it out here online as they are hard enough to locate without all the competition.

[trophyhunt]

Which ones are in the blues?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

X2 on getting the eastern, been trying for several years.
I would have gotten one by now if I would "man up" and use a shotgun, keep spooking when I try to draw my recurve.
But the time to be looking is NOW, you have to put some miles on to locate them, small scattered flocks.
The further back behind the gates, the better. Otherwise you will show up and 5 guys will be hunting the same spot.
 You got a bike ?
If not, get one...

[packmule]

Which ones are in the blues?

Rio grande

[trophyhunt]

Which ones are in the blues?

Rio grande

thanks, so to get a slam, does that mean you have to kill all species in the same year? Or just eventually get all species? I know, stupid question.

[packmule]

In WA you can do either, there are single season and multiseason categories.  Either way it's a great accomplishment.

[trophyhunt]

So, in order, which turkey species are the easiest to kill to the hardest? And which species are in what part of the state?  Thanks!


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[jackelope]

So, in order, which turkey species are the easiest to kill to the hardest? And which species are in what part of the state?  Thanks!


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Northeast-Merriams
Southeast-Rio's
Westside-Easterns

I think the birds on the east slope Cascades/Central WA are Merriams too.

[trophyhunt]

Thanks!!


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[rosscrazyelk]

Washington slam or the grand slam?

t
 Washington slam

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

So, in order, which turkey species are the easiest to kill to the hardest? And which species are in what part of the state?  Thanks!


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Northeast-Merriams
Southeast-Rio's
Westside-Easterns

I think the birds on the east slope Cascades/Central WA are Merriams too.

Seems about right, figure if/when I get an eastern, I would stop in the middle for a Merriam on my way to SE Wa for the Rio, I know where to get a Merriam, getting access to hunt SE is my main obstacle. (that and these darn easterns)

[RadSav]

Ten years ago the easterns were rather easy to find.  My first three Washington birds we Easterns.  Now all of them seem to be making their home on private land.  Saying around our old eastern spots is, "Once you go turd you never go back" since once they start eating cow turds they seem to never leave the pasture again   I still see a good number of easterns each year, but I haven't found any land owner that will allow me access.  Even during late archery season we now only see a few on public land.  And I haven't seen a tom on public land in about five years.

Good luck with getting the slam.  It's a lot of fun you won't soon forget.

[turkeydancer]

Rios in SE and north Lincoln County.
Merriams NE, East slopes of the Cascades, and the Klickitat (which is considered Eastern Wa for turkey hunting purposes).
Easterns in Western Wa, primarily SW Wa.

Note: 
Approx 68% of state harvest is in NE. with approdx 9% on eastern slopes of the Cascades, and 10+% in the Klickitat. 
 SE accounts for approx 10+%.   
SW  approx 1.4% and NW approx 0.1%.

Based on the stats Merriams would be the easiest, Rios next, and the Eastern "phantoms" the hardest. The good news is that once you find and then figure out the Easterns, they're not that bad. 

[NRA4LIFE]

http://www.nwtf.org/NAWTMP/downloads/maps/Washington_Wild_Turkey_Range.pdf

Distribution map for WA turkeys.

[EDT]

If you ever go for the Grand Slam, I know of several great places to get a Gould's.  They are my favorite, I have killed several.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

If you ever go for the Grand Slam, I know of several great places to get a Gould's.  They are my favorite, I have killed several.

Unfortunately not recognized by Washington, escaped domestic are feral. County of harvest dictates specie, so region harvested in denotes recognized specie for "The Slam"
The Goulds mostly resemble Rio's, so....
For the purposes of the “Washington Slam,” subspecies are defined by county
of kill. Merriam’s: Ferry, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, Skamania,
Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima, Spokane and Stevens; Rio
Grande: all eastern Washington counties except Ferry, Klickitat,
Pend Oreille, Skamania, Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima,
Spokane and Stevens; eastern: all western Washington counties
except Klickitat and Skamania. The taking of one of each of these
subspecies constitutes a “Washington Slam.”

[MerriamMagician]

I'm going for the Washington slam this year as well. Its tough though. This will be my third consecutive attempt and the Eastern is the one the has eluded me both times 

[EDT]

If you ever go for the Grand Slam, I know of several great places to get a Gould's.  They are my favorite, I have killed several.

Unfortunately not recognized by Washington, escaped domestic are feral. County of harvest dictates specie, so region harvested in denotes recognized specie for "The Slam"
The Goulds mostly resemble Rio's, so....
For the purposes of the “Washington Slam,” subspecies are defined by county
of kill. Merriam’s: Ferry, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, Skamania,
Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima, Spokane and Stevens; Rio
Grande: all eastern Washington counties except Ferry, Klickitat,
Pend Oreille, Skamania, Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima,
Spokane and Stevens; eastern: all western Washington counties
except Klickitat and Skamania. The taking of one of each of these
subspecies constitutes a “Washington Slam.”

  I was actually talking about just what I stated, the turkey "grand" slam.  I know of several areas in Mexico and Arizona that have great Goulds turkey hunting.  Thanks for your attempt at clarification, but I was not talking about the Washington Slam. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I was actually talking about just what I stated, the turkey "grand" slam.  I know of several areas in Mexico and Arizona that have great Goulds turkey hunting.  Thanks for your attempt at clarification, but I was not talking about the Washington Slam. 

I was hung up on OP..

[turkeydancer]

For those going for a Washington slam --- there are two:    1) multi-year and 2) single year.

[kevinp16]

Question about the Washington slam. Is there a form or website you need to sign up on in order to officially document a Washington slam, or is it just proof by pictures and saying you we're able to do it in a single season?

This has been on my bucket list for some time now and would like to start focusing on it in the next few years. It would be really cool if there was a certificate or something that you get for a single season slam.

Thanks

[bradslam]

The info is on the back of the turkey pamphlet.  You have to contact the Washington State Chapter of the NWTF.