Westside Turkey Questions

[snoco]

I have hunted around Cle Elum - Roslyn with pretty good luck the last few years.  When I worked on the Williams Natural Gas Pipeline over there I found a few areas that usually have them.  The thing is that I'm hunting up around the 4,000' level over there and actually know what I'm looking for as far as features where they hold.  I've been researching turkey habitat for the Westside and it seems like they are just scattered around, but I think I have it figured out.  I'm hoping you guys can verify my findings and let me know if I'm on the right track.  I'm thinking the best features are high meadows, areas around reservoirs and lakes, edges of clearcuts with reprod, and abandoned DNR Roads.  Also I'm thinking that hiking way into the Wilderness areas down south might be another option to get away from the crowd and maybe see something.  Any information will be greatly appreciated.

[tonymiller7]

Westside turkeys are mythical creatures, similar to bigfoot, the lochness monster, etc.  Good luck in your search, I sure can't find them.

[turkeydancer]

I'll be doing a clinic at Cabelas - Tulalip @ 1pm - 3pm on Feb 22nd and asked to do another during their outdoors days if interested.

As far as Easterns --- if you're north of Olympia good luck -- as not many have been planted in NW Wa.  Easterns are alot quieter than the other subspecies and spring foliage can "gobble" up the sound.  You're not far off on habitat.  Look for three habitats that merge together ... (1) fairly open forest that the tom's will hang out in, (2) reprod where hens like to have their nests, and (3) forest openings (not necessarily large ones like clearcuts, but even small fields or road openings that they can fly down into when they are sure no predators are around).   Easterns also seem to be more water dependent than the other subspecies (heard it is so the hens can hydrate the eggs among other reasons, and the toms hang out close by the hens) ... usually they will be found within a few hundred yards of a fresh water source such as creeks, rivers, springs, etc (I think we have that market cornered here on the Wetside).

More Easterns are harvested around the Skookumchuck Reservoir area, but it also gets a ton of pressure especially the first several weekends.  Capitol Forest area is another place where they have been planted.  These would be closer ones to your home location.

[Wacenturion]

If you search the forum for western Washington Easterns....westside turkeys...etc., you should find a ton of stuff to keep you busy reading.  Lots of good information in older threads.  They are out there.  First you need to learn how to find them, then once that is accomplished, how to hunt them.  Two seperate adventures.     

[BOWHUNTER45]

O...its almost that time again

[kevinlisa06]

Getn closer JB! You going to Tulailup on the 22?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RadSav]

Also I'm thinking that hiking way into the Wilderness areas down south might be another option to get away from the crowd and maybe see something.

Save your legs!  Unless you just want to go for a nice hike. These days most I see are on private property eating cow turds.

I think Turkeydancer pretty much summed it up. 

Most of the easterns I've killed in Washington have had hens nested up just over a rise on south facing slope with creek and tall timber on the north side.  I walk the brush line on the south facing slope slow and quiet while remaining in the open timber. When I decide to call I'm only steps away from the thicker brush and full cover. 

I often see toms gobbling before I actually hear them.  As a result I use my binos more for turkey on the westside than I do for elk hunting westside bulls.  This brush and timber really makes it hard to hear.  Maybe TD is right and they are just quieter birds too   They always sounded loud in PA and MD when I've hunted them there, but he's the expert!   I've been observant and lucky in getting my Eastern's in Washington.  I'm definitely not a turkey expert in any way.

[turkeydancer]

Not sure TD is an expert either ... just had the Phantoms (Easterns teach me many lessons ... and merriams .... and Rios).      

[RadSav]

Not sure TD is an expert either ... just had the Phantoms (Easterns teach me many lessons ... and merriams .... and Rios).      

That seems the best way I learn.  Sometimes the only way to teach an old dog a new trick is to repeatedly beat him over the head.  Turkeys use to beat the absolute crude out of me   We've got an old double beard tom that still beats us up every year...I hate that bird   Though I will be sad when he succumbs to old age

[irishevox]

td I am hoping to be there on the 22nd... if i don;t make it will there be notes on here about it.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

What I have discovered is the need to be in the woods well before daylight, If it is dead silence, you are not late... wait for the first few robins to start singing, then you will hear them gobble from the roost, once they hit the ground.. 
They seem to vanish, but hopefully you have scouted and have a good spot to sit for the next several hours, occasionally making a few yelps....
Then when your butt is numb, and your legs are asleep, try standing up..
That loud noise you just heard was the Turkey vacating the area 

Best way I know how to find them...
One Tom I have been arguing with for a few years takes an average of 3 hours to finally come "visit", will strut out in the open, about 75 yards away just to keep me there, they don't come running like you see on TV.

Westside turkeys are mythical creatures, similar to bigfoot, the lochness monster, etc.  Good luck in your search, I sure can't find them.

[turkeydancer]

td I am hoping to be there on the 22nd... if i don;t make it will there be notes on here about it.

  Hadn't planned on any notes --- as WaCent mentioned above there are many past good posts on easterns in this forum.

Although I feel the 2 hr complete all aspects of turkey hunting seminar on Feb 22nd from 1 - 3 pm will be the best, I have been asked to do 3 additional 1 hour long seminars at Cabelas - Tulalip as follows:
Sat Mar 15th @ noon - Turkey Calling Techniques
Sat Mar 15th @ 1 pm - Turkey Hunting Techniques
Sun Mar 16th @ 2 pm - Turkey Hunting Techniques

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

If you search the forum for western Washington Easterns....westside turkeys...etc., you should find a ton of stuff to keep you busy reading.  Lots of good information in older threads.  They are out there.  First you need to learn how to find them, then once that is accomplished, how to hunt them.  Two seperate adventures. 

What ever happened to the NWTF forum, I remember my thread "Eastern Wild Turkeys and Sore Feet" went over 175 posts... 
Those were some pretty neat guys I met, even had breakfast at Hawks prairie once... Though cannot remember now who it was.. Adult onset ADD...

[turkeydancer]

I believe all of the WANWTF moved to the national website under In Your State.   BTW - I was one of those guys that met you at Hawks Prairie ..... 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]