capital forest turkeys

[Houndhunter]

i was up in capital forest on mon, and ran into some turkeys believe it or not. i've never seen a turkey there before nor heard of them being round there. the only ones i knew of round here were ones out in vail and a small band at kennedy creek. anyways i was wondering if any one else has seen some there or if anyone might have any info about where they might have came from?

[NWTFhunter]

Yes there are turkey there !  Bet you a dollar you wont find them come spring....LOL
They just disapear on you when your searching for them from the back end of your gun.
There was a great number of them out around Pe Elle not long ago, and one day poof... I couldnt find one to save my life... Found sign from time to time, but couldt put my eyes on a bird !

[Houndhunter]

huh, i saw 3 of them wonder where they go in the spring

[strutnrut1984]

i hunted in there a few days last season couldnt locate any found some scratchings but they were old

[Curly]

I've seen them up there on a few occasions.  The first time was about 10 years ago and the last time was 2 years ago.  I suspect that WDFW planted some in CF, but I don't know for sure.  There are quite a few in the Lincoln unit as well.

[Wacenturion]

I've seen them up there on a few occasions.  The first time was about 10 years ago and the last time was 2 years ago.  I suspect that WDFW planted some in CF, but I don't know for sure.  There are quite a few in the Lincoln unit as well.

WDFW released easterns throughout the Capitol Forest back in the late 90's to 2000.  Couple hundred birds total over a span of 2-3 years.  Releases were also occuring in other areas....i.e. Mason County, Kennedy Creek etc.
Hard to find ...but remember 90,000 plus acres in the Capitol Forest and even with reproduction....not many birds per sq. mile, density wise.  Also where you have people and traffic, these areas will be avoided by these birds.  Great sighting though......fun birds to hunt....tuff but fun.  Get good at taking westside easterns and you'll find hunting Rio's and Merriams on the eastside is about as difficult as buying a bird at Safeway.

[yelp]

Capitol Forest?  Isn't that something...them things are everywhere!      I love it!

[PacificNWhunter]

I used to live on Summit Lake, which is pretty close to the HWY 8 entrance to Rock Candy Mountain. I noticed that during the spring there would be a few turkeys that would show up on the Summit Lake rd near the antique shop. There's a bunch of property that runs from the road down to the HWY, seemed to be a real transition area for everything, turkeys, deer and bear. They logged the hill side right before I moved so I don't know how much that has changed the wildlife activity. I've never saw them up on CF though.

[Rowdy]

Don't mean to hi-jack the thread but how often do you guys see grouse in the CF?  15-20 years ago when I was a teen, I used to have few honey holes where I was pretty much guaranteed birds.  Went up there a couple times this fall (it's been atleast 10 years) and I couldn't find a bird.  It looks a whole lot different up there compared to 10-15 years ago.  Seems to get a lot more use, not saying it's a bad thing just a little surprised.

Jake

[Curly]

Jake, grouse numbers are way down from what they used to be from what I've seen.

(It's probably those damn turkeys eating all the grouse food. )

[yelp]

Here we go... ... most turkeys and grouse rarely coexist in the same types of habitat.  Back east where native populations of Easterns exist they coexist with ruffed grouse.  In South Dakota Merriams coexist with prairie grouse.  Grouse populations are cyclical and there will be low years and high.  You also got to remember the CF is heavily hunted by the public. 

[bow4elk]

when I spoke with the WDFW years ago, they said they didn't know they were in CF.  They said they released them 20 some odd miles from where I saw them.  Glad to know they are taking root, as they usually do.

[KillBilly]

BTKR chased an Emu around up there one day.   Tasty it was.... not really.

[bow4elk]

The animals in CF are starting to think that shot up TV's and matresses are normal wildlife habitat 

[yelp]

I grew up hunting the CF..It has changed a lot.  I enjoyed going through the forest to get to Grandpas house in Littlerock.  Creek fishing and duck hunting in Waddell Creek.  Duck hunting Black Lake...Now you got to be careful of tweekers, potheads, skinheads, gang bangers, etc...Houses everywhere...I get pissed just thinking about it.