capital forest turkeys

[bow4elk]

Easterns are turning up in areas they have not been seen in past years.  I know there are birds in SW WA, as we've seen them during elk season, and I walked up on a huge Tom in December during the late elk season.  They are dark and difficult to see unless they are in the open.  Like I said in another post, I had a huge Tom come up out of the salal one morning as I got up to head into work.  I'd called him in silently to about 5 yards and NEVER heard a peep from him.  He tip-toed in and exploded when I stood up.  Nearly soiled myself  

They are around...it's all about the sign on the ground - droppings, scratching, feathers.  And no, I've never killed one.  Just slowly going insane trying  

[Wacenturion]

Turkeyman....could not agree more. 

[Gobble]

2 years ago I found the remains of a turkey carcass (feathers etc) near Kapowsin. They are in small pockets in more places than people know

[Turkeyman]

 

[Gobble]

Arent we talking about Easterns? 

[BrushChimp]

I have hunted all over out here. Know every inch of it like the back of my hand. In recent years I've scouted in Pacific county towards Raymond. I know of one, maybe two responsive toms between the county line and Raymond. That's not a huntable population if you ask me. They've been here for twenty-some years or more. How come they aren't running around everywhere like on the eastside if these Eastern do so well in mountainous, rainy conditions? If you kill one every season, GREAT! You have an awesome spot, likely private land, and are one of probably not more than 10-20 people in the WORLD that can kill an eastern in Washington state every year. But for most others, it's a lifetime achievement. After the last bird in Pe Ell was taken, I gave up on the Washington slam and haven't hunted the west side much since.

As previously posted, 100's a people will flock to one area if posted on this site or in a hunting magazine. If 100 hunters or even 10 hunters are hunting one bird then IMO there is not enough turkeys to support hunting.

Why not increase populations? Can't go without hunting them for a few years? I'm just looking at it from a management perspective. Of course, if the WDFW were to shut it down they may lose money because they wouldn't be able to market Washington Slam. And we all know all they want is money.

I still want to know why there are no more turkeys here then when they planted them. Does anyone have an answer?

[BrushChimp]

To keep this post on topic, everyone should head out to Kennedy Creek near Summit Lake. Tons of toms there. Ya know, like 3 or 4    I have heard them up on that ridge between Kennedy Creek and the lake.

[yelp]

Or LeBam! 

[Wacenturion]

I have hunted all over out here. Know every inch of it like the back of my hand. In recent years I've scouted in Pacific county towards Raymond. I know of one, maybe two responsive toms between the county line and Raymond. That's not a huntable population if you ask me. They've been here for twenty-some years or more. How come they aren't running around everywhere like on the eastside if these Eastern do so well in mountainous, rainy conditions? If you kill one every season, GREAT! You have an awesome spot, likely private land, and are one of probably not more than 10-20 people in the WORLD that can kill an eastern in Washington state every year. But for most others, it's a lifetime achievement. After the last bird in Pe Ell was taken, I gave up on the Washington slam and haven't hunted the west side much since.

As previously posted, 100's a people will flock to one area if posted on this site or in a hunting magazine. If 100 hunters or even 10 hunters are hunting one bird then IMO there is not enough turkeys to support hunting.

Why not increase populations? Can't go without hunting them for a few years? I'm just looking at it from a management perspective. Of course, if the WDFW were to shut it down they may lose money because they wouldn't be able to market Washington Slam. And we all know all they want is money.

I still want to know why there are no more turkeys here then when they planted them. Does anyone have an answer?

Lets look at the harvest data for PMU 50 Southwest General Turkey Season from 2001 to 2007.  This PMU includes   all of Region 5 and 6 , basically Thurston County south to Oregon and west to the coast , including the peninsula.  Klickitat county is not included.  It shows the harvest as follows:

2001.....47
2002.....54
2003.....52
2004.....54
2005.....56
2006.....77
2007.....86


Looking at the harvest it seems to indicate at least a stable population, if not one that is increasing over time.  This harvest is obviously not driven by pressure like say the NE, where success rates are high.....40% maybe.  Success rates on easterns run from approximately 8-19 percent, probably averaging 15%, which is about right for Easterns in many areas of the country.  However those averages elsewhere probably are driven more by overall pressure than ours.
Not like everyone is running out there to hunt these guys.
Shutting down the season would have no impact on the population, except to have additional toms around that were not harvested.  When the hens are bred.....every tom is expendable.....they are not necessary to carry on the population.  Thats if you killed them all.....WHICH is not going to happen.

[Turkeyman]

There are allot of easterns in area's that never get hunted several miles behind lock gates on public land. More birds die from old age than hunters harvest. By they way kill my birds on public timber company land. I have seen birds in area's elk hunting that i would have never thought they where in the area. We will never see birds like on the east side easterns for one don't flock up like the birds over east, and the terrain is totally different lot more brush over here. Allot of hunters walk right by them and you cant see them.

Those of use that have worked hard to get easterns in this state starting turkey chapters and raising money to by them and really understand the eastern turkey will never let it happen sorry.

[BrushChimp]

I've seen turkeys in plenty of places outside of season just to have them become unresponsive in season. Yes, I've hiked miles upon miles behind locked gates. Also, turkeys don't have to flock up for people to see them. They just have to be around to see.

As for those statistics, they are skewed. The WDFW says they are skewed in the harvest reports because people mark a turkey killed Lincoln GMU 501 when actually the turkey was killed in Lincoln. Whether that excuse has any merit or not I don't know. I do find it hard to believe that 33 turkeys were killed in 2007 in GMU 501.

[Turkeyman]

How many people do you see behind miles and miles of lock gates? How many big fields do you see behind those gates? The only people that see birds out there are loggers and the see them all the time. Like i said there is a huntable population when there is birds 10 to 20 miles back behind gates how many people are going to hunt them? I now of quit a few of those area's around here.

[yelp]

Well the mandatory reporting is far more accurate than before when it wasn't.  But lets say a percentage is misrepresented...there is still easterns being killed.  I grew up over there and if you think it is hard to hunt turkeys, it is just as hard to estimate flock sizes and population growth.  My guess is that when turkeys were initially released the acclimation to westside habitats has taken flock concentrations to suitable habitat at different times of the year.  Westside habitat grows fast and changes faster than the eastside.  I think birds may move to different areas that attract them.  Turkeys are still polygamists and even with one tom breeding a bunch of hens the population will grow, its all about ratios, survival, pressure and habitat and how they all relate.

[Turkeyman]

I love to here 5 to seven eastern's wakening up the new day with there load thunderest gobble.

[BrushChimp]

Haha.. I know every logger in this town and they DO NOT "see them all the time." It's true I don't see people miles behind lock gates in the spring. I also don't see any turkeys. I've seen sign several times but none in the last 4 years.

Sure there are easterns being killed. There probably always will be. But it won't be very many. My point exactly. The more turkeys the better.