Working on my SLAM!

[Spurdaddy]

It's that time a year again when I think that maybe this will be the year I complete my Washington State Spring Slam....and once again it comes down to finding that eastern here on the Westside. Hunted about all the known haunts that I know of....closest I got to was two or three years ago I got a running shot on the "Ghost" down in Lewis county. I used to see quite a few up in Skochumcuck but not anymore....any ideas out there and good luck!

[rosscrazyelk]

I have tried for the past 3 years to get the slam with the eastern eluding me.. those who know where they are , are pretty tight lipped. Some people share info but not to many.  I tried skookum as well. I heard one a few years ago there but never seen one. 

Good luck.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Ya , the Washington Eastern is a tough one.. Rosscrazy is correct ..the ones who live down there do better since they are there all the time and may see them more than most . Skookum is the most obvious place to look since that is one of the original releases but they have spread . Been about ten years since I have been down there ..a lot of private land which do not let you hunt ...haha go figure !

[Wacenturion]

Over a releatively short period of years the habitat base changes due to our wonderful amount of sky irrigation we get in western Washington.  If you're looking where you have seen them years ago, you're looking in all the wrong places.  Just try to recall what the area's habitat looked like when you did see them and then burn foot leather early in the year to find similar age stages of reprod, timber, etc.  They are still out there, but they move every so many years as the habitat they prefer outgrows them.  Many times they are not even that far away distance wise, but you have to look 360 degrees to find them.  If that makes sense to you.  Remember, dropping are your best friends. 

[Spurdaddy]

Thanks for the info....yes I do understand how they're habitat goes so shall they go. I have worked the Skookumchuck group for awhile. There used to be a pretty decent group there...then a few years back they(Weyerhauser) clear cut the area above the hatchery and that group disappeared. I found them again a little further over in Vail but again with the logging going on them have seemed to disappear again. I had seen them in the area below the power lines close to Johnson Creek Road and near the sawmill(where the guy would feel them) but haven't in a few years now. I'm thinking that group has probably moved on up onto the private properties in the area. Weather wise, I grew up on the east coast where all we had were easterns and we hunted them in some pretty wet and nasty conditions...they are a hardy bird. Will continue the hunt.....that's a pretty special part of all this to me anyway. Just my thoughts....

[Spurdaddy]

Spend a couple of days working an area looking for the Eastern Ghost. Found little sign and continued on knowing that there are birds in the area but they have always been hard to get into. Decided to get down closer to the creek and found an area that they have roosted before but didn't look like any real fresh sign...dropping were real old. Moved up the ridge above the creek and walked a deer trail . Found the remains of a Tom....just a little bit of carcass and a few feathers. Looks like a Bob cat or Cougar may have gotten him. Sad to see this but critters got to eat too. Knowing the birds still seem to be in the area is great. Lots of logging has been going on close by and I was afraid they would have blown out completely. Will continue the hunt...I do enjoy it!

[Elkpiss]

awesome...  looks like your having a good adventure..  I love the effort your putting in for that Eastern.. Makes me want to help ya out... PM me..

[Spurdaddy]

Yeah...been trying to tag this Eastern for a few years now! The Merriam and Rio never have been the problem...just this Ghost. Will continue the hunt....would love to see the Eastern take hold like their brothers have in on the east side. time will tell!

[Linkslice]

Try West Seattle? 

http://mynorthwest.com/294220/elusive-turkey-shows-up-on-sodo-sidewalk/

[bradslam]

Try West Seattle? 

http://mynorthwest.com/294220/elusive-turkey-shows-up-on-sodo-sidewalk/

Not sure where that turkey came from.  It isn't an Eastern.

[Whitenuckles]

 I got my Eastern 3 years ago in skagit county. I had seen them in the area a few times, so I knocked on some doors. One lady told me to kill all I could, I guess they were messing up her garden. I happily helped her out.

[The Gobble-stopper]

Yeah...been trying to tag this Eastern for a few years now! The Merriam and Rio never have been the problem...just this Ghost. Will continue the hunt....would love to see the Eastern take hold like their brothers have in on the east side. time will tell!

We all have to do our part to help the easterns along. Off and on season, shoot all predators, legally of course. There are a lot of animals out there that eat turkeys or raid nests. And educate your friends. Or people we have all heard say. "Oh yea, I saw one of those turkeys during deer season, and I shot it with my rifle" The other factor that comes into making more easterns, or any turkey for that matter. Is shooting bearded hens. I must say for the most part older bearded hens are sometimes not always fertile. They have passed their prime and although they may lay eggs, they may never have babies. Yet 1st or 2nd year bearded birds still may be fertile. Case in point. Yesterday, going after my final bird for the WA slam. A hen popped out. It had an enormous beard, and very much legal. I pulled the gun on her. And chose to wait. Now early season, one would say shoot. But I knew this late in the season, that she may have babies. Within 2 minutes. 28 little 4 or 5 day old eastern poults came out. All though making the choice not to shoot. And possibly not getting my slam. I felt really good that I waited. Lesson learned. Rios and Merriams. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh there are a lot of them . And if a long bearded hen came out early on. I would probably shoot her. Even though she might lay later on. But there are a lot of others to replace her. Easterns another story! So I head out, again to fill my last tag. Some tom somewhere, made that eastern hen preggo! Oh by the way, this is a little gem, that a little mouse whispered to me. And I saw 3 different hens full to their necks with poults.

[Elkpiss]

 ..  Good choice...  I hope you get your Eastern, you deserve it...

[lokidog]

I used to hear some up in Capitol Forest, but have not been up there for ten years.

I shot one back in the mid 90's out toward Lincoln Creek.  I think there were 17 Easterns taken that year total, maybe 1994 or 1995.

There are also some birds down in the Onalaska area, though all on private, got my first eastern with the bow there in the early 2000's, his wife hated them tearing up her garden.

[The Gobble-stopper]

I am glad I waited! "See post above" I finished my slam today. Nice eastern tom that came back to check on his wife and kiddos. Stories and pics to come. Need a couple days of sleep first. I'm tired!

[The Gobble-stopper]

I used to hear some up in Capitol Forest, but have not been up there for ten years.

I shot one back in the mid 90's out toward Lincoln Creek.  I think there were 17 Easterns taken that year total, maybe 1994 or 1995.

There are also some birds down in the Onalaska area, though all on private, got my first eastern with the bow there in the early 2000's, his wife hated them tearing up her garden.

Still birds in and around Lincoln creek. Not as many on the valley floor, they have moved higher in the hills. As for Onalaska. Still a few around the biggest groups were trapped and translocated. But there were enough left to start a new group. Lots of hidden pockets, I hunt mostly Thurston, Lewis, and Cowlitz. Allthough there are many other spots in a lot of counties. Just cheaper to drive nearby, even though it may put more miles on my feet.

[Spurdaddy]

Good call not shooting the hen with the little ones. Yes important to work on letting these numbers grow. I have never shot a hen with a beard and probably won't, just me I guess. I predator hunt year round and do my best to keep the numbers down. All in all it has been a somewhat normal season. I enjoy the chase and I guess that is really what its about. Like the wife says if you want a turkey you can get one at most any supermarket. I am sure the numbers are growing here on the westside. With so much of the human population on this side of the state I don't think the number of turkeys here will ever reach the eastside stats. Good luck to everyone these last few days of the season....Always a pleasure!......Spurdaddy