Fall season will be much longer bag limit 4

[chuckster]

I was looking at the new regs, and the fall season is now Sep. 1st to Dec. 31st. 2 hens and 2 either sex tags. So you can now shoot 6 turkeys and up to 4 toms a year, in the NE corner. If am understanding this correctly. I really wish it was 3 in the spring and 3 in the fall. Cause I don't really hunt turkey in the fall but sure wish I could buy anouther tag right now.

[scotrobe]

That's how I read it as well. That's great news. 

I agree with you though. I wish it was 3 and 3 also.

[baldopepper]

Must be the way they want it-I notice you can buy 7 turkey tags. 

[JeffRaines]

How hard of a hunt is the late season? If the hens are anything like they are right now it'll be a slaughter.

[MerriamMagician]

I don’t hunt the fall seasons at all, the spring hunts are what I live for and I do too much big game hunting anyway to hunt them in the fall. I would urge most fall hunters to still try to target male birds. Lots of people shooting lots of hens will put a hurting on the population in a hurry.

[baldopepper]

How hard of a hunt is the late season? If the hens are anything like they are right now it'll be a slaughter.

It's not really even a hunt the last part of the season-it's just a harvest.  I agree with the Magician, for the sake of the turkeys I hope most will target Toms.  It could be a real slaughter if everyone takes advantage of the large flocks you see in December and whacks 4 hens.

[jasnt]

This will make some land owners happy that I know. Only time I hunt fall or late is farms having troubles with them.

[Gobble Doc]

This isn't a good thing for the birds on state land and other public access. 

[BPturkeys]

Not to worry, NE Washington has seen many many more nasty winter kills than what will happen this fall and the birds have survived just fine. Maybe this little extra harvest will be just a few less birds to die a normal winter kill death. One thing for certain, fall/winter birds sure do eat good...nice, fat and juzzie

[kevinlisa06]

Haven’t hunted the fall season in bout 10yrs. Not my thing I prefer Spring season that’s when it’s fun. Don’t care for the new rule, could be a slaughter over in the NE on the birds. The farms my dad hunts over in the NE had a lot of birds on them but over the years the population has been manages and back in balance, they took 4 Toms this Spring. Last fall I believe they took 3 or 4 hens. Management is key we don’t need a slaughter.


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[jasnt]

Haven’t hunted the fall season in bout 10yrs. Not my thing I prefer Spring season that’s when it’s fun. Don’t care for the new rule, could be a slaughter over in the NE on the birds. The farms my dad hunts over in the NE had a lot of birds on them but over the years the population has been manages and back in balance, they took 4 Toms this Spring. Last fall I believe they took 3 or 4 hens. Management is key we don’t need a slaughter.


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the flocks I see in ne you ain’t making a dent with out double digits numbers!  Fall and winter season we see flocks of 200-300 birds.  The locals refer to them as feathered rats

[bigtex]

Haven’t hunted the fall season in bout 10yrs. Not my thing I prefer Spring season that’s when it’s fun. Don’t care for the new rule, could be a slaughter over in the NE on the birds. The farms my dad hunts over in the NE had a lot of birds on them but over the years the population has been manages and back in balance, they took 4 Toms this Spring. Last fall I believe they took 3 or 4 hens. Management is key we don’t need a slaughter.


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the flocks I see in ne you ain’t making a dent with out double digits numbers!  Fall and winter season we see flocks of 200-300 birds.  The locals refer to them as feathered rats

And many of those same locals deny people from hunting their property. 

[The Gobble-stopper]

I don’t hunt the fall seasons at all, the spring hunts are what I live for and I do too much big game hunting anyway to hunt them in the fall. I would urge most fall hunters to still try to target male birds. Lots of people shooting lots of hens will put a hurting on the population in a hurry.

  I agree, unless you are down on your luck and your belly is really aching for a meal. Save the hens for layin eggs. Do the sport, shoot toms and preserve our future... And have fun

[Hangfire]

There is almost no pressure in the fall season now. Local farmers shoot on site when they get on hay stack. Dairy farmers can not have poultry on location, when they don't drive off they shoot. The cost of tags is limiting factor. Once snow falls it is not unusual to see flocks of 400 hens around building. If things do get out of hand the following year seasons can change

[jasnt]

Haven’t hunted the fall season in bout 10yrs. Not my thing I prefer Spring season that’s when it’s fun. Don’t care for the new rule, could be a slaughter over in the NE on the birds. The farms my dad hunts over in the NE had a lot of birds on them but over the years the population has been manages and back in balance, they took 4 Toms this Spring. Last fall I believe they took 3 or 4 hens. Management is key we don’t need a slaughter.


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the flocks I see in ne you ain’t making a dent with out double digits numbers!  Fall and winter season we see flocks of 200-300 birds.  The locals refer to them as feathered rats

And many of those same locals deny people from hunting their property. 

not the locals I help out. The roost trees have a 15’ circle of turkey carp 12” deep!

[scotrobe]

The birds on the east side are becoming a nuisance which is the reason for the increased bag limits. I’ll be there. 😀🦃


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[tgomez]

More turkey nuggets and target practice.  More animals to hunt in the fall,  yes!!! 🎯

[nwwanderer]

Please help lobby WDFW for a four turkey tag 'pack', fall hunt for, $20, yes they are an expensive problem and a risk to themselves at such high populations.

[Hangfire]

I talked to local and Olympia Bio's at public meetings,  about that very thing this past winter (punch card). There seemed to be people within the agency in support of a multiple bird tag at about $20.  They all agreed the current price to high for the fall season. The high price is limiting hunting in fall.  We do not have near the hunting pressure we used to have. All the agents I talked to said this past years survival is the best they have ever seen.

[baldopepper]

Might not appeal to some locals, but I know of several out of state people who would love to come take advantage of our high population density of turkeys in the NE but feel the out of state lic. tag price is just too high. Since many residents dont' seem to want to chase them anymore it might be economically sound to lure in some out of state money with an inviting lic. cost.. 

[Wacenturion]

I don’t hunt the fall seasons at all, the spring hunts are what I live for and I do too much big game hunting anyway to hunt them in the fall. I would urge most fall hunters to still try to target male birds. Lots of people shooting lots of hens will put a hurting on the population in a hurry.

Exactly.  Be careful what you wish for and think is such a great deal.  Most at WDFW hate turkeys and if they had their choice would get rid of every last one of them.  Just a way of hoping they can reduce numbers.  As MM said....shot males only.  Lead hens are the flock's built in safety.  Flock goes where they lead them.  They are also productive birds as they are proven nesters.  Males are always excess.

[Wacenturion]

Haven’t hunted the fall season in bout 10yrs. Not my thing I prefer Spring season that’s when it’s fun. Don’t care for the new rule, could be a slaughter over in the NE on the birds. The farms my dad hunts over in the NE had a lot of birds on them but over the years the population has been manages and back in balance, they took 4 Toms this Spring. Last fall I believe they took 3 or 4 hens. Management is key we don’t need a slaughter.


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the flocks I see in ne you ain’t making a dent with out double digits numbers!  Fall and winter season we see flocks of 200-300 birds.  The locals refer to them as feathered rats

And many of those same locals deny people from hunting their property. 

Exactly.

[birdmanwa]

I talked to local and Olympia Bio's at public meetings,  about that very thing this past winter (punch card). There seemed to be people within the agency in support of a multiple bird tag at about $20.  They all agreed the current price to high for the fall season. The high price is limiting hunting in fall.  We do not have near the hunting pressure we used to have. All the agents I talked to said this past years survival is the best they have ever seen.

I think the price of turkey tags is a joke. I love turkey hunting but it's dumb to pay around $20 a tag for a spring bird let paying $20 for a fall bird. Butterballs still taste better.  This state doesn't care about turkeys but like when people buy licenses. I don't see the fall hunting hurting the population. The weather during nesting will has a bigger effect but I don't like the idea of September 1st opener. The polts are still tiny.

The population in the NE is rebounding but it's not like it was pre 07/08.

[Moe the Sleaze]

The state would sell a lot more Turkey tags if they did not require a small-game license to do so.  We should be able to buy them with our big-game licenses.  The cost of a small game license is what becomes prohibitive, not the Turkey tags themselves.

[Ghost Hunter]

Moved Klickitat into the General season, which leaves 2 special draw choices.

[HookedOnQuack]

I don’t hunt the fall seasons at all, the spring hunts are what I live for and I do too much big game hunting anyway to hunt them in the fall. I would urge most fall hunters to still try to target male birds. Lots of people shooting lots of hens will put a hurting on the population in a hurry.

This is exactly what happened in the area of Idaho we deer hunt. Several years ago they opened it up during the fall for either sex and multiple birds. We used to see hundreds while out deer hunting and that following year you were lucky to see double digits in a week. That didnt last long before they put an end to it and the population has rebounded nicely but far too many people were just driving roads and slaughtereing birds that were all packed in under the trees out of the snow

[ribka]

Reminds me ofWDFW’s management of the once plentiful mule
Deer in the state

Kill Most of the mule deer  does by
Issuing extra tags then wonder why deer numbers are down dramatically

In a few years the ones who want to shoot multiple turkeys every year will come on here and complain about the
Reduction in turkeys

Anyone else see a pattern?

[Russ McDonald]

Not going to be a long season.  Now required that you wear hunter orange during anyone the is a general rifle season going on.  Huge beacon saying I am right here turkey.  So that would break the season up if you ask me.

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[jasnt]

I killed my #2 Tom this year wearing hunters orange. Came right in to 15 yards and never seen me

[BPturkeys]

Not going to be a long season.  Now required that you wear hunter orange during anyone the is a general rifle season going on.  Huge beacon saying I am right here turkey.  So that would break the season up if you ask me.

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Most people...certainly not all.. road hunt or hide in blinds anyway so wearing hunter orange won't make even a little difference in the harvest number. And I am not so sure color of clothing really makes that much difference as long as your face is covered and you hold still...but must admit, never actually hunted turkeys in blaze orange...have you Russ?

[Russ McDonald]

Nope I haven't.  Turkey eye sight is pretty good and from I am told they can see color to.  The blind I use alot but even though I was camo head to toe the sun was shining in my face and the turkey spotted me.  As far as the turkey coming into while wearing hunter orange.  Must have been a dumb bird

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[jasnt]

I’ve killed many birds with out camo or face cover.  Never have used a face cover.  Movement is more important than camo. 90% public land birds

[BPturkeys]

Turkeys see their environment differently than people. They respond to their visual world based upon threat avoidance learned over time and passed on from their mothers. Identifying a certain color as "danger" does not exist in this learned system. What is really happening is that certain colors may be more visible to them(as with us) and enables them to notice the real "danger" sign to them...movement.
This is why turkeys will walk right up to a blind, or car, or building without fear...it does not move. I do believe turkeys notice  unusual things in their environment and do stop, stare and watch for movement, but react based upon any movement rather than color or shape.
Now, it might just be my imagination, but it seems to me that turkeys can somehow sense danger in a way we don't understand. Ever had a turkey go into that "danger" mode when you know you have not been seen. Of course you have. They can't smell you, they can't see you, and yet something has tipped them off...any ideas??   

[jasnt]

One thing to remember is turkeys can see uva light. We can not. You could be reflecting uva light and have no clue.   I have seen birds that almost seen to have that sixth sense.  We may never know what sets them off.

I think the population can handle the added bag limits at least in my areas,117,124,121.  This fall season is when folks need to be knocking on doors and asking permission. This is when the turkeys really start to be a Nuisance to land owners. Much easier to get permission for the spring hunt when you help the land owner with fall problems.

Targeting toms is fine when Tom to hen ratios are good. But if there are way more hens than toms then there’s no competition and toms won’t be coming ing in to calls in the spring as they will have plenty of hens to tend right in front of them.  Need to keep these ratios in balance.   
As stated above the winter kill prob takes way more birds than hunters do!  May as well take the surplus animals before Mother Nature does.

[bearpaw]

I hope they didn't make too substantial of an increase all at once. I think they should have made it private land only for a couple years to see if that would help move birds off the areas where problems are are caused. By placing all this pressure on public land birds it might cause a very negative impact for public land hunters in the long run.

[Gobble Doc]

I hope they didn't make too substantial of an increase all at once. I think they should have made it private land only for a couple years to see if that would help move birds off the areas where problems are are caused. By placing all this pressure on public land birds it might cause a very negative impact for public land hunters in the long run.

Agreed


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[jasnt]

I hope they didn't make too substantial of an increase all at once. I think they should have made it private land only for a couple years to see if that would help move birds off the areas where problems are are caused. By placing all this pressure on public land birds it might cause a very negative impact for public land hunters in the long run.

Agreed


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ill second that! 

[tgomez]

How hard of a hunt is the late season? If the hens are anything like they are right now it'll be a slaughter.

It's not really even a hunt the last part of the season-it's just a harvest.  I agree with the Magician, for the sake of the turkeys I hope most will target Toms.  It could be a real slaughter if everyone takes advantage of the large flocks you see in December and whacks 4 hens.

I agree I hope people target Toms.  Hens don't have any meat on them anyways. 😂 

[Jimmer]

I don’t think it will effect a thing.. I watch Turkeys every year multiply like crazy without a real predator threat. I also believe most local hunters could give two craps about shooting a hen. What fun is that?? I’ve hunted turkeys for over 25 years and I only go out now to take someone who’s interested. Kinda lost the challenge and fun for me, like shooting fish in and barrel. I say if west siders want to burn fuel for a few hens, have at it. I’ve seen the same flock by my house almost double in size every year. Watch each hen with 5-7 chicks grow to adulthood. I say blaze away