NE Turkey Opener

[noffles]

Hey fellow WA hunters. I wanted to see if anyone else had a similar plan or wants to meet up, hang out in camp, etc. No pressure to hunt together but I'm open to whatever.

I am planning on bringing my travel trailer to the NE (from Bellingham) for the Turkey opener and staying out there until I bag a bird. My tentative plan is to "base camp" in the Kettle Falls area and hunt the 101. I'll have internet with me so I can get work done when I'm not walking around or laying on the ground.


Me:
I'm a 29 year old guy living in Bellingham. I'm new to hunting but motivated and into the DIY public land thing, and safety of course. I don't know any hunters so I've mostly been on my own. I got into it at the end of November and spent a lot of time hunting Grouse with some success, then I hunted Waterfowl when that season ended. Now I'm bored and very much looking forward to Turkey season.

[konradcountry]

Which day are you leaving?

[Nededog]

I’m new to the PNW, I’ve hunted turkeys on the east coast with shotgun.  This spring will be my first WA turkey hunt.  I’m definitely down to tag along, I’m 33 married and living in NE Tacoma.  Still working on getting a shotgun otherwise I’ll be slinging my bow through a Tom.  Pm me if you are still going.

[ctwiggs1]

If you're going to be in the KF area and want to learn turkeys, I would give Buck Canyon Lodge a call and talk to Rick.  He's extremely knowledgeable on the local turkey populations and can probably give you some good tips.  In the past he did some semi-guiding at a reasonable rate as well.  I've always told people if you're going to take a guided trip, turkey is a GREAT way to go because you can learn a LOT in one trip and it's not too expensive.

Either way, you'll have a boatload of birds in your vicinity.  Good luck!   

[noffles]

If you're going to be in the KF area and want to learn turkeys, I would give Buck Canyon Lodge a call and talk to Rick.  He's extremely knowledgeable on the local turkey populations and can probably give you some good tips.  In the past he did some semi-guiding at a reasonable rate as well.  I've always told people if you're going to take a guided trip, turkey is a GREAT way to go because you can learn a LOT in one trip and it's not too expensive.

Either way, you'll have a boatload of birds in your vicinity.  Good luck!   

Thanks for the tip! Glad to hear that's where the turkeys are.

I will likely be heading out the Saturday or Sunday before opener.

[jennabug]

If you're going to be in the KF area and want to learn turkeys, I would give Buck Canyon Lodge a call and talk to Rick.  He's extremely knowledgeable on the local turkey populations and can probably give you some good tips.  In the past he did some semi-guiding at a reasonable rate as well.  I've always told people if you're going to take a guided trip, turkey is a GREAT way to go because you can learn a LOT in one trip and it's not too expensive.

Either way, you'll have a boatload of birds in your vicinity.  Good luck!   

Rick is a fantastic guy. 

[hunter399]

You better bring your snowshoes .HAHAHA

[asmith]

You better bring your snowshoes .HAHAHA

And that's no joke!

[Sea Axe]

Hey, I'm also a new hunter from Bellingham.  I don't think I'm going to make it over for Turkeys until the first full week of May, and I will probably start in SE trying the Snake before heading up to NE if I don't find turkeys down there.  I'll keep you in mind, if not for turkeys maybe we can meet up for Ducks next season in Whatcom County!

[Parasite]

If you're still up that way the weekend after opener, I'll try and make it up there and swing on by.

[Tracker0721]

For any of you guys planning to come this way, there’s tons of turkey along the Columbia and most guys consider them a pest over there, don’t be afraid to knock on doors! The kettle crest got some snow but a bit lower I’ve found lots of birds. Also it’s lake Roosevelt National REC AREA. So you can hunt any NPS land and a couple years ago I think they changed it so you can be within 500 FEET of a campground. Meaning a ton of great spots are opened up! Take the old inchelium highway or highway 25 and just look for em. Not real early, think my crew would see most around 8:30-9. Or when I drove truck I’d be down inchelium highway from like 7-8:30 making stops and the turkeys were around every corner. If you wanna come over the hill(to Republic side)for smaller flocks and some more interesting hunts I’d be glad to take a new hunter!

[ctwiggs1]

For any of you guys planning to come this way, there’s tons of turkey along the Columbia and most guys consider them a pest over there, don’t be afraid to knock on doors! The kettle crest got some snow but a bit lower I’ve found lots of birds. Also it’s lake Roosevelt National REC AREA. So you can hunt any NPS land and a couple years ago I think they changed it so you can be within 500 FEET of a campground. Meaning a ton of great spots are opened up! Take the old inchelium highway or highway 25 and just look for em. Not real early, think my crew would see most around 8:30-9. Or when I drove truck I’d be down inchelium highway from like 7-8:30 making stops and the turkeys were around every corner. If you wanna come over the hill(to Republic side)for smaller flocks and some more interesting hunts I’d be glad to take a new hunter!

That's a great offer, good on you

[baldopepper]

Kind of a weird year around me. Not seeing birds in the usual places and seeing some in places I've not really seen them before. Also seeing flocks of 20-30 birds with 3-4 toms and then seeing the usual 5-6 with only 1 Tom. Really seem to be henned up and moving around, kind of a here today gone tomorrow thing. Only been up higher a time or two (still too cold and muddy up there for an old dude like me) but didn't see many birds up there anyway. Seems to me like there"re pretty quiet overall, not hearing them going crazy on the roost, but then seeing them fly down with no noise.  Kinda strange.  Again, still a lot of deer down along hwy 25-gotta drive carefully. Fishing has been good on the lake if you get bored chasing birds

[MtnMuley]

For any of you guys planning to come this way, there’s tons of turkey along the Columbia and most guys consider them a pest over there, don’t be afraid to knock on doors! The kettle crest got some snow but a bit lower I’ve found lots of birds. Also it’s lake Roosevelt National REC AREA. So you can hunt any NPS land and a couple years ago I think they changed it so you can be within 500 FEET of a campground. Meaning a ton of great spots are opened up! Take the old inchelium highway or highway 25 and just look for em. Not real early, think my crew would see most around 8:30-9. Or when I drove truck I’d be down inchelium highway from like 7-8:30 making stops and the turkeys were around every corner. If you wanna come over the hill(to Republic side)for smaller flocks and some more interesting hunts I’d be glad to take a new hunter!

Just make sure you know where the reservation boundary is on the Inchelium highway.