turkey questions

[OneHorn]

I bicycle for birds in western Wa.  I was basically talking about the guys that will 2 or 4 wheel around locked gates that say no motor vehicles past this point ... watched easterns start putting and heading for cover 5 minutes before I heard the vehivle and 10 minutes before they arrived  ... not only cost me a few chances at easterns in the past, but costs these "oblivious" people everytime they do it ... heck, I'm 58 years old and still enjoy the walk or bicycle ride ... I'm just saying get off or out of the motorized vehicles and enjoy a real hunt   
[/quote]

Couldnt have said it better

[NWTFhunter]

When I find unattended vehicles in places that they are prohibited, for some reason they either have flat tires or missing plug wires....... Crazy isnt it ?

[buck470]

I know a guy that carries side cutters, they work great on Valve stems!

[NWTFhunter]

Pruners do toooooooo

[arintime]

HMMM! That sucks! No, I carry these pruners to clean my bird !

[NWTFhunter]

Ya it does suck for anyone who leaves their unauthorized vehicles where they are not supposed to be and they come back to find it in such a condition.

Sorry if that offends anyone....... just adhear to the rules and I suppose it wouldnt happen huh ?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

In my experiences with turkey they are creatures of habit. Year after year they roost in the same trees and eat in the same fields and strut down the same openings. Now that being said there are way more factors that are usually involved. Scouting will help but you just never know what that tom will decide to do when he wakes up and flys down. Thats the fun thing about turkey hunting. You gotta be ready to improvise.

I would say make a trip over and scout em out real quick, NO CALLING or MESSING with them. Just watch like others have said. My guess is you will find that they are still there.

Good luck!!!
[/quote]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I am having a problem with easterns near my home (Centralia) I locate them one day, I dont call or even try to get close enough to take a picture, then I go back and they are nowhere to be found and the search starts again.

[highclimber]

My Dad is 68 years old a family man. Served his country in the Military. Has taken my brother and my son and myself hunting our whole lives. We use to hike in five to six miles for a week and hunt. Eight years ago he had need replacement but it didn't slow him down. Than 3 years ago he had a heart attack and a stroke. He lives to go hunting so I bought one of those yamaha rhino. The game department lets him in some areas. So I take him hunting for four days a year. I don't use it for myself. He probably won't be able to do this much longer but if he can I will take him. I would hate to come back to the motorized vehicle and find it damaged and have to go for help. Just my two cents.

[NWTFhunter]

Well if you take that into an area that is restricted to motorized vehicles, your breaking the law..... I dont have a problem with ATV's in areas that they are authorized.... You take it where it isnt allowed and there are a lot of guys out there that are going to show their dislike for you driving in an area that is restricted.
There is one place that I hunt that has a road specifically for them.  But non the less we see *censored*es taking them on roads they are prohibited on. And you better believe we call the sherif if we see them riding behind locked gates. If they are dumb enough to get off of them and leave them alone you bet they get the message !

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

 

[turkeydancer]

We have areas specially designated for diabled hunters and I know these are great areas with ample game (usually better than where we hunt).  We do not have a problem with that, and I probably would not say anything to older or obviously diabled hunters behind the other gates myself ... but that's not who we are talking about ... it's the ones that just feel the laws do not apply to them.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I still dont see what this has to do with topic of TURKEY QUESTIONS, I dont like motorized vehicles behind gates any more than the next guy, but I can find them . It is turkeys I want to find. So can we please talk about turkeys?

[OneHorn]

Hey STIKNSTRINGBOW if you dont like what there talkin about how bout you just not say anything and that way arguements dont start.

[carvermoe]

sticknstringbow,Thanks for the ideas,and stickn to the question.This subject I guess brings up a lot of personal feelings and opinions.Remember though everyone,we are doing it for the same reason.Hunting! I do it,respectfully,ethical,and legal

[yelp]

This all got off topic when someone mentioned road hunters...Road hunting without permission is the problem...lots of guys don't know where they are at.  We road hunt with permission...from all of the landowners..we use our vehicles ethically we don't chase down game and we respect others in whatever we do. 

If you are on public land..ethics should come into play.  I talk with lots of hunters over the years and many of them have no idea where they are at...they don't know how to read maps properly and some don't care.  I take it upon myself to know where our boundaries are and where we can hunt on every piece we get permission or lease.  I run off trespassers every year who think they are public land.  I hate calling the sheriff but sometimes its necessary. 

Now I can only speak from my experiences and I place no judgement on anyone on this forum...I believe most sportsman are ethical and there are a few guys that don't care at all. 

On example is an area on public land that I hunted for several years...I saw lots of people every year.  Many of the guys hunting I talked to were new to turkey hunting.  Many of the camps brought trail bikes, motorcycles, ATV's..all legal to use.  Every morning they would drive up the long gravel road up to the top of the mountain and hunt or trail hunt looking for the unexpected quarry.  Every morning I would wake up to the fleet taking off in all directions..I would gather my stuff and step outside and listen..after the echoes disipated...a gobble.  I walked 300 yards from my trailer and called in a tom and killed it.  Brought it back and hung it up.  2 hours later the fleet would come back to the camping area...with nothing..they all come over and look at the turkey I killed and asked where I got it...

I would always start out with You aren't going to believe me..but.  I trained a lot of new turkey hunters out of that camp for years.  I trained them on woodsmanship, how to read sign, scratchings, habitat, roosting sites, calling, etc... They didn't know they were driving by several Hot spots to get to another and the turkeys would move back and away form the disturbed areas.  Some of the guys returned over the years and many started killing more birds because they were understanding the habits and habitat that these turkeys used.  Nothing was wrong with what they were doing but they weren't using what they were doing effectively.  I did this several times...I had hunted this area and knew where most birds liked to be..I think I killed 6-8 birds out of that camp the furthest being 1/2 mile.

This forum should be used to gain knowledge and share ideas.   I believe if you use atvs or motorcycles don't just drive around, but stop every once in ahwhile and do some calling, etc...Remember that you may run into a hunter that just walked his butt off and you come riding by.  HE may get upset but both should realize that neither knew eachother was there.  I have seen this happen with boot hunters too... camo clad hunters hunting the same public land....Ten guys around the same roost tree...You never know where or who is in the woods...sounds spooky...  

You want spooky.... I was working a bird one year on public land...the tom was getting closer but had hens... I was calling for some friends who were in front of me...I felt a tap on my left shoulder    A Fort Lewis Army Ranger had just tapped me on the shoulder to let me know he thought I was a turkey...I said Thanks as the *censored* rolled down my leg...I said hows it going..he said I thought you were a turkey...Oh....I then asked him if I could call..he said yeah I 'll get out of here..good job..later.. and left..   That was kinda creepy..

Sorry if I got off topic here guys...I just wanted to comment 

Yelp out.