Turkey Report

[Russ McDonald]

So I have been out the last 3 weekends now.  My experience on the opening weekend wasn't the best.  They responded to calls but with hens.  Weekend before last lots of flocks vocal plenty of birds tom's with hens but I wasn't hunting was going to the Spokane NWTF banquet and scouting out property for this last weekend.  So this weekend they were vocal on the roost but silence once they hit the ground.  I had birds come in totally silent here is a link to a Wheel'in Outdoor hunt I did Saturday with success  https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,225397.msg3197761/topicseen.html#new.  Sunday I did a mentor hunt for our Women in the Outdoors and Jakes event.  Same result gobble on the roost and silence on the ground.  Nothing but quail, deer, elk and one coyote which didn't come into range for my hand gun or the ladies shotguns.  Came in around 11 and link up with other mentors that had ladies and kids out for our event.  Much of the same thing.  One mentor said he had a strutter but with his hens.  Other mentor said he had a single hen fly down in from of him but nothing else.  My opinion is that it seem to be a transitioning going on right now between hens nesting and finding toms together in bachelor groups.  I have to say I have been hunting in Stevens and Douglas county and not one tick on me.  I am thinking that the next 3 weeks might be pretty good hunting.  Go get them.

[CaNINE]

Thanks for the report Russ.  I'll be hunting 121 Thursday - Sunday.  Hopefully the birds will be vocal and willing to work.

[TheStovePipeKid]

Sounds like the story of the month Russ. The only gobble I heard after fly down was after someone cracked off a round at about 9 AM one morning. I was out second week of the season and luckily they were vocal on the roost at night and in the morning. The one I took was shortly after flydown where I placed a hen to lure him in. There were plenty of birds while I was out, hopefully everyone has some good luck.

[Yelper Guy]

My brother and I have been out twice, opening day and last Saturday.
The private ground we hunt near Colville has historically been a good producer for us over the years. This season we're seeing very little sign, and very few birds.
In past years, the drive in through the Marble Valley Basin, we would see multiple flocks, literally a hundred birds or so. Opening day we didn't see a single bird in the basin, last Saturday we saw 2 birds. Our hallowed ground is now like the "Dead Sea". We're asking ourselves was there any winter kill? We're both seasoned hunters, and have never experienced something like this.
It's good to get out in the woods, but this has been really frustrating.
We don't like tag soup!

[TriggerMike]

I think the noticeable lack of birds this year stems from the record wet Spring in the NE corner two years ago.

[Birdgetter]

  Same story here, have hunted Colville and Central Wa. and the birds aren't cooperating at all. Also not as many to work with it seems.

[Limhangerslayer]

I've seen more birds then I can remember up north.  Birds were hard too work but if you got in close you could get then in.  Called in five Jakes and two toms Saturday

[ghosthunter]

Heading out Sunday through next week. Colville.
Taking the KSG this year.
May not get a bird but bound to get some 2nd looks.

[kevinlisa06]

Heading out Sunday through next week. Colville.
Taking the KSG this year.
May not get a bird but bound to get some 2nd looks.

Good luck to ya!
Hope ya seal the deal!


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[kevinlisa06]

I've seen more birds then I can remember up north.  Birds were hard too work but if you got in close you could get then in.  Called in five Jakes and two toms Saturday

Nice Tom, congratulations to ya!


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[Birdgetter]

I've seen more birds then I can remember up north.  Birds were hard too work but if you got in close you could get then in.  Called in five Jakes and two toms Saturday

Great picture!

[Limhangerslayer]

Thanks it was my brother in laws first tom

[Bogie85]

Thanks for this report, this was my first time hunting turkey. (Only my second time hunting ever). We had the same experience, we would hear them right around 4:30-5:30 am than bam 6am nothing. They wouldn't come in, the closest we ever got was 60 yards. Saw plenty of hens on the roads, only tom's we saw were on the road and ran into private property. Since I didn't want bad karma, I decided to leave them be.

Hunting isn't easy, it's been by far the hardest thing I have ever done. Fishing by comparison is a cake walk just because you can go out so many times to fish and fail often until you find the right solution. There were TONS of birds though, we would hear at least 4 gobblers at once every time. I thought we were just failing at calling, because they wouldn't budge but would gobble back until about 6am. Than just vanish after that, thinking about driving out solo since my buddy can't go to colville again. We did hear a moose and that was pretty cool.