First timers turkey planning

[baldopepper]

Birds I see early in the morning may be 10 miles away come evening. 

Oh come on.

Had a nice tom (missing two tail feathers when he fanned out) along with a couple of Jake's and some hens that came out below my house on Lake Roosevelt every morning for a couple of weeks. Didn't think much of it when they didn't show one morning until I spotted them the next morning (easy to notice those missing tail feathers) at the top of Harvey Creek road. Approximately 12 miles from my place.  According to the NWTF Merriam turkeys can and do migrate over 40 miles from their winter areas.

[buckfvr]

The april 15 opener instead of april 1st, allows that 60% of hens are bred by the opener.  Hunting turks when its cold and rainy is no kind of fun.  Watch the weather, Ive hunted all types over the years and can say for the opener, the most fun and enjoyable hunts Ive had were in south east, not north east, purely because of way better weather down south.

Not trying to send anyone south to keep the north east for myself, dont even hunt the dumb annoying pests anymore..........you live with them, you see them for what they are.

[kevinlisa06]

Practice practice practice shooting your bows and know where to hit Turkeys. Learn to use a Box call and maybe a Pot call. Download OnX on your phone and use it for hunting and finding a camp site. Be in the woods way before sun up and put the birds to bed each night. Have fun!


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[konradcountry]

Ticks are gonna be really bad this year.

I would wear high boots if you plan on tromping through the woods.

[Tracker0721]

First off, Magnus bullheads are the only thing you need to be practicing with come March. Shoot a pillow- watch the YouTube videos put up. A broadhead in the chest doesn’t compare to a bullhead anywhere from chest to head. Really opens up the vitals.

2nd- if I’m not working and you guys want turkeys I’ll guide you around republic/curlew areas. I’ve got 1 farmer so far who has about 200 birds wrecking his cows grain pile and he wants all of them gone. The other birds are all up in the mountains and have never been called to it seems. It’s fun for sure. Butttt I may be gone come April in which case Colville/addy area would be best.

[baldopepper]

Ticks are gonna be really bad this year.

I would wear high boots if you plan on tromping through the woods.

Been using Sawyer Tick spray for the last few years. Spray your clothes and boots the night before hunting. Haven't had a problem since we've been using it. Also seemed to have noticed hunters wearing the micro fiber (furry type stuff) have more problems than other type outfits. 

[shorthair15]

Well I’m got my stuff ready just need to pattern my shotgun. Picked up a decoy a hen not sure if it will help or not need to do some scouting going to go east to chewelah area to national forest for a few days of scouting soon. Just posting here as the season is approaching soon. No seminars down here where I live.

[jstone]

So Will turkeys roost in the same area as last year? I found a flock roosting last year.

[Big game archer]

So Will turkeys roost in the same area as last year? I found a flock roosting last year.

Depends, some of the public land that I hunt is very unpredictable for roost locations from year to year. Private areas near farmland tend to be more predictable imo. Fall roosting areas and spring roosting areas often differ. For the most part, as long as there haven't been any major habitat changes, you should find birds on the same properties year after year. Iv'e found that later in the season, they will start to spread out a little more and roost in odd areas, as all the toms are looking for the few unbred hens.

[Cab]

I've posted this before so here is what I've told other newbies:

-Scouting before season is key, if you can find sign or hear birds at least you know where they are. If you can't locate birds or don't know where they are simply get up early(5amish) and when you hear ravens/crows talking you know turkeys should be talking(hike until you hear a turkey). See if you can locate them or their general area you're in business. If you do find where they are but can't get them to play ball GO BACK the next day. turkeys do the same thing pretty much everyday at that part of the year. I got busted one morning, went back the next day and the group of jakes came right in as last time but this time I was ready.(doubled up that morning)
-Face masks are your friend, be covered head to toe in camo and DO NOT MOVE turkeys have incredible eye sight.
-Get there early preferably the day before you want to hunt so you can see whats going on(with people and birds).
-LISTEN at sunset, sometimes the toms will talk a little bit and you can locate them for the next morning!
-Ticks wise I personally have not had too many on me but that's purely because I spray down with permethrin spray(READ THE INSTRUCTIONS some sprays state to NOT spray on clothing that will be against the skin, follow this).
-Slate calls and Box calls are my personal favorites don't worry about diaphragm calls if your new, focus on hunting location since that is much more important. I called in a tom my first day turkey hunting ever and it was on a cheap box call and I had almost no idea what I was doing.
- On that note DO NOT CALL TO MUCH! number 1 thing new people do that they shouldn't, call once if you get a response wait at least 15-20 mins. That Tom knows where you are and is going to usually come in slow. It can take an hour to get a tom to come in 100 yards. Remember you are trying to get this Tom to go against the normal practice of mating. normally he calls and SHE comes to him so playing hard to get can help. I've had bird stay in the same spot gobbling over and over and only until I learned to make them look for me was I able to kill birds.
-Terrain, generally speaking turkeys if nervous prefer to walk UP hill rather than down.(they can turn and kick off the hill side to fly away)
-Weather effects birds, birds can be moody and day to day change how much they call but generally I have noticed ESPECIALLY when it's foggy or poor visibility they won't talk at all. Don't get frustrated, they're around just not talking.
-Decoys are a must in my eyes, go ahead and get the super cheap foam ones they work just fine and actually are much easier to pack.I run just a lone hen as I've had jacks get super nervous around jake decoys and not come in. Decoys are meant so that the Tom has something to focus on, if you don't have one he will be looking around a lot more meaning he can spot you or you moving a lot easier. Place decoys about 20 yards from you and have the backside facing the direction you want him to come in. I've heard, in the morning that Toms like to come in with the sun at their back because it will show off their tail feathers to a mate. place it in a way so that he has to walk PAST you, I also like to have a tree he will go by and that allows me to pull my gun up.
- If you're going to get another call I would get a crow call as a locator call. They are natural enemies and crows/ravines have done wonders for me while running and gunning. I use a simple roll out blind and a butt pad with my pack which has 1 foam hen rolled up. if you use a locator call or any call be in cover of some sort, bird can pop out of no where.
-Morning time is talking time, around 9-10ish hens go off to lay an egg so some birds will start talking again. I personally if I haven't heard anything like to run and gun to locate birds to set up on plus it's more exciting.
-Finally learn how to identify Morels and bring a bag to pick some, it's one of the best parts of turkey hunting because you don't have to go home empty handed. It's almost as fun as turkey hunting honestly and when the birds can't be found or heard it's a great way to stay positive!
-If you can't find birds or Morels, just shed hunt like I do. Might as well since you're out there.

Hope this helps and if you want any other tips feel free to PM me, I'd be happy to help. Turkey hunting is wonderful, frustrating and incredibly challenging.....welcome to the long beard addiction

[one more]

Cab, that is the most detailed turkey hunting class I have ever heard or read, and I've heard and read a lot.  I will read it again just before April 15th to prepare for my hunt.

The only thing I'll add for hunting the East side is if you see a lot of birds in a plowed field, that rancher may want them gone.  Wear street clothes when you ask permission to hunt.  They may have family or friends waiting to hunt, if so ask if they know of any other rancher needing help.

Diane

[Cab]

Cab, that is the most detailed turkey hunting class I have ever heard or read, and I've heard and read a lot.  I will read it again just before April 15th to prepare for my hunt.

The only thing I'll add for hunting the East side is if you see a lot of birds in a plowed field, that rancher may want them gone.  Wear street clothes when you ask permission to hunt.  They may have family or friends waiting to hunt, if so ask if they know of any other rancher needing help.

Diane

Thanks! I was a designer at L.L.Bean for years and worked on hunting/fishing product. Those guys in the hunting/fishing team love hunting everything generally speaking but 1 of the guys was obsessed with turkey hunting(he only hunted turkeys). I would hunt ever morning before work and every evening after work. Every morning I would chat with him and he would give me tips. Turkey hunting my favorite so I love being able to help other get into it. Glad I could help.

[jared p]

Biggest issue first year up there I had was actually just finding land I could go on. Timber companies lock out much of it. Get OnxMaps and it helps tremendously. There’s plenty of places around Colville and up into kettle falls