Rim Fire Rifle use during fall turkey season

[Stein]

Not for it.

Increase the season.
Increase the harvest
Get more property opened up.
Longer season for anyone 21 or younger. Give this group two weekends or a month.
One weekend for youth is a joke.

 

Glad to hear WDFW has been scratching their heads on how to increase opportunity for the hordes of fall squirrel hunters in eastern WA.   

So many ways to do this that could create actual opportunity.  This could backfire as landowners might be much more leery of allowing the public on their property shooting rifles over arrows and shot.  Worst case, they word it incorrectly and allow all rimfire, not just .22 LR.

[Russ McDonald]

Trap and transfer problem solved.

That is another sore subject with me.  Sat with our old bio to write up an SOP for this but it got put on desk and nevwr seen again.

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[Turkeyman]

Been there done that. Very frustrating. That’s why a lot of folks got out of the NWTF chapters. They don’t want turkeys in this state plane and simple. It’s sad that we can’t work together.

[Birdguy]

Been there done that. Very frustrating. That’s why a lot of folks got out of the NWTF chapters. They don’t want turkeys in this state plane and simple. It’s sad that we can’t work together.

  Yep, was there for the end of the trap and transfer program. Was an officer in the local chapter for years, was there for the lies of no free tag with small game, double the cost of the other tag and we will have a turkey management plan to manage and grow the population........ They got the free tag eliminated (not a bad thing overall) and tags from $7.50 to $15 but not one bit of effort from our WDFW to manage and grow the turkey population. Thankfully several good winters and springs have helped tremendously.

As for the rim-fire deal....we are hunters, we have rules, we have ethics (most of us) and this is one of those things that "may" bring more into the sport but not in the same way we that love it believe it should be. Does not remove the perceived added risk that method could bring. To me calling a turkey is the rush!! I love it, I cannot see the use of a rimfire for me, that said when my dad was alive he could have never hiked and sat and hunted turkeys with us, but give him the .22 he used on farm for crows and he could have done well if I could have got him within 100 yds. I see folks using rimfire distances to shoot over or past shot gunners calling, based on what I see and hear about fellow deer hunters on public ground, or the guys who "own" release sites on the west side it sounds like more problems than benefits   .

[Fl0und3rz]

I honestly think this is likely 95% about landowners and 5% about helping hunters on a small game multi species hunt.  WDFW should really be encouraging landowners to enroll in the private lands hunting program if they have turkey problems. 

They could also not close turkey season.  

Agreed, mostly.  I see the so-called nuisance birds; it ain't hunting, IMO.  They are in people's front yards and pastures.  This would be great for landowners, not so much for hunters.

[Russ McDonald]

Been there done that. Very frustrating. That’s why a lot of folks got out of the NWTF chapters. They don’t want turkeys in this state plane and simple. It’s sad that we can’t work together.

Not sure I follow you there?  The NWTF wants to trap and transport.  The WDFW ties our hands on what we can do because they regulate what we can ans can't do.  It is their laws and mandates.  The SOP we wrote was for WDFW.  Also the state of WA hasn't had a turkey plan in over 10 years.  They let it expire.  This has been one of my one of my goals as the state chapter president to get a new turkey plan written.  I have been pounding on that door at WDFW but no answer.  The meetings I have with the state I know they don't like turkeys.  Most bios for fed and state could care less.  They consider them a non native bird and we should just get rid of them.  There are a few that do want them around but very few.  Oh by the way the state has been trapping and moving birds.  They just aren't telling anyone.  I have told them in the past if you want more participation in hunting turkeys make a effort to show you want to manage like trap and transport.  Make it public it would be a PR dream for hunting turkeys.

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[hunter399]

The facts are
You should know your target and what's beyond it whether it's a shotgun or a 22 .
So am I to assume Turkey hunters are taking risky shots all the time with there shotguns,but then in the same sentence you don't want 22 because we should be ok with that.
They are also proposed 22 for grouse ,you all ok with that even smaller target to hit.

The safety issue with it is B.S. ,know your target and what's beyond it.
Turkey population will never be effected with this rule change NE Washington is riddled with private patches that hold many turkeys that most of us will never get to hunt.

I'm ok with 22 for fall Turkey and grouse for fall seasons.
I Agree with some comments here that this is about land owners ECT.But bag limits and all that still apply. Even for a land owners.They could increase bag limits I'm all right with that too.
But the safety aspect I'm not ok with that,it's up to the hunter to know what's beyond his target with whatever weapon he is hunting with period.

[NW SURVEYOR]

I don't presently hunt turkeys so I have no skin in the game, but.....
It's my opinion that most people can't head shoot a turkey at 50 yards with a .22.

Also, if these landowners (LO) want to control turkeys, let kids hunt their property under adult supervision with a scattergun.
No gun for the adult, only the kid, the LO can dictate this if he wants.
The State may be able to negotiate this with the LO which would benefit the LO and give kids more opportunity for success.
This would minimize the number of people on certain lands, expand opportunities for kids and perhaps give the LO the feeling of having helped the public.

As for the .22 issue, I think it's dangerous, would harm more turkeys and not well thought out.

Have a nice day.
Rob.

[hunter399]

Let me ask you all this.
When you use your bow to hunt turkeys do you head shot them.
Are all you guys under the rug thinking the only way a turkey dies is with a head shot.
 
From a shotgun yes headshot is almost required.Other weapons not so much.

[Stein]

A turkey broadhead is 2.5" wide with at least two blades which is 11 times or more than a .22.

I don't see heart or lung shooting a turkey with a .22 as a high probability shot.

Regarding safety, we should also know our target and beyond big game hunting but still wear orange because it's awfully hard to see people in camo who aren't moving, especially when we are looking through the scope at a game animal.

[Russ McDonald]

The vital on a turkey are very small.  Actuall not much bigger than the head.   Don't get me wrong that all hunters should know their shot. Their back drop but we are not all hunters.  Do I think there are going to be those hunters that take 100 yards shots at turkeys you bet.   So everyone would probably agree with about 50 yards would be a good range for a ethical kill with a rim fire.  So with new tech in turkey loads for shotguns that is a very doable shot with any shotgun.  By the way we are all concentrating on .22's, this proposal is rim fire so people can use a 17 HMR to. 

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[idaho guy]

Many turkeys will fly away with 22 bullets in them. shotgun all you need is a few pellets in the head. It will be more dangerous and not everyone is responsible with a weapon in the woods or they just weren’t even taught or raised around guns to even understand safety. It will be WAY more difficult for youth and new hunters to effectively take Turkey with a 22 over a shotgun. I have been around kids where it’s legal and seen firsthand it’s not effective for young or new hunters. Experienced hunters with a scoped 22 lr will stack turkeys up like cordwood in the fall. I don’t hunt turkeys in Washington so it’s nothing to do with me but  you will end up with a lot more wounded Turkey walking around and there will be hunters that make it dangerous for others.

[Jingles]

Many turkeys will fly away with 22 bullets in them. shotgun all you need is a few pellets in the head. It will be more dangerous and not everyone is responsible with a weapon in the woods or they just weren’t even taught or raised around guns to even understand safety. It will be WAY more difficult for youth and new hunters to effectively take Turkey with a 22 over a shotgun. I have been around kids where it’s legal and seen firsthand it’s not effective for young or new hunters. Experienced hunters with a scoped 22 lr will stack turkeys up like cordwood in the fall. I don’t hunt turkeys in Washington so it’s nothing to do with me but  you will end up with a lot more wounded Turkey walking around and there will be hunters that make it dangerous for others.

Sorry idahoguy but I have to disagree with you statement about experienced hunters with a scoped 22 stacking turkeys up like cord wood and reason being I have seen what those supposedly experienced hunters shoot like at the local range.set up a 6 inch paper plate at 100 yards and if they hit  3 times regardless where on the plate call it good enough. Now if they were hitting raw eggs laying flat maybe they could but from what I have seen a good majority couldn't hit an orange and have no idea what shooting the heart beat means and turkeys are not going to stand and pose for head shots while someone gets all nestled in for a solid non moving shot

[hunter399]

Most of fall seasons are overlap with modern hunters wearing orange.
I'm ok with a 22 or a 17 .
Preach the wounded Turkey thing but I've seen many of Turkey shot with bird shot only not in the head a run off ,fly off happens in every hunting situations with different weapons.
Any turkeys you guys think your saving in northeast WA will be eaten by predators anyway.Thats the real reason you will see them flocked up in the field next to your local farmers house on private land right now.

And yes a turkey broad head is big .22 mag,22lr,17hmr,also 4 times faster then any arrow ,eat right up the hole ,no bird shot to worry about.
Stacking turkeys up like cord wood really ,still a bag limit,I hear comments like that it makes me think the real reason is you all want to limit oppertunitty in the fall ,cause the spring seasons are so important.
What happens many times is hunter will be against this option ,then WDFW will have to trap,kill,or issue land owners permits to harvest and the turkeys will die one way or another.And you limited your hunter opportunity to save a few birds that won't be there anyway.

I'm done with comments ,always a different way of looking at it.Put my two cents in which I admit isn't much.
If it goes through I will let my son hunt with his 22mag.
For fall seasons.I don't Turkey hunt anymore.But I buy my son's tag every year .And will continue changed or not.Im kinda like the call man every spring and enjoy doing my small part like that. So not much skin in the game ,but do take part in it every year.
Enjoy your day
Wish everybody good Turkey hunting this spring!

[callturner]

While I enjoy the spring hunt and calling them in and all ,there's no real hunt to them other than spot and stalk in the fall. I been shooting grouse with a 22 for 50 plus years. That's until the turkeys moved in. Now we don't have squat for grouse and yard rats are everywhere. Very seldom do you see large broods of grouse in eastern wash anymore. Only when I go far into the back country do I see multiples. I had grouse on my place when I moved here 30 years ago and never shot them. Now just yard rats. In my opinion which means little, turkeys should be no tag and maybe a stricter limit on grouse to bring them back. 22's yup !