I feel you man. This will be my 5th year hunting deer and first real turkey season without luck. I know where I saw Turks in the summer and fall so I’m concentrating on those areas. What area around Colville are you hunting? I can let you know areas I’ve seen turkeys this year. I know sharing spots is frowned upon but I know how frustrating it is. I think if you find a good chunk of state or FS land with a lot of walkable terrain and can spend a day covering ground and calling you’ll get a gobble. Come back the next day and concentrate there. Easier said then done I know. Seems like critters vanish as soon as the season starts for me.
If you don’t find a veteran hunter come fall hit me up. Maybe we can brainstorm a way to get it done. Last year I did finally go out with a buddy that just moved here but a life long hunter. No deer but his experience was helpful and he even shot his first Turkey that ran across the road at the wrong time. Now he’s a turkey too.
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Hey Billy,
Our stories are far too similar lmao, I am on my 5th year with no deer too. Are you hunting blacktail? I am hunting the public land just outside of Colville, there are turkey there 100% I hear them every year. But I can't get them to come in, funny fact? My buddies son came out and we gave them one of our spots we were working pretty hard. And they got a chance at 2 toms doubled up from 35 yards but couldn't make it happen. I do know about 5-6 spots completely different locations (have to drive a few minutes or so) that hold up turkey. I have heard them gobble at all of the locations sometimes 6-7 gobbling at the same time.
The problem is I think related to the lack of experience ya know? Like, do you move down below them wide? Do they only go downhill? Do they avoid going uphill to get that turkey booty? Do you need to master more then just the Yelp, when to use only the yelp. When to use only the purr etc. Which unfortunately comes with time it seems. But if it's a 5+ hour drive you can't get too much experience each year lol.
Your buddy sounds like mine, he never hunted turkey. Lived here his whole life, I convinced him to go last year. We had 4-5 gobblers within 100 yards of us. But we couldn't get them to commit and we were in a blind lol. But needless to say, he was like dude this is like elk hunting for birds. And is one of the few things you can hunt in spring without a special tag draw.
As far as fall goes, I actually would probably be down. Because my buddy doesn't want to take any time off for turkey during that time of the season. But I am not opposed to it.
