Westside birds

[kweeks2933]

In October during deer season I clocked a flock of Western Wa birds in the same area on 3 different days. Drove up there not long ago and all is quiet. My question, are these birds long gone or are they more apt to stay in the general area and I need to just be patient?

[Chesterdog]

Be patient, but look for signs of recent predator activity.   I stumbled on a flock while hiking in the Olympics off of Hamma Hamma about 10 years ago, but wdfw stopped putting pressure on the cats and they took over.

[ASHQUACK]

The bad thing about Westside birds is they just don't gobble like the east side birds. I quite honestly think it's because of the predator pressure they get. The one flock I know of hasn't moved much more that a mile from where they were planted. But they rarely if ever make any noise.

[253shotgunner]

Turkeys in the Olympics? I didn't know they were way out there. Any pics? Best, 253sg

Be patient, but look for signs of recent predator activity.   I stumbled on a flock while hiking in the Olympics off of Hamma Hamma about 10 years ago, but wdfw stopped putting pressure on the cats and they took over.

[ZagHunter]

The bad thing about Westside birds is they just don't gobble like the east side birds. I quite honestly think it's because of the predator pressure they get. The one flock I know of hasn't moved much more that a mile from where they were planted. But they rarely if ever make any noise.

Do west side birds have more predator pressure than east side birds (genuine question)? I've always wondered why there are less birds on the west side. Were there less released? I'd have to assume there's more out there than we think but we just can't see or hear them as easily. 

[ASHQUACK]

That's just what inwas told by the biologist. I think with the density of the underbrush here and being a nice snack for coyotes, bobcats, mt lions et al. They tend to chat less. There was a push years (1990's) to introduce them to western wa. As far as that goes they were abruptly halted because WDFW wanted a ton of money spent on certifying birds before releasing them. The only birds I know that still exist are ones that were "accidentally" released or escapees from farms. The others haven't fared well.

[wadu1]

I would like to have @Russ McDonald chime in on this. In his Turkey 101 class he talks about the west side birds and how quiet they are. Or you can show up at TSC tomorrow at 7:00 for the class, no charge.

[Russ McDonald]

The biggest quesrion I get when teaching turkey hunting here.  The subspecies here in the sw parr of the state are easterns. They will gobble on the roost when they hit the ground yup they shut down but also they are in way thicker timber than the east side.  Yes they were released in the 90's but WDFW was the ones to bring them in.  They got grants and stuff to help.  Very small limited number.  Easyerns are 3-10% of the total population of turkeys in this state.  Total popluation fo turkeys is approximately 30K.  That actually isn't much compared to some SE state at around 750K. The total population if easterns are  unknown because they can't find them to count them.  Why aren't the easterns taking off like Merriams in the NE part of the state.  If really has to do with habitat.  Easterns are robust birds and can survive alot but in order to thrive they need to have good hatches.  Good hatches need to have a warm dry spring.  Something we don't have a lot of on the west side.  Also if a poult gets wet when it is very young and isn't  dried off within an hour it will die of hypothermia.  They are sustaining but not really increasing.  The state will not bring anymore birds in.  They are pretty adamant about that.  Yes they are people that have raises birds and not controlled them or released them.  Most likely those are the Olympics ones.  Yes predators can be a bring problem.  Hanks, eagles and raccoon are also big predators on poults and eggs.  So to answer the question if you found and flock those they will not venture far from where you found them.  I would look for a roost tree.  They sleep in trees at night because of predators.  They are also pretty good at avoiding when on the ground and they are adults.  Hens are most vulnerable when they are nesting or have poults with her.  Hope that helps and no I have never gotten an eastern yet and nonone with tell me where they are lol.  Someday but I mainly take first timers out and it isn't on the west side.  Hope this answers some questions.

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[nwwanderer]

Thanks Russ!!

[ZagHunter]

Interesting stuff! Thanks all

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

The bad thing about Westside birds is they just don't gobble like the east side birds. I quite honestly think it's because of the predator pressure they get. The one flock I know of hasn't moved much more that a mile from where they were planted. But they rarely if ever make any noise.

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Only reason they moved was they logged the roost.
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Can find them now, but once the season opens...

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Go up there and howl for coyotes at dusk...
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I have killed 3 coyotes and could have killed a dozen racoons during my spring turkey hunts.
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Usually starts with me near the roost, then when I mess up my step up, I spend the rest of the day trying to figure out where they went...
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You'll learn a lot about the deer and elk, bear, etc...
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If you're either really good, or lucky, you can get an eastern.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

But now that it has come to the attention of the wildlife commission that we have a spring season when the hens are vulnerable and the babies might lose their father...
How many more seasons do we have?...

[kweeks2933]

Great info from all of you. I am going to try and locate their roosting spot. The area I found them in is an older ( by weyco standards) forest so the canopy isn't allowing a tremendous amount of brush to grow. That could help spotting them I imagine. I saw about 15 birds in the flock and the three separate times I ran into them it wasn't 300 yards apart from the other encounters. My hopes are high.

[Bogie85]

Going to jump in here too, twice last year I saw a hen. No gobblers, but I bumped her once. Than saw her walk towards my blind during deer archery. I didn’t think there were any turkey in this area. Never hear gobbles, but I got a good look before she flew away. My question is, if I have only ever seen a hen on two different occasions. Is it worth trying to call in a gobbler? If you just know the general area, Is it worth giving it a try?

[Russ McDonald]

Going to jump in here too, twice last year I saw a hen. No gobblers, but I bumped her once. Than saw her walk towards my blind during deer archery. I didn’t think there were any turkey in this area. Never hear gobbles, but I got a good look before she flew away. My question is, if I have only ever seen a hen on two different occasions. Is it worth trying to call in a gobbler? If you just know the general area, Is it worth giving it a try?

Unless it is somone that released a raised bird which has been done in the westside in some areas,  I would try.  Toms very rarely will gobble in the fall.  It isn't breeding seaaon so no need to gobble.

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[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Going to jump in here too, twice last year I saw a hen. No gobblers, but I bumped her once. Than saw her walk towards my blind during deer archery. I didn’t think there were any turkey in this area. Never hear gobbles, but I got a good look before she flew away. My question is, if I have only ever seen a hen on two different occasions. Is it worth trying to call in a gobbler? If you just know the general area, Is it worth giving it a try?

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Get up there well before daylight, find a high spot to listen from.
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This time of year it will be quiet, but soon EVERY bird will start singing.
From Robbins to chickadee...
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If there is a gobbler in the area, he will let you know.
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Your mission is to figure out where.that sound is coming from.
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First time I heard one in western Washington, I thought it was a dog barking until I got closer...
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[one more]

For more than 20 years I have hunted for turkeys.  Kind, helpful, wonderful people have told me where to hunt for an Eastern bird.  A couple guys have taken me out and one time we saw a tom behind some trees, but I couldn't see his head to shoot. (The turkey's head.) The only other Eastern Tom that I have seen was a dead one that I was calling and it ran past another hunter and I heard him shoot.
I have harvested Merriam's  and Rio's.  I would really like to get the WA Slam while I still can hunt. Thank you for any info.   Diane
One more