2022 Turkey Hatch Report

[bearpaw]

I’m not seeing a lot of checks yet, I’m hoping the hens have been keeping their chicks in hiding, but I’m a little worried that all the rain may have had an impact. I have 5 hens around my place with no chicks, haven’t seen a chick here yet. A friend has seen a hen with one, a hen with two, and this morning two hens with nine chicks. My fingers are crossed that in the next couple weeks more chicks become visible.

Something of interest, yesterday a hen was yelping loudly and a tom was gobbling like crazy, hopefully she will breed again?

Report the chicks you see here?

[HoopsNHorns]

I've seen a bunch of turkeys but only one with chicks.  That was yesterday so hopefully they are just starting to venture out but suspect your suspicions of a poor hatch might be true.

Also, finally saw a quail pair with chicks two days ago.  They looked to be no more than a week old.           

[duckmen1]

I saw at least 2 hens go to roost in a tree a couple days ago and there were at least 15 poults flying up the tree to join.  It was a cool sight to see. First time I have seen them that small. I usually see turkeys in the fall.

[bearpaw]

I saw at least 2 hens go to roost in a tree a couple days ago and there were at least 15 poults flying up the tree to join.  It was a cool sight to see. First time I have seen them that small. I usually see turkeys in the fall.

What part of the state?

[buckfvr]

2 hens with 7 very small, 1 hen with 3 of same size, several hens without.  No quail chicks yet.

From my view point it looks poor at best.

2500' east side of the lake (Roosevelt).

[duckmen1]

I saw at least 2 hens go to roost in a tree a couple days ago and there were at least 15 poults flying up the tree to join.  It was a cool sight to see. First time I have seen them that small. I usually see turkeys in the fall.

What part of the state?

This was central near Yakima area.

[bearpaw]

Our ungulate populations have tanked and we can't hardly hunt predators due to liberals, WDFW mismanagement, predators, parasites, and disease, it's going to be a very slow comeback for our ungulates, probably never again be like it once was. I would hate to see turkey numbers drop sharply, it's one of the few things WDFW and the controlling liberals in WA haven't figured out how to screw up! Fingers crossed for a better chick showing in the next few weeks!

[bearpaw]

I saw at least 2 hens go to roost in a tree a couple days ago and there were at least 15 poults flying up the tree to join.  It was a cool sight to see. First time I have seen them that small. I usually see turkeys in the fall.

What part of the state?

This was central near Yakima area.

Maybe you have been a little drier? Good to hear your flocks are growing there! 

[baldopepper]

Seeing a lot of hens around with no poults, but have seen a couple with 10-12 following them. This morning saw a hen with 7-8 that looked like they'd barely hatched, and then a  hen with several that looked half grown.  Undergrowth is so thick and tall this year they disappear in a hurry.

[Limhangerslayer]

It was a weird spring up north this year. We had piles of Tom’s responsive the 4th week of May but were still henned up.  Also saw more toms And jakes running around then we have ever have seen.  Where other places up there people said they were way down after this winter

[Russ McDonald]

I was reading that it is about a month before they start flying up to a roost with mom.  They grow pretty fast but I was afraid that this spring would not be a good hatch.  Cold and wet just about all spring throughout the whole state. There is a link the state is doing a poult report so they get a better understanding of where the birds are at and populations. https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-bird-survey


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[High Climber]

Haven’t seen any chicks around CDA area yet.

[birddogdad]

think this is going to be a very off year.. cold and late the way birds hunted, wet spring for chicks.. not good or ideal for sure

[bearpaw]

Our local radio is reporting that the drought is officially over in NE WA. This spring and early summer had the most precipitation since 1995, local streams are back to normal flows this summer. I suppose this is great news for fish, maybe not so great for most wild bird hatches!

I'm still seeing lots of hens with no chicks, it seems like chick numbers are down. Strangely, a couple weeks ago we had a hen yelping like mad and a gobbler was answering her, sounded like some turkey love was going to take place, I'm not sure if that can happen this late in the season?

[hunter399]

We are definitely having a crazy weather year .
In the NE.
I haven't seen any baby turkey.

[nwwanderer]

Very small broods in 127, a few more in 154, will below average in both

[jrebel]

Up until two weeks ago....we didn't see any hens with babies.  Last week we did spot two hens with 11 poults between them.  I think this wet spring really took it's toll on the hatch.  Thankfully the bird population is strong as I'm personally willing to sacrifice a strong hatch year to get us out of a decade of drought. 


I have seen far fewer fawns this year also.  This is much more concerning to me. 

I have seen three sets of triplets....as it pertains to bears and one set of triplets cougars.     
 

[buckfvr]

Starting to see quite a few more, tall field grass isnt helping with spotting them, but I am seeing enough to remove concern.

[idaho guy]

Haven’t seen any chicks around CDA area yet.

 

Me either and we have turkeys all over around our place. It looks pretty bad around here for chicks

[bobear]

Turkey numbers in general have been down at my place east of Deer/Loon Lake this year.  Have not seen many poults this year either and yet to see fawns.  Lots of bears and a few more bobcats though.  Will definitely be doing some more predator hunting with my buddies this year.

[hunter399]

Did finally see a couple.
Still not seeing a lot.
A few is better than none.

[Machias]

Saw two hens yesterday, one had a single chick that was maybe 2 weeks old and the other hen had 2 chicks that were maybe a month old.  This was on the west plains, just west of Spokane.

[baldopepper]

Kind of a weird year alright. Seeing lots of hens with no poults, hens with just one or two and a some with a normal brood [5-6]  Have noticed that those with normal broods the poults are still very small and those with 1-2 the poults are much larger. Suspect that indicates some did a second hatch. Not seeing a lot of fawns yet either and those I am seeing are also very small for this time of year.  Not making a judgment on the deer yet as the undergrowth this year is so high they are hard to see.i am seeing more dry does than I did last year though. Pretty sure this wet cold spring did hold down the numbers of both the deer and turkeys unfortunately.

[buckfvr]

Decent amount of poults, not much size difference.  June born fawns running with moms, july fawns still hiding in the tall grass but quite active and be running with moms any day.  Still, all in all less deer.

[GASoline71]

We've had a few hens with poults, but more hens without any near our place in 133.  Our area is crawling with Lions and I've wondered if they feast on poults given the chance.  We discovered a Lion kill deer buried just off the access road of our area recently.

Gary

[baldopepper]

Well, still  seeing quite a few hens withno poults. But have seen several now with 5-6.  Population around has been so strong, I'm  not to concerned.  Nice thing is the fawns are starting to show up. Doesn't look terrible as I'm seeing a goodly amount and several sets of twins. Seeing all mule deer so far, so not sure how the whitetail are doing

[10Key]

Haven't seen any poults this year until we pulled into Seven Bays. Saw several flocks with a good number of poults, seems super late.

Same thing with quail, hadn't seen any all year until this trip. saw a ton of recently hatched quail chick's as well as some that were probably a month old.

[Ghost Hunter]

I've got 3 hens with 12 poults working the grasshoppers daily in my meadow.  Haven't had many turkeys on the place in the past, so this is a bonus to me.

[Broomd]

The grouse hatch will likley be non-existent here given the outrageous amount of rain that fell this Spring.  Turkeys will probably fair very poorly as well, but should see some reproduction.

The fawn crop around here was terrible last year, but is looking excellent this year. Very encouraged by that!

[jrebel]

Checked cameras last week and am now seeing quite a few baby turkeys.  Not as many as last year, but most hens have 4-8 babies following them around.  They look very small for this time of year so I am assuming a second hatch occurred. 

Also seeing quite a few new fawns.  The mule deer did very well this year it appears with quite a few twins and even one set of triplets.  The mule deer gave birth on time and most of their fawns have lost their spots....or are very close to it.  The whitetail fawns were very late and are very small.  I would say the whitetail are on par with previous years in my areas. 

Definitely a better report than what I thought it was going to be a month ago.

[MtnMuley]

I've been seeing more and more broods. Good sign for the wet spring and what I saw earlier thiis summer. I've seen a few that are damn near adult hen sized and just a week ago, saw a brood that couldn't have been more than a couple days old. Makes sense as I saw a couple tom's still puffed up with the hens well into later June this year.