2025 Gobble Report

[TriggerMike]

How's it looking in the NE corner for strutter/Gobble action so far? Update here throughout the season.

[baldopepper]

Flocks in good shape. Most big winter flocks broken up or breaking up.  Aleady seeing some toms henned up with their harem. Birds really on the move and often no where near where they were yesterday. Roads all I good shape unless you get way up there.  Looks like a good year for the ticks so spray down
 

[nwwanderer]

Pretty much together, cheap cell through spotter, groundhog in fore ground, ten minutes ago

[hunter399]

Pretty sure they are full breeding right now.
Basically you can fart in the woods,and they will gobble right now..
They might even be on the down hill side of it ,by the opening weekend.
It should be a good start to the season 👍

[hunter399]

Flocks in good shape. Most big winter flocks broken up or breaking up.  Aleady seeing some toms henned up with their harem. Birds really on the move and often no where near where they were yesterday. Roads all I good shape unless you get way up there.  Looks like a good year for the ticks so spray down
 

I agree
Was out and about few days ago.
Forgot to spray down for ticks,found a few on us.
There out for sure,and we are warming quickly.

[KNOPHISH]

Neighbor has some domestics and have been gobbling for a week, puts a little grin on my face.

[hunter399]

He was out there checking the mail.
I was whistling at him. He did gobble once.
Then ran off.

[High Climber]

We got on two different Tom’s yesterday evening, had to glass them up. No gobbles heard. One was by himself occasionally fanning out, the other was strutting constantly with two hens. First bird wasn’t interested in calls, second never called to him as we were in between the birds and where they go to roost… just didn’t work out, we needed him to come ten more yards! My daughter had a blast watching him strut around with a blue head. North Idaho youth season, low pressure area.

[elkrack]

Those close calls are so good for young hunters to experience! Atleast for my kiddos that drove them into wanting to get better and try and think of things to possibly do differently next time out to close the deal. Watching the excitement of kids out in the woods is such a cool experience. Better than my own hunts IMO

[mboyle0828]

Buddy sent me a video this morning and they were gobbling!

SE Corner

[baldopepper]

Birds are off roost early, this morning around 5:30. Still.a few big flocks around but many are henned up,  calling back with no intention of coming in. Gets pretty quiet after fly down  Ticks are bad, had a couple on me just walking around the yard. Cold early  (31 this morning) but warmed up quickly. Good luck,, haven't decided if I wanna shoot one this year or not.


 
 
 

[mboyle0828]

Strutter

[HUNTIN4SIX]

It’s on in Deer park!

[baldopepper]

Got this old boy (80) his bird. Lot around but going surprisingly.quite once they are off the roost. Down at 5:40 this morning and pretty much off the fields by  8:00

[Sakko300wsm]

Heading over to our place on the Kettle river in the am to poke around for a few days - hopefully will be able to turn something up

[cjjcb]

Not the NE but central WA east cascade foothills opening day below 3,000ft on public...

Roost gobbling started around 5:45, not a lot. Couldn't get them to shock gobble before then as I suspected they were there...

Once they hit the ground (6:15ish) it was quiet with only a gobble or two for the next hour. They didn't seem responsive to my calls (diaphragm and pot calling). Set up off a logging road where recon told me they like to walk.

Had two jakes come by after 7 so I let one have it so I could get on the board. Had turkey sloppy joes last night!!

Going to Stevens Co in a few weeks with my boys so I'll target a tom then...

Good Luck Everyone!!

[Ghost Hunter]

Late this year, I'm headed over to Kettle Falls early in the morning too.  Have to detour through Tonasket, might be late rolling into camp.  How long does it take to unload and move a tavern pool table into a house?  Might take a day or two to get into the turkeys.  Get to check all the cameras too.

[trophyhunt]

Seen a nice Tom strutting in someone’s yard this AM, in a blind now w deeks out.  Been real quiet today and windy as heck.  Just north of Springdale

[hunter399]

Drive the kid around after school. Seen a few hunters,turkey camps.
Seen a few toms on private as well . So windy yesterday calling wasn't working for us.
That wind was killing our hunt. Down trees and not letting the call carry very far.

[trophyhunt]

Much better day today, zero wind!!  The birds were pretty talkative till about 6:15, then, nothing!! Couple gobblers right by our camp, disappeared. 

[Dan-o]

Much better day today, zero wind!!  The birds were pretty talkative till about 6:15, then, nothing!! Couple gobblers right by our camp, disappeared.

Same. 

[trophyhunt]

Much better day today, zero wind!!  The birds were pretty talkative till about 6:15, then, nothing!! Couple gobblers right by our camp, disappeared.

Same.

I have only turkey hunted a few times, but why do they go quiet? Last year it seemed we could hunt/talk with them all day?  My buddy is much farther east of me and his tom came in silent, he’s not hearing much at all either.

[Karl Blanchard]

Much better day today, zero wind!!  The birds were pretty talkative till about 6:15, then, nothing!! Couple gobblers right by our camp, disappeared.

Same.

I have only turkey hunted a few times, but why do they go quiet? Last year it seemed we could hunt/talk with them all day?  My buddy is much farther east of me and his tom came in silent, he’s not hearing much at all either.

Hens. Until those hens break off to sit their clutches there's no need for those toms to walk away from live birds to go to some random hen yapping off in the distance. 

[cjjcb]

Much better day today, zero wind!!  The birds were pretty talkative till about 6:15, then, nothing!! Couple gobblers right by our camp, disappeared.

Same.

I have only turkey hunted a few times, but why do they go quiet? Last year it seemed we could hunt/talk with them all day?  My buddy is much farther east of me and his tom came in silent, he’s not hearing much at all either.

Hens. Until those hens break off to sit their clutches there's no need for those toms to walk away from live birds to go to some random hen yapping off in the distance.

Got to be a real sweet talker to get the Tom-in-Charge off live hens...

[birddogdad]

Late this year, I'm headed over to Kettle Falls early in the morning too.  Have to detour through Tonasket, might be late rolling into camp.  How long does it take to unload and move a tavern pool table into a house?  Might take a day or two to get into the turkeys.  Get to check all the cameras too.

there are no turkeys in Kettle Falls...

[Karl Blanchard]

Much better day today, zero wind!!  The birds were pretty talkative till about 6:15, then, nothing!! Couple gobblers right by our camp, disappeared.

Same.

I have only turkey hunted a few times, but why do they go quiet? Last year it seemed we could hunt/talk with them all day?  My buddy is much farther east of me and his tom came in silent, he’s not hearing much at all either.

Hens. Until those hens break off to sit their clutches there's no need for those toms to walk away from live birds to go to some random hen yapping off in the distance.

Got to be a real sweet talker to get the Tom-in-Charge off live hens...

or piss of the hens enough for them to come in, dragging the tom with.

[baldopepper]

Well. I gotta say that "sweet talking" turkeys in is quite over stated.  I've seen em come in to cheap box calls that sounded scretcjy horrible to loud obnoxious over calledd scratches and everything in between.  If you listen to em much you realize they're like a church choir- some with great voices and some with terrible voices.  The real key is finding one that's willing to come have a look. I've seen that occasional one that fairly quickly left his hens and came running and also that lone one that would gobble back like crazy but never move. I've had lots of luck with those that only gobble back once or twice, go quiet and then suddenly appear in front of you ( or behind ya)  I've also had em  just show up without once respomding. If I'm calling I usually stop and wait at least 10 minutes because of those quiet ones. Calling is important, but you don't have to sound like a classically trained opera singer to get em to come in


 
 

[cjjcb]

Well. I gotta say that "sweet talking" turkeys in is quite over stated.  I've seen em come in to cheap box calls that sounded scretcjy horrible to loud obnoxious over calledd scratches and everything in between.  If you listen to em much you realize they're like a church choir- some with great voices and some with terrible voices.  The real key is finding one that's willing to come have a look. I've seen that occasional one that fairly quickly left his hens and came running and also that lone one that would gobble back like crazy but never move. I've had lots of luck with those that only gobble back once or twice, go quiet and then suddenly appear in front of you ( or behind ya)  I've also had em  just show up without once respomding. If I'm calling I usually stop and wait at least 10 minutes because of those quiet ones. Calling is important, but you don't have to sound like a classically trained opera singer to get em to come in


 

I completely agree with you. When I said "sweet talking" I was referring to somehow getting into the tom's mind and giving him exactly what he want to hear. Almost impossible with a live couple hens in front of him...And by the way, I'm a "horrible" caller. 

[Mfowl]

My 2025 Central Wa bird. It was gobbling fury last night as they went to roost. Almost called one  in late in the day but a brushy ravine stopped him. This AM I got on the other side of that brushy ravine and though it took a couple repositionings and a bumped jake I was able to call in a pair of toms. They were vocal on the roost this AM but definitely went quiet after flydown. About 8AM they ramped back up. The pair that came in gobbled quite a bit and the one I didn't shoot was still gobbling as I left the mountain with his buddy. It was a fun morning and this is my first notched tag in a number of years. Good luck out there all!

[nwwanderer]

Mighty small head to get into, more about hormones.  The last one I killed with a 410, kinda standing on my head left handed, followed a hen in and made a fatal mistake.  Mostly luck I suppose

[baldopepper]

Got another old guy (83) and his son their birds. Kinda tough as he's only able to walk about 20"  Lotta birds but they're not talking much once off the roost

[hunter399]

Got another old guy (83) and his son their birds. Kinda tough as he's only able to walk about 20"  Lotta birds but they're not talking much once off the roost

Congratulations 👏
I agree with ya.
Had a few gobble this morning on some private,next to the public we was hunting. Pretty quiet rest of the day.

[hughjorgan]

It was pretty quiet Thursday through Sunday for us. Like baldopepper said they weren’t saying much once they left the roost. Made for tough hunting.

[Ghost Hunter]

Late this year, I'm headed over to Kettle Falls early in the morning too.  Have to detour through Tonasket, might be late rolling into camp.  How long does it take to unload and move a tavern pool table into a house?  Might take a day or two to get into the turkeys.  Get to check all the cameras too.

there are no turkeys in Kettle Falls...

That's what I discovered.  I get hens on my property but never see a Tom until this year he was out strutting his stuff with his 2 ladies.  Then I discover I didn't have a tag, or bring arrows for the crossbow.  That was the 2 days I had after I got my work done.  Too happy then to anything but enjoy the show.  I did plant a few turnips, parsnips, and kohlrabi in my 'garden'.