westside turkeys in the san juan islands

[tweetertx02]

does any one know about or has hunted the eastern population in the san juan islands. im new to washington hunting and live in the far northwest part. so its a long drive for me too the east, south east and south west if you could help me out i would be very aprecitive........

[irishevox]

Tweet if you want to go scout of turkeys on the san Juans i am down to do it. 

[LITTLEBUCK]

Lopez has a bunch of Merriam's turkeys released by a land owner years ago. they have multiplied big time to the tune of 200+ birds. Have fun

[irishevox]

Littlebuck?>  have you seen turkeys there or just hear say.... are they one Lopez Hill? or somewhere else.

[LITTLEBUCK]

I have seen the pictures. I was given permission to hunt it a couple years ago. The person that started all the turkeys on the island has lots of land in the southern part of the island. I am friends with this guys  ex father-inlaw. Remember these are farm raised released birds that should not be there. Have  not heard anything about whats going on up there in over a year or so.

[bigtex]

I have seen the pictures. I was given permission to hunt it a couple years ago. The person that started all the turkeys on the island has lots of land in the southern part of the island. I am friends with this guys  ex father-inlaw. Remember these are farm raised released birds that should not be there. Have  not heard anything about whats going on up there in over a year or so.

Heard of them being on the BLM land on the southern part of the island?

[irishevox]

i might go check it out... after opening day when i kill a tom.. ya know so it's so where close.

[LITTLEBUCK]

Good luck. From what I understand most would like you to take a truck load home.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I have seen the pictures. I was given permission to hunt it a couple years ago. The person that started all the turkeys on the island has lots of land in the southern part of the island. I am friends with this guys  ex father-inlaw. Remember these are farm raised released birds that should not be there. Have  not heard anything about whats going on up there in over a year or so.

Heard of them being on the BLM land on the southern part of the island?

back in the late 80s and early 90s we used to go out and shoot the crap out of them ...there used to be hundereds but not now ....there are still afew out there but not enough to waste your time on ....Now it costs so much to ride the ferry 

[irishevox]

Good luck. From what I understand most would like you to take a truck load home.

I Would like to get my limit of 2

[WaltAlpine]

BH45. Did they get shot or is it because of predators?

[LITTLEBUCK]

From the pictures I saw 2 years ago it looked like plenty where still around. Granted this was on his property.

[turkeydancer]

If you want to go back and read the post, there was a long and heated forum subject last year about these birds being feral farm birds versus actually being truly wild birds ... so keep that in mind if you choose to hunt them.      

[LITTLEBUCK]

So true TurkeyDancer, I got beat up pretty good for just mentioning them.

[irishevox]

little i emailed the some people over in Lopez and San Juan.... they say thery'ren't any but .. i think they just don;t like people hunting i am head out there next week or so  and see what i can dig up

[Wacenturion]

Good luck. From what I understand most would like you to take a truck load home.

I Would like to get my limit of 2

Limit of 2?

[bobcat]

Is there a season or limit on domestic birds?

[turkeydancer]

Game laws say only 1 "Eastern" wild turkey on the Wetside and in the Spring only .... guess it depends on WDFW saying these are feral domestic  or wild ...
 

[Limhangerslayer]

Good luck. From what I understand most would like you to take a truck load home.

I Would like to get my limit of 2

Well at this point you have literally planned on hunting every corner of thw state good luck. Good luck  

[irishevox]

if the bird is shot in Kilctat county ( spelled wrong) you can shoot 2. and i will not be hunting there  but my wife is hunting with me... so we each have a license and a tag so it's 2 for us... i think ya'll interperted it wrong... when i said 2 just for me, sorry for the misinterpertation.  And if you read the regs... on the 15th it is open to all of washington state not certin GMU's.  But yes it is one turkey.

[270Shooter]

if the bird is shot in Kilctat county ( spelled wrong) you can shoot 2. and i will not be hunting there  but my wife is hunting with me... so we each have a license and a tag so it's 2 for us... i think ya'll interperted it wrong... when i said 2 just for me, sorry for the misinterpertation.  And if you read the regs... on the 15th it is open to all of washington state not certin GMU's.  But yes it is one turkey.

That made no sense.

You can shoot three birds each in the spring. Only 2 from eastern washington, and only one may be from chelan, kittitas, and yakima counties combined. You can only shoot one on the westside. However the birds on the island are not really wild birds so there really should not even be a season on them... but you should contact the state to make sure they haven't classified them as wild birds.

[TheSkyBuster]

Here is an Island Bird I saw last week.    Standing in the road, doesn't seem too wild. 

[LITTLEBUCK]

That looks all Eastern to me. The birds I have talking about are Merriams on Lopez.

[LITTLEBUCK]

irishevox, PM sent

[BOWHUNTER45]

we talk about this every year  Guaranteed not eastern  still legal so kill em ....

[BOWHUNTER45]

BH45. Did they get shot or is it because of predators?

  BOTH ...Eagles have a hay day on the chicks ....pLUS those hippies celebrate Thanksgiving alot ....

[BOWHUNTER45]

All and one more thing I better let you know ....THEY EAT DOG FOOD OUT THERE TOO !!!  I know someone who shoot one a couple years ago and when he cleaned it , it had dog food in its gillet ... but again it is open season ....go get em 

[irishevox]

yeah i am def gonna go scout out there.... i will make sure i at least have my .357 on my hip while scouting.... incase one steps out while i am walking i can just take his head off.

[WaltAlpine]

Irish. Unless you are b.s.ing, you might want to read the regs thoroughly. A couple of times.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Most likely you will see more sheriffs than turkeys 

[weathergirl]

Lopez is our backyard, so this is an area we have personal connections with.  I went turkey hunting for the first time last year, on private land near the BLM land.  This was after careful negotiations with property owners, and letting someone we know shoot her turkey first. 

The area isn't as "easy" as this thread makes it sound.  BLM land is woven in between private land, with plenty of people against hunting.  Others that are OK with it, aren't going to let "just anyone" hunt there as there is trust that we've built up, by reassuring that we will follow their requests. 

Please don't have unrealistic expectations about this area.  I didn't get a turkey because, although in range, it was over the line that we were asked not to hunt across.  And people will call the sheriff in a heartbeat.

Please don't make a bad name for us hunters that are carefully building trust in the area. 

[irishevox]

i would not shoot one with my .357 that would be dumb.... lol and dangerous... i am gonna scout talk to locals read the regs over and over.... make sure i am 100% on point.. the fact is people on the Islands most of them are retired and older folks... they don;t want hunters there... i duck hunt in La Conner often... and i get dirty looks from locals all the time... some times they stand far off just staring at me with binoclars... so i stare back.. usually they go away... but... yeah.... alot of older people like the idea of less traffic and noise....   I am still a young buck at 28.... the Navy put me in Wa... not that i am upset about it... but in louisiana where i am from... i never have any issues what so ever hunting whatever/whereever i want....  I am still learning the ropes out here in Wa.... alot of different things like.. how many shells you can have on you.. having a plug in your gun.... during deer season... how much orange you have to have... the length of  the season... our modern firearm season over there goes from Nov-Feb  and our archery and muzzle loader go from sept to feb.    And turkey season already started.... sorry i digressed... hunting is just very different.  So yeah... i really appreciate all the help from ya'll giving me areas.. pointing me in the right direction. etc.... i mean if you know something i don't just fill me in... as far as rules.. i am not asking for your particular spot you will be killing the turkeys... etc... i am going to Colockum area... on the 15th.... i got a little area somone showed me... so good stuff... and BowHunter you have PM'ed me with tons of tips... i appreciate it more than you know... but being in Whidbey it mkaes it kinda hard b/c alot of GREAT hunting is really far east

[irishevox]

Lopez is our backyard, so this is an area we have personal connections with.  I went turkey hunting for the first time last year, on private land near the BLM land.  This was after careful negotiations with property owners, and letting someone we know shoot her turkey first. 

The area isn't as "easy" as this thread makes it sound.  BLM land is woven in between private land, with plenty of people against hunting.  Others that are OK with it, aren't going to let "just anyone" hunt there as there is trust that we've built up, by reassuring that we will follow their requests. 

Please don't have unrealistic expectations about this area.  I didn't get a turkey because, although in range, it was over the line that we were asked not to hunt across.  And people will call the sheriff in a heartbeat.

Please don't make a bad name for us hunters that are carefully building trust in the area.



i always talk to the local home owners in area to get where thier border might be etc... to make sure what is ok and what is not... on Lopez i talked to the lady that owned the little cafe place by the ferry ,super super sweet ,and she let me know where i could hunt and invited to hunt blacktail off her land sometime.  i declined... b/c i found better spot, but she said let her know if i wanted to hunt there in the future.   I love Lopez and like i said before some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

[TheSkyBuster]

Lopez is our backyard, so this is an area we have personal connections with.  I went turkey hunting for the first time last year, on private land near the BLM land.  This was after careful negotiations with property owners, and letting someone we know shoot her turkey first. 

The area isn't as "easy" as this thread makes it sound.  BLM land is woven in between private land, with plenty of people against hunting.  Others that are OK with it, aren't going to let "just anyone" hunt there as there is trust that we've built up, by reassuring that we will follow their requests. 

Please don't have unrealistic expectations about this area.  I didn't get a turkey because, although in range, it was over the line that we were asked not to hunt across.  And people will call the sheriff in a heartbeat.

Please don't make a bad name for us hunters that are carefully building trust in the area.

Very Well said Weathergirl,    
 I've had the opportunity to take several deer from private land on both Lopez, and San Juan Islands.  It can be very difficult for an outsider or "Mainlander" to get permission from a private land owner.   Hunting is a touchy issue out there, and much care must be taken not to cause any disturbance between neighbors if your planning on returning the next season. 

[irishevox]

which island did you see it on... there are a bunch of em lol
not including whidbey