Re: Bearpaw Season 2010

[bearpaw]

Well this morning we heard a gobbler off the front deck, that was nice. But to be honest, we saw a lot more birds going into last fall, we have not seen as many as we should the last couple weeks. I want to give a couple more weeks and be sure before I make any blanket statements, I am hoping certain flocks are just hanging out in different places than normal.

My first thought was that with so little snow the birds were not forced down, but the birds flock up in the fall on their wintering spots and they were there last fall. I will give a good report in early April that you can count on.

Very likely they are being overhunted in the fall, what other states can you shoot a half dozen birds each year? 

[Phantom Gobbler]

A friend was up scouting near Colville recently and he also did not see the big flocks of birds this year?  Looking forward to your input prior to the season opener.

[Special T]

sweet cat hunt i'm gona do that with a bow some day!

[bearpaw]

Going to start posting some turkey scouting photos. One of the photos show a hen with about an 8" beard. We plan to try and take her if someone wants to mount a hen, they will get the bird of a lifetime with her. There are also some jakes and toms in these photos.

[bearpaw]

more pics

[mulehunter]

Look like you had FUN! Wish I am out scouting!  



Mulehunter  

[bearpaw]

more pics

[bearpaw]

more pics

[bearpaw]

Last night I had a good visit with a friend who is a deputy sherriff and patrols a large chunk of the county daily. A couple of years ago he reports seeing many groups of turkeys along his patrol route. He said that now many of the groups are smaller or are completely gone. He doesn't see nearly as many turkeys as he used to see. We both agreed that the turkey population is much lower than 2 or 3 years ago.

In spite of a good hatch from the surviving hens last summer, I believe the turkey population is still at 30% of what we have had in the past. I blame the failure of this lack of population increase on too many fall turkeys being harvested. To my knowledge no other state hunts as many fall turkey tags available as Washington.

There is no doubt, problems were caused by the high turkey population of 3 years ago and NE WA needed heavy hunting pressure to decrease turkey numbers in certain areas. However, at a 30% population, it is time to manage more conservatively so that we can find a balance where the population provides as much opportuity as possible but also maintains flock numbers.

There are programs that can be implemented to mitigate problem flocks without destoying them as we have done. One thing is certain, hunter success will continue to suffer until the proper balance is found.

I almost forgot to mention, I hunt a large number of prime turkey properties and live right in the middle of Stevens County the highest turkey population in the state, we keep track of the flocks year around, including the flocks that winter in barn yards and other wintering areas. The numbers just are not there like they used to be, (especially on public ground where many hunter must hunt) from what we have seen 30% is most likely a liberal number.

[Machias]

You are 100% right in your assesment of the management for the Wild Turkey in this state.  One reason for less turkeys being seen may also be due to the fact they have much more areas to roam this spring than in the past two springs.  Granted the fall harvest has put a serious dent in the numbers, but I think a small contributing factor is they are spread out much better.

[Turkeyman]

I seen it coming. This state sucks when it comes to managing our wild turkeys. Lets just kill them all that's there management plane. It all started with the free turkey tag then two birds killed in same day. Stopping the trap and transfer program...... Fall season lets shoot hens..... what a joke...... the good day's are behind us...... enjoy it while you can.....   We had a good thing going and the are F..... it up.

[turkey slayer]

I agree 100% bearpaw. I no I have seen a big decline in the southern part of the county. One thing that I have to say is the whitetail have made a come back. This weekend I seen the most deer that I have seen in the last 5 years. In a 35 acer field that I hunt for turkeys I seen 75+ deer in there. The last 4 years you would be lucky to see 5 to 10 coming in at night.

[bearpaw]

The winters of 07/08 and 08/09 were devastating. I don't think we have rebounded any deer numbers yet, but we have probably pretty close to as many deer as we finished the fall with after hunting season. There was not much hard winter weather during the 09/10 winter.

We should have a really good fawn crop this spring as the deer are in good shape and there is already plenty of food growing this early. In two or three years, barring more bad winters and depending on wolf colonization and impact, we should see a marked increase in deer numbers. In about 3 years you will begin to see more mature bucks, but these recoveries do take a few years.

[bearpaw]

Well the grass is 5 inches long in my yard but it's snowing.....    Its melting as it touches the ground.

A little while ago we had visitors in the front lawn, they made it to the driveway before I could get on them with a camera, but here are a few pictures, 10 hens.

[bearpaw]

More turkeys this morning...