Wa St. Noob Turkey Sponge

[Bigger Fish]

Lads,

This site ROCKS!  I've been looking for something like this for a few months, and am ecstatic I found it.

So I am in the "sponge" stage:  sucking in every bit of info/intel I can before the spring opener.  I have my gun (Benelli Nova), camo - including headcover, mouth calls (which I feel I am finally getting better at, since my kids don't think I still sound like a sick frog...)

But I have one problem:  WHERE TO HUNT?  I live in Edmonds, and I know the NE corner of the state is best, but dang, even that's a huge area.  I've been to the WDFW "Go hunt" site, and have read the harvest reports, so I have an idea of decent general populations, but...now what?  What is the best process in narrowing down an area?  Do I just go by the harvest reports, pick a general area, park my truck, and start walking?  I'm not sure I'll have a lot of time to scout, and could get out there the afternoon of the 14th to "put them to bed", but what if there's no birds to sing lullabyes to?  Then what?

Any help is most appreciated for this intensely addicted, yet never turkey hunted fella.

[Andrew]

Been there!  First off hunting is exactly that HUNTING.  Nothing is a given.  Once you accept that, which you may have, then you will not feel as if you are wasting time.  Your start is good...find all the public area that you know they might be in.  Go to these spots, get out of the truck, and get your boots dirty.  Be in this area at 5:00 am, and simply listen.  When walking walk slow, quietly, and look for sign; which is not hard to find or spot since a turkey print is quite large and unmistakable (unless you hunt in an area with mutant grouse!).  Your first season is a start to what might become your worst addiction! 

My first year I was invited to hunt with a buddy, however, he took me to 'his' area and showed me the ropes.  The following season I did what you are doing gathered intel and acted on it.  Found birds, however, it wasn't until my third season (last year) that I can honestly say I knew what I was doing.  The difference between years 2 and 3 - fifteen miles of hiking in 2.5 days, being in the woods that I was hunting (camping), and being damn stealthy!

Watch all the videos from the prostaffers that you can on youtube.  Visit the NWTF website and read the tips and tactic sections.  Last parting advice...DO NOT overcall, and confirm everything before the shot or aka 'BB' - beyond and beard.

[Hank]

Bigger Fish,

Welcome, I wondered onto this sight myself about a month ago. I grew up hunting turkey in NW Pennsylvania, but like you I have no idea where to start out here. It was easy back home, they were everywhere. I found a lot of usefull info on this sight http://www.huntwashingtonstate.com/index.htm .
It breaks each GMU down by harvest report and gives you public access points for the GMUs. I hope this helps and good luck. I think us newbies need to help each other out.

Hank

[baldopepper]

Welcome to the site Bigger Fish-you're playing a dangerous game-turkey hunting can be addicting!!! Heading over to the NE corner without first doing some scouting is like fighting a fight with one hand tied behind your back.  It is a big area and lots of the better spots are on private ground and you can almost bet your first trip or two over there will be frusterating.  (get used to it, hunting turkeys requires putting up with a lot of frustration)  I would really recomend trying to get over a weekend of two prior to opener and spend some time driving around and spotting the birds.  Pretty simple right now as they are bunched up. Colville clear back down to Spokane has birds, but I think we'd be cheating you to give you anything much more specific.  For me, part of the sport is getting out on your own and finding the birds.  There are some good guides (several on this sight) and thats not a bad way to start.  Turkey hunting is not deer hunting, beleive me, they won't stand there and stare at you when you do happen to see them.  It takes lots of patience and being "made a fool of" before you'll get it down.  Be patient, keep trying and remember that a good day of hunting doesnt necesaarily mean you shot something. Good luck!!

[h20hunter]

If you want to see turkeys just go deer hunting during modern firearm anywhere in the general NE 1/4 of the state. You'll see all the damn turkeys you want and not a single deer.

[Hangfire]

Getting a guide for the first year is  not a bad idea.
If you are on your own, get some land status maps and check out state, national forest and timber company lands. Stevens county has a site that you can look up parcels and see who the owner is.
It is to early to scout birds right now. They are still on the winter range and around farms and cattle feeding areas.
If you can get over to the Big Horns sportsman show in Spokane during March you can talk to guides, hunters, and  county sportsmans associations.
The turkey population and location changes from year to year. There are some generalities but be prepared to find that birds have moved, land owner changes and assess to property different each year.
I have hunted them for 10 years. The places that I hunted 10 years ago do not have as many birds, I lost access do to new land owners, The land owners son is now old enough to hunt. I am starting all over this year.
I saw 5 flocks, estimate 100 birds yesterday. None of the birds are where they will be when the season opens. One flock was 16 all big gobblers, another 8 large gobblers. My wife gobbled at the group of 8, they all gobbled back, neat sound.

[BPturkeys]

Well BF, I don't want to sound like smart a** but really, if you don't have time to scout...you don't have time to hunt! Scouting is pretty much all you really do when you hunt. Nobody is going to do the scouting needed and then tell you where to hunt, cause that's exactly what you are asking us to do. You need to do your own scouting. If not, sell your gun and camo and take up some spectator sport like the NBA or something.

[Bigger Fish]

Well BF, I don't want to sound like smart a** but really, if you don't have time to scout...you don't have time to hunt! Scouting is pretty much all you really do when you hunt. Nobody is going to do the scouting needed and then tell you where to hunt, cause that's exactly what you are asking us to do. You need to do your own scouting. If not, sell your gun and camo and take up some spectator sport like the NBA or something.

BPTurkeys, you don't sound like a smart a**, but more like a jerk.  I am infatuated with learning about this sport.  But I live on the west side of the state, and almost all the "good" turkey hunting occurs in the northeast corner of the state.  I'm assuming, to scout properly, I don't just drive 3 hours to the Okanogan, walk around for an hour, and then drive 3 hours home.  I'm guessing it's as many weekend trips as one can muster, and quite frankly, I don't have a lot of them.  THUS THE REASON I'M ASKING THE QUESTION IN THE FIRST PLACE. I have numerous other obligations that prevent me from scouting as much as I would like to.  But just because I can't scout, doesn't mean I shouldn't hunt, and I resent you suggesting such.  I'm not asking for GPS numbers.  I'm asking for general guidance that will at least point me in the right direction.  If I have time, I will absolutely scout as much as I can.  And if I can't, I'll still go, and take my chances.  It's worth the risk.

So thanks for your help, and trying to talk me out of this.  You failed.

[Bigger Fish]

Your start is good...find all the public area that you know they might be in.  Go to these spots, get out of the truck, and get your boots dirty.  Be in this area at 5:00 am, and simply listen.  When walking walk slow, quietly, and look for sign; which is not hard to find or spot since a turkey print is quite large and unmistakable

This is EXACTLY the kind of feedback I was looking for.  Thank you all for your thoughtful advice.

Hopefully I'll post some pictures of my first gobbler in a few months!

[baldopepper]

Well, Bigger Fish seems you're just looking for a little practical adivice as much as where to hunt.  I'll give you some things I've learned over my brief 15 years of chasing them. 

1) Be patient!!!  i.e.-don't march thru the woods sounding calls like the bowling green marching band.  Call  and don't be afraid to sit down for a bit and wait.  many birds come in sliently.  Also, don't be in a hurry to try "sneaking" up on the birds you see, unless you are really pressed for time, observe what they do with the thought of being in place later that day or the next morning. Again, they arent deer-when they see movement they're gone!!! They don't look up and try to figure out what you are or what you're doing.
2) Movement-again, hold your movement to a bare minimum.  Even just brushing off a bug and changing sitting position is enough to send them off.  I'm just guessing, but I estimate that for every bird I see at least another 3-4 have seen me and left before I even knew they were there.
3) Hunt them when you find them-what I mean is when you find an area with birds -hunt them-I run into hunters every year who started the morning in one area and ended the day car hunting 50 miles away. Work the birds in an area when you find them.  They may leave, but chances are they did'nt go that far and you're far better off hunting an area where you know there are birds than to jump in your car and wander off looking for more-especially when most of us don't have tons of time.
4) Be respectful of other hunters-if you run into hunters working or calling an area don't try taking their birds-find anoother spot.

5)Be out early, but don't give up on the afternoon or late morning hours.  flocks break up as they move around and some of the easiest birds to call in are those toms that have wandered away from the flock and start gobbling like crazy  inn the late morning or afternoon hours.

6)Be respectful of landowners-ask permisson to hunt.  Many owners are happy to let you hunt if you ask but are lerry of we turkey hunters because we're camo'd up and they think "sneaking around' on their property. Don't make the rest of us look bad by trespassing.

I could go on, but that's just a few thoughts that jump into my mind.

[Hank]

So I have a random tip I just thought of. Stay away from fence lines. I have never been able to calla Turkey to cross even a small fence. You can get them excited enough to run up to the fence, but they just won't hop over. That's my random tip of the day. I'm no expert, but feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific questions.

[Mr T]

So I have a random tip I just thought of. Stay away from fence lines. I have never been able to calla Turkey to cross even a small fence. You can get them excited enough to run up to the fence, but they just won't hop over. That's my random tip of the day. I'm no expert, but feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific questions.

Been hunting these crazy birds for almost ten years and this exact tip has driven me insane more than a handful of times 
It took me and my hunting partner almost 3 years of getting up at awful hours during turkey season day after day to finally find a decent area.  If these birds were not so jacked up on what appears to be crack cocaine it would be much easier. 

My suggestion as I have already read is to move slowly through the woods.  Crouching and listening and moving very slowily has brought me more success than calling after opening day.  However, this may be due to the fact that I still sound like a sick frog when I call, and my hunting buddies have a few other terms to describe my hunting ability!!

[Bigger Fish]

All good suggestions!

Now if I can just utilize them in the right place, at the right time...

Sundance, you in particular are building what I now affectionately call "gobbler karma".

Thanks all!

[Hangfire]

The new, March issue of Outdoor Life, has a good article on hunting turkeys, starting on page 55. It has a page of, if you hear this what to do. A example would be You get a gobble and hear yelping hens, and the hens are leading him away. You do this, and it tells what to do..

[Hank]

The March issue of Field and Stream has a good article about how to pattern your shotgun. There is also a Turkey article in the new NRA magazine.