Probably a dumb ?

[emac]

Ok so i have a read enough post on here and have been hunting long enough myself to understand most of the post about when people ask about hunting locations.  So i am going to go out on a limb here.  I am going to do my normal thing for turkey season this year and go back home to e. wa. and go turkey hunting.  I only got 2 days so far to do this.  I probably will get a bird like usual since they are a dime a dozen over there anymore.  Since I live in seattle now and with gas prices going through the roof I was maybe hoping somebody on here might steer me in the right direction on where to maybe hunt the gobblers on the west side.  I don't know anybody that hunts over here to ask.  Like everybody says on here don't wanna know your honey hole.  That is true with me I don't, I just don't know where to start looking over here on the west side.  Any honest replies will help.  Thanks

[cryfowl]

Farthest west I would hunt is probably around White Salmon along the Columbia.  It gets tons of hunting pressure though.  I've seen birds everytime I have been down there, and only connected once.  But be warned....for every Gobble you hear there will be a tick crawling on you.  Never seen soo many of those dang things.  Had 13 on me in one sit!!

[billythekidrock]

Lincoln

[teanawayslayer]

I don't know where you hunt in ew. But you don't have to go all the way to the ne corner.  the Cle elum and ellensburg area holds plenty of birds.  only and hour ten from seattle to cle elum. you will be spending the same amount in gas to go further west to look for a good spot.  I know if I were worried about gas I wouldn't be looking for a new spot.  Like you said in your post they are all over ew. From the time you come over the pass all the way east.

[emac]

I do all my hunting in se wa thats where i am from.  Thanks for the tips guys it is greatly appreciated.  I hate tics they are just a big pain in the ass. maybe cle elum eburg are is a good spot to start like you said its just a quick trip over the mountain.  how far over the pass do you need to go before you get into them

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Lincoln

Getting even with me for ruining your "secrets" ??
 
Actually I agree about heading to the Cle Elum area, hunting for Easterns in SW Washington will cost you as much fuel as heading up the Pass.
Few and far between, difficult to locate small flocks widely scattered from Capital Forest to Cowlitz River.
The same distance East, birds have been spotted from Snoqualmie to Ellensburg, north to Blewett Pass (don't know about Wenatchee side)

[Hangfire]

Call the DFW and ask the regional or district bio's, Wildlife agents, and regional office in Yakima and Wenatchee. They will help with general areas and will tell you if they have damage complaints

[Hank]

Lincoln

2009 Harvest reports show that there were 11 turkeys taken in this unit (501). 2010 reports aren't out yet. I would love to hunt that area.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Lincoln

2009 Harvest reports show that there were 11 turkeys taken in this unit (501). 2010 reports aren't out yet. I would love to hunt that area.

There are more Turkeys in the Blues !!  
Keep in mind, those numbers can be misleading, as some hunters hunt Lincoln County, not Lincoln GMU 501

** Harvest statistics are known to be inflated due to hunters mistakenly reporting turkey hunting activity in Lincoln County as hunting activity in GMU 501-Lincoln.

There are Turkeys in unit, good luck if you come down here, but if you see my rig parked at a gate, I am just looking for mushrooms and sheds, not Turkeys !!  

[BIGINNER]

AND I THOUGH I WAS THE ONLY ONE UP   

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Getting my gear together to go scout some gobblers right now, gotta get in there early....

[greenhead_killer]

it can be hit and miss in cle elum eburg area. ive seen them in the sage flats all the way up into the thick nasty mountain patches. just takes scouting...and gas. gl

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

it can be hit and miss in cle elum eburg area. ive seen them in the sage flats all the way up into the thick nasty mountain patches. just takes scouting...and gas. gl

We see them every year up near Tamarack Springs, but cannot get up there to hunt them until season is over b'cause the snow/ice blocking road about half way up hill,

[emac]

I am always hunting in the blues and there is no wildlife up there from turkeys to deer to elk to bear nothing all you see is hunters not going waste my time going there...thanks for helping out guys thats what makes this site so good

[billythekidrock]

Lincoln

Getting even with me for ruining your "secrets" ??
 
Actually I agree about heading to the Cle Elum area, hunting for Easterns in SW Washington will cost you as much fuel as heading up the Pass.
Few and far between, difficult to locate small flocks widely scattered from Capital Forest to Cowlitz River.
The same distance East, birds have been spotted from Snoqualmie to Ellensburg, north to Blewett Pass (don't know about Wenatchee side)

Nope, hoping he will learn it and share info with me.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Lincoln

Getting even with me for ruining your "secrets" ??
 

Nope, hoping he will learn it and share info with me.

Well, I tried to get together with you last year for some calling lessons (Bear).....
If you want to look around for some Easterns w/ me this year (or calling lessons if I draw again) we'll have to figure something out.
I will be in my same area, I have a score to settle with a tom that has beaten me 3 years in a row....
The biggest problem I have with the Turkeys is there seems to only be a few, I see lone tracks, a few droppings and only hear gobbles once in a while, and usually before season.
I do not call to them AT ALL until season, not even locator, but they clam-up anyhow.

[muleyslayer#1]

If I were you I would go to elk heights with gas prices and everything it would be the best. Last year I got a gobbler there it had a 8 1/2 inch beard and there was alot of turkeys gobbling to so that would be your best bet.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

SSHHHH !!
THERE ARE NO TURKEYS IN ELK HEIGHTS !!! 
 

[billythekidrock]

Lincoln

Getting even with me for ruining your "secrets" ??
 

Nope, hoping he will learn it and share info with me.

Well, I tried to get together with you last year for some calling lessons (Bear).....
If you want to look around for some Easterns w/ me this year (or calling lessons if I draw again) we'll have to figure something out.
I will be in my same area, I have a score to settle with a tom that has beaten me 3 years in a row....
The biggest problem I have with the Turkeys is there seems to only be a few, I see lone tracks, a few droppings and only hear gobbles once in a while, and usually before season.
I do not call to them AT ALL until season, not even locator, but they clam-up anyhow.

Yea, last year it seemed like when I could go you couldn't and vice versa.
I am up for trying it again this year.

[Phantom Gobbler]

There are not any turkeys along I 90 only on it!!!   

[KeeKeeBlamo]

eMac  I am having the same issue this year.  My first son (child)  is due the first week in May and I don't want to be in the field NE of Spokane if my wife goes into labor.  I am looking for a place to go within two and a half hours drive of King County.  I got one last fall in Elk WA on some private land but clearly won't have that opportunity this spring.  Just don't wanna be 5 or more hours out if the wife goes into labor.  I was thinking near cle elum or liberty.  Father in law has seen turkey near lion rock for years but always in the fall.  Can't go opening weekend because of work.  Ohhh what to do what to do.

[kevinp16]

I've scouted twice in outside Cle Elum, Thorp and Ellensburg area in the past couple of weeks. Never found or heard any turkey in the area. My guess is if there is any birds, then they are still in Winter mood or deeper into the mountains. I'm still going to give it a shot on the 15th as this is the only place that i can camp and be able to fit my 5th wheel in.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I've scouted twice in outside Cle Elum, Thorp and Ellensburg area in the past couple of weeks. Never found or heard any turkey in the area. My guess is if there is any birds, then they are still in Winter mood or deeper into the mountains. I'm still going to give it a shot on the 15th as this is the only place that i can camp and be able to fit my 5th wheel in.

Another problem I have with there, I have seen a lot up Manastash, but they dont open the gate until May.

[kevinp16]

I've scouted twice in outside Cle Elum, Thorp and Ellensburg area in the past couple of weeks. Never found or heard any turkey in the area. My guess is if there is any birds, then they are still in Winter mood or deeper into the mountains. I'm still going to give it a shot on the 15th as this is the only place that i can camp and be able to fit my 5th wheel in.

Another problem I have with there, I have seen a lot up Manastash, but they dont open the gate until May.

We hiked around Manastash last Wednesday and heard nothing. It's a long walk when you have to park at the gate. We talked to a local guy that said the gate opens this week now. We used to go back there years ago before they changed the dates to may. Not sure if i believe the guy or not. There are other ways to get in there from the back side, but it's a long drive on muddy roads. see you out there!!!

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

 

We hiked around Manastash last Wednesday and heard nothing. It's a long walk when you have to park at the gate. We talked to a local guy that said the gate opens this week now. We used to go back there years ago before they changed the dates to may. Not sure if i believe the guy or not. There are other ways to get in there from the back side, but it's a long drive on muddy roads. see you out there!!!

as far as I remember, if you read the sign, it says absolutely no entry, did they change it ?

[kevinp16]

We hiked around Manastash last Wednesday and heard nothing. It's a long walk when you have to park at the gate. We talked to a local guy that said the gate opens this week now. We used to go back there years ago before they changed the dates to may. Not sure if i believe the guy or not. There are other ways to get in there from the back side, but it's a long drive on muddy roads. see you out there!!!

as far as I remember, if you read the sign, it says absolutely no entry, did they change it ?

There are no signs posted at the gate anymore. ALso we were told by the local guy, that the forest service no longer opens and closes the gate. There is a local guy that lives on the road when your driving out there that opens it now. Again I dont know if this guy is totally correct ? I'm going to make a trip out there on the 13th or 14th to see if the gate is open. I'm still setting up camp on W. Tatum Rd. and traveling out from there.

[Hilltop123]

If it's Maloy Rd., then I found out this morning that it is open, but jam packed with shed hunter. Lot of that state ground is still closed to motorized vehicles, until May 1, the state won't care how you got there, and still write a ticket. So be aware.

[kevinp16]

If it's Maloy Rd., then I found out this morning that it is open, but jam packed with shed hunter. Lot of that state ground is still closed to motorized vehicles, until May 1, the state won't care how you got there, and still write a ticket. So be aware.

The road i was thinking of is called Audubon RD. I believe its the road above Maloy RD that heads more North. There is a gate about a mile past all the homes. Have you seen if that gate is open yet?

[JMac]

If this is helpful I found information on the WNF site about road closures.

"...Visitors to the Okanogan National Forest should carry a current copy of the Okanogan Access and Travel Management Plan Map, showing which roads are open at this time of year.  Just because there isn’t a sign or a gate blocking a road doesn’t mean that a road is legally open yet."

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/recreation/report/index.shtml#cleelum

http://cleelumtrails.com/

Happy hunting