Turkey on Ft. Lewis or Capitol Forest

[nate85]

Anyone heard of turkeys in Ft. Lewis, Capitol Forest or Thurston County?  I've seen the stats from DNR and they don't look good but is that because these areas are not getting hunted?  I'm from Missouri and haven't hunted turkeys for about 10 years but since things are slowing down in the Army I thought why not pick up hunting again.  You don't have to give me your spot (if there are any) but a general area would be nice.

[RadSav]

A little further south near Pe Ell used to be great.  Though in recent years they have moved west onto the private pasture lands and hunting has been pretty slow.  I haven't knocked on any doors, but most the land owners I've run into down there have been quite nice.

I've never seen a turkey in the Capitol forest.  Though I don't go there much anymore now that the tweekers and granola crunchers have been taking over.

Setup a trip to the NE with BearPaw on here.  That's where you're really going to have some fun like back home.

[turkeydancer]

Yes there are Easterns that were planted on Ft Lewis and also Capitol Forest, but they are few in numbers and spread out ... I have been lucky enough to see Easterns off every major line in Capitol Forest plus several other locations.  But to be totally honest, it takes a lot of time, effort, and shoe leather to scout and find them prior to the season .... there's a reason we call them the westside "Phantoms" and only about 60 to 70 are harvested each year.

About 70 to 75% of the states harvest consistently comes from the NE corner of the state with the majority of those from Units 105 thru 124.  The seasons are fairly liberal for these Merriams and they are very talkative, especially when compared to the Easterns. You can take 2 bearded birds there in the spring (in addition to 1 Eastern), 2 beardless birds in the early fall (plus you can take an additional bird of either sex in about a dozen general units or several special pernmit unit all on the eastside .... ie: no Easterns) in the early fall, and then 1 additional bird of either sex in Units 105 thru 124 only in the late fall season.

If you are intent on easterns only, most of the harvest comes from the Skookumchuck area, but you'll have numerous hunters there also, especially early in the season and on weekends.  It's usually wet and windy most spring days on the "wetside" of the state, it's very brushy, and the birds are very quiet.   My suggestion is to head east young man ....
 

[bloodhound]

ive lived and hunted the westside my whole life, including the skookumchuck unit, fort lewis, and capital forest and ive never seen one ever! but my uncle has a house just south of coville and i see hundreds every time i go there.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I been chasing these damn "Phantoms" for years, if you value your sanity, do what everyone has been telling you, head east !!
If you have already lost your sanity, and want to really challenge yourself, get out in the woods NOW and start looking.
There are birds scattered around from Capital Forest, north to Mason County, and south on both sides of I-5 to Vancouver, I have seen them all the way out by Palix (coast)
The hard part is finding them, then being able to find them again... 
I do not know where they go, I think they rendezvous with Sasquatch in the spring...
But, put a little boot leather on the ground, and you might find some tracks, droppings, feathers, etc.
It seems I only get to hear them Gobble in March, right at daybreak (if your still in your vehicle, you missed it) so your best bet is to get a COMFORTABLE chair, and after going through a pair of boots, hopefully locating some sign...
If after miles of searching, you do find some sign, get a spot high on a ridge, settle in an hour before daylight and watch the sunrise, and hunt coyotes.
(DO NOT USE TURKEY CALLS UNTIL SEASON)
If you are in a good spot, you might hear one accidentally reveal his position, but don't count on it...
 Once you do find a few Turkeys, TELL NO-ONE !!! or you will have company !! (probably will anyways, but oh, well...)
These birds rarely come out in the open, don't expect them to be in any fields, the live in the woods.
During season, turkey calls will bring in coyotes, one reason IMHO they are so quiet, the noisy ones get eaten !!
If you get in a good spot, make a few calls, and only a few calls, then sit still until your butt goes numb...
Then sit there some more...
when you finally decide that you are in a wrong spot, and get up, do not be surprised if one is standing right there in front of you, seemingly from out of no-where 

[Wacenturion]

Stiknstringbow.....you have truly evolved into an experienced western Washington "Eastern" hunter.  You are right on, and it can surely seem like hunting feathered Bigfoots most of the time.

Good luck this spring.