Klickitat or Cle Elum?

[fethrduster]

I've killed a couple tom's in Klickitat over the years (lived in Vancouver for many years), and almost got one there last year. I know it like the back of my hand, since I've been going there since I was a little kid.  It's getting to be a real zoo though during turkey season.  After moving to Tacoma five years ago however, heading east through Cle Elum is a lot closer (hour and a half vs. four hrs. to Klickitat) and I see birds in that area fairly often.  I know birds disperse in the spring though, and it's probably like finding a feathered bigfoot in a haystack.  Or maybe not.

If you were me, would you head east and scout, or just stick to what I know and hunt Klickitat?

[101521]

 

[Wazukie]

No turkey's in Klickitat, the cougars ate them all

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Drive far and then go farther!

[fethrduster]

Drive far and then go farther!

I was afraid you guys were going to say that.  Looks like I'd better plan on spending at least 3 days over there to make it worth the long drive.

[Heartsblood]

How about doing both? I know parts of the Teanaway fairly well - I've harvested two birds out of the last three years I hunted there and even on the years I didn't, I was into birds. Plus I've done a decent amount of grouse hunting in that area. I do not know Klickitat at all. If you're interested, maybe we could both expand our hunting areas by swapping experience and sharing/trading hunts. PM me if that sounds like something you'd be interested in. I'm always down for hunting new areas, and would be interested to see how my areas compare to other folks'. You may only harvest one bird from the 335. I had one hunt that if I'd been with one or even two other buddies, we'd all have gotten a bird.

[kevinp16]

Best bet is to head far east as you can. Cle Elum is loaded with hunters and only few toms to shoot at. I've hunted all around Cle Elum area the past years and now just keep driving past it on my way over to Eastern WA. Sorry for the bad news but i dont want you to waste a season on hiking around just to only see other hunters in the woods.

[Camp David]

Best bet is to head far east as you can. Cle Elum is loaded with hunters and only few toms to shoot at. I've hunted all around Cle Elum area the past years and now just keep driving past it on my way over to Eastern WA. Sorry for the bad news but i dont want you to waste a season on hiking around just to only see other hunters in the woods.

  My buddy took his boy over to Cle Elum for the past several years and has yet to pop a tom and he is a real good turkey hunter. He is traveling east this year. Too many hunters and not enough birds in Cle Elum. Yup the drive east is further, but do you want to see birds or hunters?

[turkeydancer]

NE corner you definitely will see a lot of thunderchickens ... but also a lot of hunters.  Funny how that works !   

[D-Rock425]

I will be hunting near cle elum because I have some friends with a cabin there.  That gives me a place to stay and he always gets up some private properties.

[HoofsandWings]

Please remember that last spring a number of hunters reported seeing wolf signs.
Some of the roads were closed to allow the wolves some privacy.
Not sure how the turkeys will react to wolves.
Suggest you think about Klickitat.