Post by: bronczilla on April 21, 2013, 11:08:49 AM
I guess it was not a total loss, I picked up my goose mount from Willow Creek Taxidermy and met some good people, Ill post a pic in the taxi section.
The wife an I in Colville yesterday calling in some birds.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy392%2Fskylesjones%2FColvilleTripApril19-205_zps877ddbd4.jpg&hash=9a81102418321d9acc77bbaf71afb5c4c1b024ad)
Post by: Lincoln4 on April 21, 2013, 03:44:31 PM
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Post by: earlmarne on April 21, 2013, 06:16:53 PM
Post by: buckfvr on April 21, 2013, 06:22:46 PM
Post by: janttihunter on April 21, 2013, 06:53:35 PM
Post by: bronczilla on April 21, 2013, 08:50:17 PM
Post by: wonder on April 22, 2013, 11:58:09 AM
Post by: turkeydancer on April 22, 2013, 12:06:06 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on April 22, 2013, 12:16:34 PM
Post by: baldopepper on April 22, 2013, 12:19:48 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on April 22, 2013, 12:34:26 PM
Post by: Gobble Doc on April 22, 2013, 01:53:44 PM
Post by: Yelper Guy on April 22, 2013, 03:59:47 PM
For years this place was crawling with turkeys, but something has really changed there habits. We think some type of predator is involved.
(we did see 2 turkey kill spots where the major roosting used to take place)
We did manage to locate some birds waaaay back in the woods, maybe a mile from where they used to hold.
We also heard some gobbling, but not much.
We set up working a couple of birds in a very bad location - it was asking too much of this Tom to cross the jungle that separated us. :bash:
At least we know the birds are still in the area and my worst day of hunting sure beats my best day at work. :)
Post by: turkeyspark on April 22, 2013, 04:30:07 PM
Post by: littletoes on April 22, 2013, 07:14:17 PM
Can't even get the Wife to let me go....man, so controlling. :bash:
Wind blew hard this past weekend, with a bit of rain here and there. The sun shown out earlier, and is shining today, but the wind is still blowing.
Hope my boys at least get out this weekend!
Post by: bronczilla on April 22, 2013, 08:40:50 PM
No problems here. Tagged out on opening day on public land. Did notice they were a little quieter than other years but had no trouble getting into birds. If I may ask, are you hunting in the National Forrest or on Refuge land?
Nice work! I hunted both and then some. Lots of driving around.
Post by: TommyH on April 22, 2013, 11:13:52 PM
Birds have been fired up for awhile now, lots of birds near the house that gobble every day, seen a nice tom today with a solo hen. Think I interrupted them! :chuckle:
Post by: Hangfire on April 23, 2013, 06:46:00 AM
Post by: turkeydancer on April 23, 2013, 07:40:13 AM
Post by: turkeyspark on April 23, 2013, 10:02:05 AM
The lack of success isn't always due to being lazy , stupid or any other thing like that. It takes a while to learn how to hunt turkeys. They can go from being very vocal to quite in a day. It takes time to work out a area and find if there are huntable birds in it. I would expect if I am to try a area that I spend at least 3-4 hours minimum working it, walking from spot to spot, looking at sign, listening etc. I haven't been out yet this year, but I have not heard a gobbler from my house which is abnormal. The only flocks I have seen are very small with only one gobbler for flock. The birds are here, it is a matter of finding them. I hope to get out one day this week. I have not had time to scout out a area so I will spend at least 6 hours in the location where I go, where ever that may be. This appears to be a unusual year. It is 22 degrees out now, much cooler than normal. This I would expect to affect birds.
Well put sir.
Post by: wonder on April 23, 2013, 11:45:44 AM
Good luck guys, we still have a lot of season to go :tup:
Post by: Big game archer on April 23, 2013, 08:25:04 PM
Post by: littletoes on April 23, 2013, 09:13:26 PM
Post by: Quackwhacker on April 23, 2013, 10:13:28 PM
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Post by: hobbes on April 24, 2013, 08:25:42 AM
I would suspect its a combination of the current nasty weather affecting winter flock break up and gobbling activity and previous cold wet springs affecting the hatch. If your 2011 spring was similar to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, etc. then the hatch got hammered. A bad 2011 hatch would reduce the # of 2 year olds which are typically the blabber mouths in the woods, and the most likely to run to the call.
I hope its just the weather and they are on fire for you guys soon. This weekend looks good here in MT. I've made reservations for the family in Kettle Falls over Memorial Day weekend, so I'll be trying out some of the late season action in WA for the first time this spring.
Post by: Hangfire on April 24, 2013, 08:46:50 PM
Post by: bearpaw on April 25, 2013, 10:51:17 PM
Hope this helps!
I have been watching birds strutting for 2 months, our spring broke early in the NE and the brush is even leafing out early. The cold first few days of season were misleading, we actually had 76 degrees in Colville for a couple days about a week before season opened. There are lots of single hens being seen that I think are laying, it's quite possible some are already setting because they disappear very quickly, this is also earlier than usual.
In my experience it's normal for the birds to get real quiet from about Apr 28ish to May 8ish. I think we are ahead of schedule this year, birds broke up at all the farms we hunt before season even started and I think we have already been in the quiet period, I expect birds to talk more very soon.
We've been killing lots of birds but only because we are hunting nearly every day and know where birds are at even if they aren't talking much. Sounds like guys are doing what they have to do to find birds, that is the best method when they aren't calling, keep at it and don't give up.
I've heard less gobbling since season opened than before season opened and fewer birds are coming to calls this season thus far. Yes I would rather call than anything else but if you can't find a bird that will gobble it only makes sense to sit silently in known feeding areas or cover ground looking for birds. A successful hunter does what is needed to be successful, I see nothing wrong with alternate methods as long as they are legal, and neither will the game wardens.
Those who like to hike miles so they feel like they are hunting should be happy that not everyone is doing that. They should also understand that many hunters are simply physically unable to hike miles to hunt. That doesn't make them any less of a hunter, it means they must be a smarter hunter to make up for lack of physical ability. One of the best whitetail hunters I knew in the NE weighed well over 400 pounds and he rarely got far from his vehicle, yet he always killed big bucks and knew where more big bucks lived than 99% of hunters. Success is often achieved in how wisely you hunt, not how far you can hike. :twocents:
Good Luck to everyone, no matter how you like to hunt. :tup:
Post by: bearpaw on April 25, 2013, 10:56:54 PM
:hello: :hello: :hello:
Post by: WaltAlpine on April 26, 2013, 07:55:17 AM
Post by: washingtonmuley on April 26, 2013, 08:16:05 AM
Post by: turkeydancer on April 26, 2013, 08:59:52 AM
In all fairest to the guys post, he did use the word "SOME" ... and I don't care which side of the state you're from or what you're doing, you will always encounter the "SOME" ... you just need to not let the "SOMEs" affect the quality of what you do or your enjoyment of things in life .... that includes somewhat disparaging and unnecessary posts. As Dale has stated, I have never felt unwelcome in Colville/Kettle Falls (as wll as Northpport, Davenport, or any of the other places I hunt and fish), and have met many good people I now consider lifelong friends. Life's too short to sweat petty things and/or to let any "SOME" rob you of the better things you'll find in life and treasure ....
:twocents:
Post by: bearpaw on April 26, 2013, 09:03:14 AM
I didn't know that the word "knucklehead" was banned from the site.
It's not, I just wanted to remove anything that referenced that one post so that we could get this topic back on track to help people. :tup:
Post by: Jrzbullelk on April 26, 2013, 10:21:32 AM
Post by: littletoes on April 27, 2013, 05:28:43 PM
Keep at it boys.....we all love to hunt. :tup:
PS---They were gobbling up a storm this morning, herd five different groups, and brought three in from over 500 yards. Amazing!
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on April 27, 2013, 05:44:11 PM