Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: rosscrazyelk on January 16, 2014, 12:22:13 PM

Title: Going fpr the slam
Post by: rosscrazyelk on January 16, 2014, 12:22:13 PM: Well I decided I am going to try and go for the slam. Now to figure out how to break it to the wife..
The hardest one will probably be the eastern any advice is welcome..
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 01:04:32 PM: I've never shot a turkey myself, would love to someday. You should do good Ross, I've heard it's a lot like hunting elk in the rut. If I draw for spring bear in the blues ill have to give it a try, seen a few down there.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: scottcrb on January 16, 2014, 01:22:16 PM: Definitely not going to be easy. Good luck!
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: NRA4LIFE on January 16, 2014, 01:25:24 PM: Go to Missouri (on your way to Florida to get that Osceola).
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: packmule on January 16, 2014, 01:28:36 PM: Steep learning curve with the eastern if you haven't previously hunted them in WA.

A good approach is to focus on the eastern first, unless you KNOW you can get a Rio, Merriam or both quickly and get back to hunting the eastern. You probably have the longest window of opportunity for the Merriam because of their population size and distribution across the state. Probably others will have other opinions on how to approach it.

Either way, good luck and have fun! Hope to hear about your successes in mid-May!
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: Woodchuck on January 16, 2014, 01:29:12 PM: Ross is an animal, if anyone here can it's him :tup:
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: jackelope on January 16, 2014, 01:59:10 PM: Washington slam or the grand slam?
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: Eli346 on January 16, 2014, 02:09:43 PM: Send me a pm on the eastern as I may have some info for you. I really don't want to throw it out here online as they are hard enough to locate without all the competition.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 02:16:51 PM: Which ones are in the blues?
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 16, 2014, 02:23:01 PM: X2 on getting the eastern, been trying for several years.
I would have gotten one by now if I would "man up" and use a shotgun, keep spooking when I try to draw my recurve.
But the time to be looking is NOW, you have to put some miles on to locate them, small scattered flocks.
The further back behind the gates, the better. Otherwise you will show up and 5 guys will be hunting the same spot.
You got a bike ?
If not, get one...
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: packmule on January 16, 2014, 02:28:57 PM: Quote from: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 02:16:51 PM
Which ones are in the blues?
Rio grande
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 02:56:53 PM: Quote from: packmule on January 16, 2014, 02:28:57 PM
Quote from: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 02:16:51 PM
Which ones are in the blues?
Rio grande
thanks, so to get a slam, does that mean you have to kill all species in the same year? Or just eventually get all species? I know, stupid question.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: packmule on January 16, 2014, 03:37:41 PM: In WA you can do either, there are single season and multiseason categories. Either way it's a great accomplishment.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 03:59:36 PM: So, in order, which turkey species are the easiest to kill to the hardest? And which species are in what part of the state? Thanks!

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Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: jackelope on January 16, 2014, 05:15:33 PM: Quote from: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 03:59:36 PM
So, in order, which turkey species are the easiest to kill to the hardest? And which species are in what part of the state? Thanks!

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Northeast-Merriams
Southeast-Rio's
Westside-Easterns

I think the birds on the east slope Cascades/Central WA are Merriams too.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 05:16:48 PM: Thanks!!

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Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: rosscrazyelk on January 16, 2014, 05:23:54 PM: Quote from: jackelope on January 16, 2014, 01:59:10 PM
Washington slam or the grand slam?
t
Washington slam
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 16, 2014, 06:19:30 PM: Quote from: jackelope on January 16, 2014, 05:15:33 PM
Quote from: trophyhunt on January 16, 2014, 03:59:36 PM
So, in order, which turkey species are the easiest to kill to the hardest? And which species are in what part of the state? Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

Northeast-Merriams
Southeast-Rio's
Westside-Easterns

I think the birds on the east slope Cascades/Central WA are Merriams too.

Seems about right, figure if/when I get an eastern, I would stop in the middle for a Merriam on my way to SE Wa for the Rio, I know where to get a Merriam, getting access to hunt SE is my main obstacle. (that and these darn easterns)
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: RadSav on January 16, 2014, 06:59:31 PM: Ten years ago the easterns were rather easy to find. My first three Washington birds we Easterns. Now all of them seem to be making their home on private land. Saying around our old eastern spots is, "Once you go turd you never go back" since once they start eating cow turds they seem to never leave the pasture again :chuckle: I still see a good number of easterns each year, but I haven't found any land owner that will allow me access. Even during late archery season we now only see a few on public land. And I haven't seen a tom on public land in about five years.

Good luck with getting the slam. It's a lot of fun you won't soon forget.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: turkeydancer on January 17, 2014, 07:56:52 AM: Rios in SE and north Lincoln County.
Merriams NE, East slopes of the Cascades, and the Klickitat (which is considered Eastern Wa for turkey hunting purposes).
Easterns in Western Wa, primarily SW Wa.

Note:
Approx 68% of state harvest is in NE. with approdx 9% on eastern slopes of the Cascades, and 10+% in the Klickitat.
SE accounts for approx 10+%.
SW approx 1.4% and NW approx 0.1%.

Based on the stats Merriams would be the easiest, Rios next, and the Eastern "phantoms" the hardest. The good news is that once you find and then figure out the Easterns, they're not that bad.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: NRA4LIFE on January 17, 2014, 08:11:08 AM: http://www.nwtf.org/NAWTMP/downloads/maps/Washington_Wild_Turkey_Range.pdf (http://www.nwtf.org/NAWTMP/downloads/maps/Washington_Wild_Turkey_Range.pdf)

Distribution map for WA turkeys.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: EDT on January 19, 2014, 03:16:46 PM: If you ever go for the Grand Slam, I know of several great places to get a Gould's. They are my favorite, I have killed several.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 19, 2014, 08:09:46 PM: Quote from: EDT on January 19, 2014, 03:16:46 PM
If you ever go for the Grand Slam, I know of several great places to get a Gould's. They are my favorite, I have killed several.
Unfortunately not recognized by Washington, escaped domestic are feral. County of harvest dictates specie, so region harvested in denotes recognized specie for "The Slam"
The Goulds mostly resemble Rio's, so....
For the purposes of the “Washington Slam,” subspecies are defined by county
of kill. Merriam’s: Ferry, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, Skamania,
Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima, Spokane and Stevens; Rio
Grande: all eastern Washington counties except Ferry, Klickitat,
Pend Oreille, Skamania, Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima,
Spokane and Stevens; eastern: all western Washington counties
except Klickitat and Skamania. The taking of one of each of these
subspecies constitutes a “Washington Slam.”
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: MerriamMagician on January 19, 2014, 08:40:21 PM: I'm going for the Washington slam this year as well. Its tough though. This will be my third consecutive attempt and the Eastern is the one the has eluded me both times :yike:
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: EDT on January 19, 2014, 09:32:01 PM: Quote from: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 19, 2014, 08:09:46 PM
Quote from: EDT on January 19, 2014, 03:16:46 PM
If you ever go for the Grand Slam, I know of several great places to get a Gould's. They are my favorite, I have killed several.
Unfortunately not recognized by Washington, escaped domestic are feral. County of harvest dictates specie, so region harvested in denotes recognized specie for "The Slam"
The Goulds mostly resemble Rio's, so....
For the purposes of the “Washington Slam,” subspecies are defined by county
of kill. Merriam’s: Ferry, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, Skamania,
Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima, Spokane and Stevens; Rio
Grande: all eastern Washington counties except Ferry, Klickitat,
Pend Oreille, Skamania, Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima,
Spokane and Stevens; eastern: all western Washington counties
except Klickitat and Skamania. The taking of one of each of these
subspecies constitutes a “Washington Slam.”

:chuckle: :chuckle: I was actually talking about just what I stated, the turkey "grand" slam. I know of several areas in Mexico and Arizona that have great Goulds turkey hunting. Thanks for your attempt at clarification, but I was not talking about the Washington Slam. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 21, 2014, 07:33:41 AM: Quote
:chuckle: :chuckle: I was actually talking about just what I stated, the turkey "grand" slam. I know of several areas in Mexico and Arizona that have great Goulds turkey hunting. Thanks for your attempt at clarification, but I was not talking about the Washington Slam. :chuckle:
I was hung up on OP..
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: turkeydancer on January 21, 2014, 09:26:42 AM: For those going for a Washington slam --- there are two: 1) multi-year and 2) single year.
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: kevinp16 on January 23, 2014, 04:13:43 PM: Question about the Washington slam. Is there a form or website you need to sign up on in order to officially document a Washington slam, or is it just proof by pictures and saying you we're able to do it in a single season?

This has been on my bucket list for some time now and would like to start focusing on it in the next few years. It would be really cool if there was a certificate or something that you get for a single season slam.

Thanks
Title: Re: Going fpr the slam
Post by: bradslam on January 23, 2014, 06:05:18 PM: The info is on the back of the turkey pamphlet. You have to contact the Washington State Chapter of the NWTF.