Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: Pete112288 on December 02, 2015, 08:09:05 PM
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So I have been hunting since I was 15 and turkey has never really been something I have been interested in. That is until lately. I have started to think about it a little more. Give me something to do in the spring. I am SW WA so I am planning on hunting Klickitat. I figure I will find my way when it comes to finding an area. I wont refuse any kind suggestions for areas to access or anything but I can figure that out. What I am doing is something I wish I would have done for other firsts I have tried like muzzy or bowhunting the first times I did them.
I know very very little about turkey hunting.
What are any helpful tips or tricks that someone that does not turkey hunt may not know?
I have a 12 gauge that I want to trick out and camo for coyote hunting anyway so I figure that would be perfect for turkey when paired with the right choke and load.
Any tips on loads or chokes? My understanding is tight choke and pattern your loads. I have always preferred going heavier for shot and bullet selection in the past rather then risk going too light.
Any basics about turkey hunting that area? Such as areas to focus at different times, thick brush, timber, large fields, patchy openings, roads, etc.
What can I expect for hunter densities if I go to state land?
Does one certain time of the season seem to be more productive? Such as wait till the last weeks or hit it hard right out of the gate? This would help for scheduling a long weekend or two.
I am an ok caller for elk, decent for predators, and just ok for waterfowl. What would be the best calling strategies for a beginner? Certain types of calls easier to start with?
Anything else at all anyone can think of that would be helpful.
Thank you to anyone that has any advice. I appreciate it.
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Klickitat & Colville are good areas..when i first started turkey hunting it was explained to me like this. "Its poor mans elk hunting". Youll need to go get a call. There are dozens. Ill let you do the research. I personally like a slate call... find you a piece of ground you can hunt and locate some birds. Where camo head to toe. Turkeys have EXCELLENT eye sight. Let them come to you unless theyre a ways off. Once you have a gobbler come in, youll be hooked...
You already got me dreaming for April 15. Good luck.
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pretty new myself, still in the single digits... but here are some things I've been tought/picked up.... Even if they are wrong...
shoot for the head/neck
I like the boxes with hinged door for calling, pretty easy to get working
I have had best luck in morning and evening
Look for sign, scat/tracks/feathers, It should be around where you are and is easy to spot
I like to run and gun for them, call and move until you get some responses.
You can spot them from far away on hills or in valleys and set up and ambush
fairly certain they are somewhat repetitive in their habits and paths. Like i'll notice a certain flock will cross a certain stream at a certain point at the same time every evening on its way to roost.
Good luck!
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NEVER..EVER..EVER shoot a turkey from a roost tree. Thats like their sacred ground. Give them respect in that sense. Turkeys are funny. Youll laugh at some of the chit they do when they come into your decoys. Really cool creatures.
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I bet you'll have a great time hunting turkeys! Calls are really a personal preference thing but I would definitely practice with a mouth reed.this way you don't need to be moving as the turkey is closing in. Along with turkey calls there are also locator calls. Could be owl hoots, crow calls, coyote howl, door slamming shut and I've had them gobble at bugles as well. The locating call helps you get a fix on their location so you can close the distance and get setup as best possible before they know you are there. The funny thing with chokes is everyone wants to have a pattern that kills out to 65 yards but likes calling them into 10! I've seen experience turkey slayers miss easy shots because their pattern was to tight. Turkeys are where you find them, sometimes in unexpected places. One way to locate is to find where they roost at night and then go back to that area in the morning where you expect them to feed. Wind is your enemy! Turkeys are great at spotting movement so you want to have the best setup possible where you are doing the least amount of movement. Turkeys are he one animal where I think camo really helps but I've also called them while wearing blue jeans. One piece of gear I really recommend is a turkey vest with a butt pad. I hate sitting on the wet or cold ground. Plus you have all your gear in an accessible place. I never set out more than two decoys at a time and they are a hen or jake decoy. I've found that once the Tom sees the jake decoy they like to approach it from behind so remember that in your setup. The best way to learn is through experience and it is highly addicting.
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It's really easy to overcall. The hardest thing I had to learn was to shut the hell up and play hard to get.
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Get a couple different types of calls for different sounds. Also get a locator call- I like a crow call. I do a run and gun style, moving, calling, moving, calling, and spot & stalk. It's a lot like elk hunting. I generally use a #4 shot in 2-3/4" shell with a super full turkey choke from my old Remington 870. I use an Aimpoint red dot because the dense part of the patttern doesn't line up with the bead. I've shot during all parts of the day.
Just get out there and hunt it up. You'll love it
