Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: Forrestrover on March 05, 2009, 10:58:40 PM
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Is the spring turkey pamphlet available yet?
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No
http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/index.html
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It ususally does not come out until the last week of march-first week of April :bash: Its usually just a carbon copy of the year before though unless there are changes which over the past few years was only the ending date for the season from May 15 to the 31st.
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is it likely that opening day will still be mid week? Seems unusual as I always remember seasons as beginning on saturdays for us working stiffs.
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I always starts the 15th. I'm sure it will again, but who knows. I love it when they open during the week.
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One thing I noticed as far as changes and this may be old news on here, but they changed the definition of a legal bird, it use to state" Known gobbler or bearded turkey. they struck the "Known gobbler "part, so if this is correct a beardless tom is now illegal?
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Gobblers and Turkeys with visible beards ONLY
This is what last years regs said. Basically it has to have a beard but can be a hen or a Tom. The beard is the requirement.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/turkey/
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Agreed but I saw something earlier this winter about the WDFW which they left out the first part that says gobbler, so the reg just read" turkeys with visible beards" So if that's the case and they put it in the '09 pamphlet, that will change the leagality of a beardless tom?
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They may have left it out but I would think it's more to let people know that bearded hens are legal. You know I'm not really sure about this I would just assume that ANY bearded bird is legal and thats why they changed verbage. I'll be interested to see all of the changes this year with all of the regs.
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WHat pisses me off is the WDFW waits to put these out and the State Raffle that the WANWTF sell tickets for and is drawn at the Bighorn SHow in Spokane...doesn't get the advertising early enoughto raise $ for the wild turkey. I haven't heard if that is how they will do the drawing this year or not? They wait till the last minute. I know that the regulations usually come out after the F&W Commission approves season changes..so it should be soon.
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They may have left it out but I would think it's more to let people know that bearded hens are legal. You know I'm not really sure about this I would just assume that ANY bearded bird is legal and thats why they changed verbage. I'll be interested to see all of the changes this year with all of the regs.
I was just reading up on their proposal and comments, and yes you're right their intent is to make it clear that a bearded turkey tom or hen is legal, my issue is then why strike out the term gobbler when they are targeting toms. Some will run into a Warden who may interpret this to mean a beardless tom is Illegal which is still not the case. I think they should rephrase the reg yet again to " Mean what they say" This day and age you can't right anything and " Hope" all interpret it the way you want. :twocents:
Yelp..yes on the where and when for the drawing.... We've been trying hard to come up with better solutions to get the advertisement out there on this tag. Hopefully these kinks will get worked out of it soon. feel free to give us any suggestions for we're always looking for ideas.
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a beardless tom is Illegal
Well, again I think that IS the case. When the regs say VISIBLE beard thats pretty clear to me. JMO but if there isn't a beard I don't shoot. Thats the way I interprit it. I've been wrong before and will be again...........maybe, but a beard what I'll look for.
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Last year............."Gobblers and Turkeys with visible beards ONLY" ..................What the hell was wrong with Gobbler or turkey with visible beard? Seems pretty straight foward and covered the bases. If they changed it to what was said above = Morons!
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I can see it now...no wait can you see the beard? YOu sure? Positive? OK wait, I don't see it...Oh there Damn there goes another...Its like three-pt or better mule deer hunting..LOL..why change it...they apparently are liberal with turkey hunting as it is now...why change it? No sense... Make sure its swinging boys before you shoot! :dunno:
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Well, from my end I see no problem with the regs because I'm colorblind. :bash: :chuckle: I can barely see that red mixed in with all the green foliage. I've always looked for beards anyways. Everybody says I'm really missing out. I can see the yellows and whites but the red doesn't register till I get right up on it. Guess thats why I didn't understand all the fuss. I just look for the beard and let rip.
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Some states have increased limits due to the explosion in Turkey population. Any chance that WA will do the same. Any scuttlebut on this?
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Our state has increased limits, mainly in the fall seasons. Harvesting Toms during Spring seasons doesn't affect population levels for the most part so increasing spring limits isn't usually a viable tool. Most states, like Washington, wild turkeys haven't reached the carrying capacity of the habitat. IF I was to guess Lincoln County, Palouse River (Whitman County), Blue Mountians, Klickitat are at or close to Carrying capacity. What is hard is wild turkeys are adapting to several types of habitats. Normally once that has been reached populations will level off naturally. The easterns on the coast are hard to survey to get population estimates and currently the WDFW does carry out a few winter surveys routes in NE Washington. But with turkeys and other game animals, when the public has reached its tolerance level and unfortunately wild turkeys are considered to be pests more than game animals...The wild turkey is opportunistic feeder and can take care of themselves. Education about wintering flocks, crop damage alternatives, etc...haven't been used effectively to offset local feelings. The wdfw uses this reason I guess to liberalize fall seasons. THe same communities that complain however are the same ones that like the business hunters bring into there towns and business'. So socially its a love hate relationship.
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Anybody know when the youth season is going to be? Thats only gotta be a month away...
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I posted this on the other thread too. Looks like April 4-5. Here's a link showing the 2009 dates for all states.
http://www.nwtf.org/in_your_state/?desturl=/in_your_state/hunt_guide.php (http://www.nwtf.org/in_your_state/?desturl=/in_your_state/hunt_guide.php)
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Thanks for all the input, folks! ;)
