Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: winchestergirl on April 19, 2009, 07:48:45 PM
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i went on my first turkey hunt with my dad up in colville today.
we had our eyes on the huckleberry and sherman unit. so we went and called a little bit but....no gobble. waited. called. no gobble. every spot we went to we didnt get a single gobble! we even saw 5 jakes cross the road into the forest and tried calling but none answered! we then tried the little pe orielle refuge. we tried calling at every sport we could, even sat down for half and hour and waited but no gobble. there was turkey because when we left, atleast 3 people had toms. we only had 5 hours to hunt before we had to leave to make it home before dark so we kind of rushed things. but what suprised me was the quiet turkeys! i thought the ones up in eastern wa were supposed to be noisy! lol we've never hunted colville and was having a hard time finding spots for turkey. we only knew of the refuge thing.
we plan on going back may 6th through the 9th though to try again.
does anyone have any advice?
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First of all congratulations on your first turkey hunt! It took me three years to get my first bird. We too hunt the Colville area. We found our normal areas with fewer birds and they were quieter then previous years. We had two mornings with absolutely no gobbles. Stick with it. We found the ones that did gobble were early 0510-0600. Once they left to roost they really got quite. On spot they did pick up a bit mid morning, but usually just gobbled as they walked away. Good luck on your next trip.
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I do not profess to be an expert turkey hunter. That being said, Like Birdguy, the first several seasons they had a turkey season here I could not seem to get a turkey. I would see them. Just couldn't connect. Since then I have taken plenty of birds.
I've been out a couple times hunting them this year. As well as scouting before the season started.
I'm not sure if it was the tremendous snow we had, that has almost finally subsided, but the turkeys just aren't behaving in their normal ways yet. To me it seems to be too early. I'm sure in the areas that generally have less snow and are the warmer spots in the state things are closer to normal.
Do not fear...I predict in the weeks to come it will only be getting better.
Good luck!
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Same in spots on the westside, I think the season is just a couple weeks later than in th past....I hunted Easterns that acted the same way, roost gobbling then shut down. The hens are boiling to the toms early and aren't setting their nest or laying for that matter, yesterday was the first day we saw a hen by herself, and the toms were still shadowing the hens at 4PM. Another week should start to weed out some of the hens as they start to get full clutches and going off to lay more and more. :twocents:
The spots your in are good, I have a ton of luck in the Huckleberry and the P.O. Refuge always produces. They're maybe a fewer number of birds because of the last couple winters but your in decent spots.
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My partner and I hunted opening day in the Colville area. Bird numbers appear to be down some, and activity is behind the normal schedule, however as you can tell from the reports, there are birds to be had. :) We called in two mature birds and somehow missed them both. :bash: So we did our part give the local toms a quick education, but they are still out there for the skilled and patient hunters. Good Luck and let us know how you do on your follow-up hunt!
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I hunted two days and if not for the fourwheelers, it would have been awesome.
The birds were going crazy.
I got a 21 lb tom with a little over a 10 inch beard on the second day. I could have got one on the first day, but I didn't bring my gun.
I was just trying to locate them.
Must be a local thing like Bone said. :dunno:
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boy sure sounds like a common theme for at least the north east part of the state. as i stated in a previous thread, i could get them to answer on the first and sometimes second call but, when it came down to getting close to them and getting them answer back it was a no go. again i was successful but it took a day and a half of spot and stalk. i do believe the birds are about a week or two late. there is snow still pretty low and the toms are still henned up.
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Last week Thursday, the birds were gobbling like crazy. I have been out twice more (saturday afternoon and tuesday morning) and the gobbling is almost non-existent. I'm not a real experienced turkey hunter, but I know that late in the season last year the birds were very vocal every day I went out. I hope they heat back up soon.
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I have yet to do Spring bird only fall and I hunt private land in the Cusick area. The birds there will wake the dead as the come off the roost then clam up. I either get between them and where they want to go and just wait or I listen/ spot and stalk.
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Your in the right area....we had birds every morning....just couldnt get them to turn around and come back to us...gobble away from us...PM me if you'd like any more info on the area....
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I hunted Stevens and Ferry county one day with Wacenturian and son. We had same trouble..went to several locations. Tried lots of calling and locating calls..put on 300 miles in one day.. Finally went higher in one of my favorite spots. How high? We almost got truck stuck in the snow...I did a woodpecker call and the bird was even higher...We got into position and called he responded but he had girlfriends and he wasn't going to leave them. We have days where birds seem to go silent. not sure why but don't give up..they are out there. This will be a killer week to hunt IMO.. timing to hunt birds couldn't be better.
