17 minute read
‘EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD’ TURKEY FORECAST
HUNTING
Washington, Oregon gobbler biologists offer their takes on this season’s prospects.
By MD Johnson
She falls on a Friday this year, April 15 does. What’s that, you say? What’s the significance of April 15? Well, sir and/or madam, I reckon that ranks right up there with asking the relevance of December 25 … or October 31 … or June 23.
OK, so that last one’s my birthday, which you probably didn’t know, but 12/25 and 10/31? Yeah, you should know those.
This year, spring turkey season opens in both Washington and Oregon on – that’s correct, sir – April 15, as it’s done for more than a few seasons now. So by the time you’re reading this, you should have your preseason scouting complete, shotgun tuned, camouflage readied, vest packed – and emptied – and repacked, decoys cleaned, licenses pocketed, truck maintained, work notified of your impending illness. Hell, when we lived in Iowa, I’d know what tree I was going to sit on come opening morning a month out. Not a general area or grove of trees, but the tree. Yeah, it was that bad.
Part of this preparedness equation each year is, thanks to the good people at Northwest Sportsman, a discussion with the local authorities – that is, biologists and folks who genuinely know an awful lot about turkeys and turkey hunting – about what y’all might expect to find once you head afield on the morning of April
Prospects look good for spring turkey hunting across the Northwest. Samantha Gaudette bagged this beautiful gobbler “first thing in the morning” last
15, 2022. This year’s no different, so without further ado, let’s take a gander into those crystal balls, shall we, and see what’s happening in the wonderful world of the wild turkey.
OREGON
If you’re a loyal follower of Northwest Sportsman, which I’m sure y’all are, then you’ve met Mikal Cline, the upland game bird coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, a position she’s held for four years now. Prior to that, Cline served as the lead biologist for the Pacific Northwest for the National Wild Turkey Federation. She has, by her own admission, “been in the turkey business for a while now.”
At of the time of our interview, March 4, 2022, Cline had just begun receiving harvest data from last year’s season due to the fact that Oregon’s mandatory reporting deadline wasn’t until January 31, 2022.
Northwest Sportsman “Summarize for
us, Mikal, Oregon’s turkey season in the spring of 2021.” Mikal Cline “As expected, those southwest units – Rogue, Melrose, Applegate – were our top three in terms of total harvest. It gets more interesting when you start looking at effort, or the efficiency of our (turkey) hunters. It took a lot more hunter-days for the Rogue Unit to come out on top; it took almost 6,000 hunter-days, which approaches our all-time leader in terms of effort, the White River Unit.”
“The White River gets a ton of use, but they also harvest a ton of birds. We hosted 1,700 hunters on the White River Unit last spring, with almost 1,300 on the Rogue.”
“The Eastside is a desirable place to hunt because the public access is a lot better. It’s good on the Rogue and White River due to wildlife areas and access agreements, but on the Eastside, you have (plenty of) turkeys on public land.”
The Heppner area, Cline said, along with the lands around Ritter, produced “168 birds based on the mandatory reporting. It’s that John Day Country, and we know there’s a lot of birds in there to the point we’ve had to remove some in the winter due to overcrowding on private land.”
The Ochoco, too, is moving up the list, she said, with “the (national) forest holding a lot of birds and hunters being pretty successful out there.”
NWS “Any setback in 2021, Mikal? Fires? Floods? Russian invasions of the White River?” MC “I don’t have anything to report on that front. The places where we lost forest habitat were really not high turkey-producing areas. And on the flipside of that, it (the fires) probably has created some nice turkey habitat down the road, where we might see the birds taking advantage of those post-fire habitats. Still, it remains to be seen as to what those forests might look like in the end.”
She went on to speak optimistically of the Beaver State’s turkey population as a whole.
“Our turkeys are doing really well. If you’re a private landowner dealing with ‘problem’ turkeys, you might say they’re doing too well, but if you’re a hunter, you’re not going to have a hard time finding a place with turkeys. They’re pretty widespread.”
On a related note, Cline detailed ODFW trapping and transplanting turkeys out of the John Day Country due to “agricultural damage issues,” and they – the department – have heard some rumblings from those hunting historically productive turkey ground around the John Day that “they haven’t been finding as many birds, and that’s because we’re (ODFW) moving birds out and supplementing other parts of the state.”
NWS “Any major regulatory changes for the ’22 season, Mikal?” MC “Just one thing, and that really (doesn’t pertain to) the spring season. But we have proposed a change to the fall season, and that’s on the Westside so that a hunter can harvest (their fall limit of) two birds on the same day. So, we’ve removed the daily bag limit of one per day.”
Turkeys aren’t native to Washington and Oregon, but they’ve done well, especially in the southwest corner of the Beaver State and northeast quarter of the Evergreen State. Merriam’s and Rio Grandes are the primary species, but a few easterns can be found in the hills between Centralia and Castle
Rock. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)
Other game species may be struggling, but not turkeys, hunting opportunities for which continue to be liberalized throughout the region. Eric Braaten and son Logan downed this trio of toms last season. (COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST)
WASHINGTON
Moving north and across the Columbia, we spent some time with Mr. Russ McDonald. A former Californian and Navy man – thanks for your service, Russ! – McDonald now lives in Enumclaw, and serves as NWTF’s Washington chapter president, along with his volunteer duties as president for the South Sound Strutters out of Enumclaw. I’ve not met Russ personally, but certainly know of him and his turkey hunting exploits – er, is it stalking? – by way of his stories as moderator on the Turkey Hunting Forum of hunting-washington.com.
Eager to talk turkey, McDonald had much to say about the upcoming Evergreen State season, as well as last year’s.
NWS “High points and low points, if any, from the 2021 turkey season, Russ?” Russ McDonald “The ’21 season was really successful. I don’t have the fullon numbers (yet) from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, but in the 2021 season, the department sold over 55,000 turkey tags, with roughly 7,000 turkeys being harvested. That’s between the spring ’21 and fall ’21 seasons. As for the 2020 season, I believe the harvest was right around 5,000; not sure about the number of tags sold. I don’t have those yet, and won’t until later in the spring. And you have to remember that in 2020, half our (turkey) season was closed down” due to Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order that paused hunting and fishing for six long weeks.
NWS “From your time in the field, Russ, what kind of hatch did Washington have in ’21?” RM “We had an excellent hatch on the Eastside. I hunt almost exclusively the Eastside, up in the northeast corner. Everybody I spoke with said there were birds everywhere. And the land I hunted was exceptional. A lot of jakes and plenty of older birds there.”
“Already this year, I’m hearing a lot of good things from landowners and people spending time over on the Eastside. The winter has been relatively mild, as it’s been the past couple of years, and that contributes
to a good survival rate throughout those winter months.”
NWS “Know anything about easterns on the Westside?” RM “If anybody knows anything about easterns on the Westside, they don’t talk to me that much. But seriously, they’re (easterns) still holding on. But it’s the Westside. The thick timber. There’s no definitive count of the eastern population over here, but a guess is 300 to 600 easterns. It’s tough to count ‘em, though.”
Forgive me if I wrote this last year, which I very well might have, but in terms of eastern wild turkeys on the Westside, I spoke with a young man in December 2020, a young man who for all intents and purposes lives outdoors. One of the best I’ve met in 49 years of doing this hunting/fishing thing. Oh, and he hunts turkeys with a passion.
When I asked Young Man X about gobblers west of the Cascade Crest, he replied, “There are more easterns on the Westside than a lot of people realize.”
They’re not everywhere – he didn’t even suggest that – but he told me they’re not only holding their own, but in some places, actually doing quite well and expanding into other areas. And you know what? I believe him. So, the technique for bagging that ever-elusive eastern gobbler remains unchanged. Windshield time and walking. Walking and windshield time. Get away from the popular places, look on the edges, and don’t be afraid to look somewhere new.
But let’s carry on with Russ.
NWS “Major regulatory changes for turkey hunters in ’22, sir?” RM “Yes, there are some changes this year. The youth turkey season will run from April 1 through April 7, a departure from the old two-day season we had. It’s now a week long. Also, and if you hunt the Eastside, you can kill a third bird in Spokane County. I implore people to read the regulations because the total bag limit in the spring remains three birds.”
NWS “Going to put you on the spot, Russ. Look in that crystal ball we’re certain you have, and give us your best take on the ’22 spring season.” RM “I think it’s going to be very similar to 2021. I think there’s going to be a high success rate. Again, it appears to be a mild winter, and I’ve heard from quite a few landowners that the hatch going into this spring was good. A lot of birds running around. It looks good. It looks exceptionally good.”
“Of course, it’s going to depend on the weather. The past couple years, spring has been kind of weird, with that cold wet weather on the Eastside, and the winter flocks don’t break up like they traditionally have done. But it looks good.” NS
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Following early April’s youth hunting opportunities, the general turkey season begins in earnest at midmonth across the Northwest.
(COAST HUNTING PHOTO CONTEST).
Time To Head For The Hills
General spring turkey hunting season begins April 15 across the ON TARGET By Dave Workman Northwest, and one might presume there are good numbers of longbeards out there for the taking.
Well, maybe, provided you enjoy a combination of luck, skill and are well equipped. It’s not like you’ll be tripping over wild turkeys while wandering through the forests or fields. Here’s what you absolutely need to know:
The season is open for “Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only,” or similar language, as plainly spelled out in the regs for as long as anyone can remember.
A hunter is allowed three turkeys during Washington’s and Oregon’s spring hunts, which continue through May 31, and two in Idaho, where season runs through May 25.
But wherever you spend your spring, you need to pay close attention to that state’s pamphlet, because there can be changes from year to year. In Washington, you should be mindful that: • Only two turkeys may be killed in Eastern Washington, except three may be
Fiocchi’s new Golden Turkey TSS, a “premium tungsten shot,” comes in four loads, two for 12-gauges and one each for 20-gauges and .410 bores. (FIOCCHI)
killed in Spokane County; • Only one turkey may be killed per year in Western Washington outside of Klickitat County; • Two turkeys may be killed in Klickitat County; • And only one turkey may be killed in Kittitas or Yakima Counties.
Last fall whenever I was hunting for either grouse or deer, I paid attention to what I found moving around in the brush. For example, I encountered a couple of healthy groups of turkeys up on top of Taneum Ridge south of Gnat Flat and farther south near where the Hoyt Mining Trail intersects with USFS Road 3111. They weren’t what I’d call “flocks.” They were more in the nature of herds.
Another spot where I always seem to spot turkeys is along the top of South Cle Elum Ridge. Doesn’t seem to matter what time of year, from spring through autumn, I can drive along the South Cle Elum Ridge Road and find small bands of birds from Five Corners south.
I’ve spotted turkeys around Liberty in north-central Kittitas County east from Highway 97, and west of the same highway up on the slopes of Teanaway Ridge.
JUST IN TIME for this year’s season, Fiocchi announced it was expanding its Golden series line of shotgun shells for hunting with the introduction of Golden Turkey TSS (for Tungsten Super Shot). There are four entries: two in 3-inch 12-gauge with No. 7 or 9 shot; one in 3-inch 20-gauge, also with a payload of No. 9s; and one in 3-inch .410 bore, pushing No. 9s.
What is this stuff? According to Fiocchi, Golden Turkey TSS is a blend of “premium 18.3 gm/cc tungsten shot,” which, according to an insider, allows for the smaller pellet to deliver energy equal to larger shot at a given distance, ahead of “carefully selected” propellant and quality primers.
The 12-gauge loads have a reported muzzle velocity of 1,200 feet per second, while the 20-gauge load clocks at a reported 1,225 fps and the .410 payload, weighing 13/16-ounce, leaves the muzzle at 1,100 fps.
Before you can shoot toms, you’ve got to bring ’em close enough, and that requires hunters to literally disappear. Some folks will stick with a single camouflage pattern from head to toe, while others have been successful by mixing their camo clothes. The principle is to replicate surrounding brush, which is rarely a single pattern. You might find yourself in a mix of maple, alder and other leafy trees and plants, or you could find a spot to hunker in a mix of brush and conifers.
Speaking of camo, as this column was being written, I got an email from ALPS
The ALPS OutdoorZ Super Elite 4.0 vest with dropdown cushion comes in Realtree Timber camo
NRA UPDATE
While the National Rifle Association is still in the bull’s-eye of anti-gun New York Attorney General Letitia James, a judge in the New York state court last month “rejected” James’ attempt to put NRA out of business over corruption allegations, Reuters reported.
In a 42-page ruling, Judge Joel M. Cohen of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York (similar to the Superior Courts in other states), wrote, “The Complaint does not allege that any financial misconduct benefited the NRA, or that the NRA exists primarily to carry out such activity, or that the NRA is incapable of continuing its legitimate activities on behalf of its millions of members. In short, the Complaint does not allege the type of public harm that is the legal linchpin for imposing the ‘corporate death penalty.’”
When James sued the NRA, she sought to dissolve the association. While that’s not going to happen, Judge Cohen left the door open for James to go after longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre.
NRA was incorporated in New York State in 1871. –DW
COLUMN NEW FROM SIG SAUER
The folks at Sig Sauer recently introduced the P320 Spectre Comp, Sig Sauer’s new P320 Spectre Comp, chambered for 9mm, features a polymer frame, optics-ready slide, and two the latest addition to the Spectre series, created by SIG 21-round magazines or two 10s, depending on location. (SIG SAUER) Custom Works.
This might be a double- or even triple-duty sidearm, chambered for 9mm ammunition.
This one is loaded with features. Here’s a rundown supplied by Sig: a polymer frame, optics-ready slide “with custom serrations featuring an optic plate and rear dovetail sight, integrated compensator with front dovetail sight, a titanium nitride gold barrel and XSeries gold flat skeleton trigger, and X-Ray 3 day/night sights.”
This pistol ships with a pair of 21-round steel magazines or two 10-rounders (depending upon local regulations).
Overall length is 8.5 inches and the barrel is 4.6 inches. At its widest point, the pistol is 1.6 inches wide, and the P320 Spectre has a 6.5-inch sight radius. It weighs 41.8 ounces. –DW
Pistol Bullets and AmmunitionPistol Bullets and Ammunition
ZER
Zero Bullet Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 1188 Cullman, AL 35056 Tel: 256-739-1606 Fax: 256-739-4683 Toll Free: 800-545-9376 www.zerobullets.com
OutdoorZ, advising they have added the popular Realtree Timber camo pattern to five pieces of gear: the Super Elite 4.0 vest with drop-down cushion; Grand Slam vest with drop-down cushion and back rest; the High Ridge portable folding chair; Dash Panel blind; and the newfor-2022 Ambush Sling Pack.
IF YOUR SHOTGUN doesn’t have a camo finish, maybe you should consider giving it a good cover. Over the years, I’ve managed to gather up a supply of different pieces of camo cloth and I’ve got a pretty good selection. While my Mossberg 935 semiauto 12-gauge has a camo finish, I could easily wrap a section of camouflage cloth around the buttstock and one forward of the action, surrounding the forend and barrel. Tied or held on with rubber bands, these swatches of cloth make a gun disappear.
Have you thought about trail cams? I’ve got two, one with a solid green exterior and the other with a camo finish. If you’re on a weekend hunt, mount them in your hunting spot overnight and see what they capture. (In the off-season, I put them in spots to supplement residential security.) Make sure they’ve got fresh batteries, and you needn’t bother taking along a laptop. I simply pull the memory card and stick it into my 35mm camera, viewing each frame on my camera screen.
Don’t forget your binoculars! They really do come in handy, and today’s binoculars are the best optics you can buy, far better than one might have found a generation ago.
Also don’t forget your insect repellant. No matter where you hunt, mosquitos will find you and pretty soon they will bring reinforcements.
And here’s something else. Consider taking a rifle along in the event you spot a coyote. Zapping a songdog or two is doing your part to help protect game species, from rabbits up to deer and elk. The few times I have deliberately gone coyote hunting, I never managed to even spot one, but pretty much every other time I’m in the field, the buggers seem to show up within easy rifle range, and occasionally within pistol shot.
Good hunting! NS
