Thread: OR / WA Spring Turkey Season

Who's doing spring turkey this season? Where do you like to hunt? Any cool spring turkey stories or pictures? Open topic guys, run with it

Thanks,

PB

the closest i have ever come to a wild turkey in oregon, a few years back i was pulling 3 ton of hay out of the hoodriver country, up by mt. hood meadows on hwy 35. about eight or ten turkeys were up on the hillside to the west of us. they all decided that they needed to be on the other side of the road about the same time as we were coming through. darned things flew right in front of our rig. missed the last one by a matter of inches. wasnt going to let up on the throttle for nothing. made it through without any broken glass but man it was close.

I'd love to hunt turkeys but wouldn't even know where or how to start.

There is a season for those pests?

Oh yeah April 15 - Mar 31. My suggestion would be to hunt turkey where you plan to elk hunt. Use it as a scout trip + a reason to bring out the 12 gauge and shoot at some birds.

Can anyone answer as to whether they are out on the Olympic Peninsula? And if not would it be practical to attempt to seed them? Can they survive yotes, wild dogs and cougars? I have land there in and over a small valley

I plan to go out again, still haven't filled one of these tags. I keep seeing them on private property when I am out which is a lil frustrating.

Too bad that firing guns in city limits is frowned upon in my previous city of residence, San Ramon, CA. Friggen turkeys strutted right down the middle of the street every day, hung out in the medical center's parking lot. I kept hoping some ethnic stereotypes might be correct and someone would put them in an oven, but never happened.

There are lots of wild turkeys around here I've never had the desire to hunt one for a few good resons. There is no fun in it they are so dumb you dont even need a gun just use a club and from the few people I know that have shot them they are very tough and not even worth eating. It's not a difficult hunt like they make it out to be on TV

I've heard that Douglas County is one of the top areas in Oregon to hunt these guys. They are smart, not like their WA counterparts.

The San Ramon turkeys would not be good hunting--too tame. Just would like to have gotten rid of them and would prefer they benefit some needy person's pot or feed the coyotes. Incredible pests; into everything and crapping all over the place. It got really dangerous when the dog chased them as they usually dropped a few parting shots from above in their panic and flight.

Originally Posted by jonn5335

There are lots of wild turkeys around here I've never had the desire to hunt one for a few good resons. There is no fun in it they are so dumb you dont even need a gun just use a club and from the few people I know that have shot them they are very tough and not even worth eating. It's not a difficult hunt like they make it out to be on TV

What part of SW WA are you talking about?

Turkey legs are hardly edible just too tough, the breast shouldn't be though and the flavor is great.

Hey, after a few hours in the Crock Pot the meat should be falling off the bones.

Be sure to pluck the feathers BEFORE the Crock.

Great times out turkey hunting...never got one though. Although we were taunted by the biggest tom I've ever seen! He was in someones gravel driveway and we stopped to look at him. I had never seen a turkey that big. He just gobbled at us...walked a bit, turned back around and gobbled again. This happened 3 times before I had to just drive off, I couldn't take it any more lol.

Originally Posted by unplugged

What part of SW WA are you talking about?

Turkey legs are hardly edible just too tough, the breast shouldn't be though and the flavor is great.

Mostly in the castle rock area where I see them but I have seen some in toutle,lexington,longview,rose valley and coastal areas as well. There are lots of turkey herds as I call them because they remind me of cows more than birds. I would assume they are pretty well established in western wa I see them in a lot of areas I elk/bear hunt in. Have you ever seen dual survival there was an episode on the olympic penninsula and they killed a turkey I forget how but there are lots of turkeys out there.

Originally Posted by jonn5335

There are lots of wild turkeys around here I've never had the desire to hunt one for a few good resons. There is no fun in it they are so dumb you dont even need a gun just use a club and from the few people I know that have shot them they are very tough and not even worth eating. It's not a difficult hunt like they make it out to be on TV

Its outlooks on turkey hunting like these that make me smile Especially when they start out with something like "Well I have never gone BUT let me tell you what I know..." "I've never eaten one...BUT let me tell you what I know". It would be the same as if you walked into a doctors office, inquiring about medical advice and he said, "I have no experience in this area, I am not really a doctor BUT I did stay at a holiday in last night..." lol Hey more wild turkey for me!

Originally Posted by PBruske234

Its outlooks on turkey hunting like these that make me smile Especially when they start out with something like "Well I have never gone BUT let me tell you what I know..." "I've never eaten one...BUT let me tell you what I know". It would be the same as if you walked into a doctors office, inquiring about medical advice and he said, "I have no experience in this area, I am not really a doctor BUT I did stay at a holiday in last night..." lol Hey more wild turkey for me!

This is coming from someone who has been with 5 yards of turkeys multiple times while fishing or elk/bear hunting if I felt the need to kill a turkey I would have done it by now I almost feel sorry for them they are so dumb. If you feel the need to go kill a large mentally challenged bird go for it I'll stick with elk

Guess it just depends on what you define as hunting. If it is defined as being able to walk of of my house, screaming and yelling with a chainsaw running then walk up and kick a turkey I am a master hunter. The inability to get one just amazes me.

As for eating they might be ok deep fried and seasoned right. A butterball from the store is less money, less messing around and WAY better tasting.