Spring Turkey 2019I wanted to start a three for this

[Bubbacanuck]

This will be my first year out hunting turkeys and I’ve read so many posts on here and watched YouTube videos, meat eater on Netflix and Wild TV.

Last year was my first year hunting but I started late and missed the spring turkey season. I did manage to harvest: 1 blacktail, 1 grouse and 3 ducks.

I plan to get out in March and early April to scout various areas from Rock Creek to Beaverdell and through Kettle valley and Christian Valley.

Ive got my decoys, 12 gauge, turkey shot and choke. I’ve been practising calling on reeds, box calls and slates. I’ve also got my crow and owl calls for locating.

Get out early mornings, scout and locate. Then either jump shoot, stalk or setup decoys and call them in. I am totally open to any advice that experienced turkey hunters want to share.

Best shot to use, call brands, when to use specific calls, weather impacts, early season tequniques versus late season etc etc any advice is good advice even if just personal preference.

if anyone had any interest in taking out a newbie for a day or two from April 15-21 I would be interested. PM me and let’s chat.

Also, I wanted to start a thread of this year for everyone to discuss the season and share hunting experiences but I bet this is way too early...I’m just eager to go chase some gobblers!!

[BCoutdoordad]

Hey Bubbacanuck Keep posted on how you do, I’m trying to get out in April as well
this would be a first turkey hunt for me also.

[Krico]

Based on my experience:
Early mornings are good for locating, but evenings are better. If you can locate a gobbler either by sight or sound as he heads to roost you can set up in his wheelhouse before first light and have a good shot (pun intended) at getting him. Most times they will gobble from the roost on their own before flying down.

Best shot? Whatever your gun patterns best, they are all different.

Call brand? Not important. Your ability to use it is more key - watch instructional videos, practice, and the best thing is actually listening to real turkeys. Every spring a few weeks before the season I put my diaphragm calls in my truck and practice calling as I drive, to get back into form.

Weather impacts? They seem to gobble more on clear high pressure days, in nasty rain they are less vocal in my experience. But they will also hang out in the open more to use their eyesight defence, as hearing is tougher for them. Last year my son and I watched 6 birds for hours out in the open, first while it poured rain, and then as they dried themselves out in the sunshine. We just waited for them to make a mistake, patience paid off after about 4 hours of laying still in the grass.

Get at out there, have fun, and learn.

[Bubbacanuck]

I will be out for 10 days maximum for turkeys (also have my bear tag in case). I will update as I go, as this is my first season for these two species.

Starting near Rock Creek I will make my way around Christian Valley/Kettle river headed east until I find gobblers or hit the AB border.

Weather seems to be good so I'm hopefully it will be a successful hunt.

Photos and stories to follow, no matter if I am successful or not.

Still open to joining others on a day hunt at any point if it works out :)

[Darksith]

10 days for turkeys! Can't say Im not jealous. I will be out for 3...only need 1 haha, first time too

[Akski]

I had a couple conversations with people that work the area's and not giving anything specific away the Creston Area has a good population and the Castlegar area has a really good population. For first timers in the area, find some public land, get out early and have fun!

[Mixter]

It will be my first turkey season as well...heading up to Nelson area to go out with a buddy. Going to try a combo of crossbow/rifle!

[Bubbacanuck]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7381&stc=1

[joshbazz]

Congrats Bubba!

I hope I can get out there soon, will be 1st turkey hunt as well. Cheers!

[Krico]

Looks like a nice Tom, congrats!
Ant story to go with the photo?

[Bubbacanuck]

I headed to turkey country Sat April 13. 7hr drive from LM. Setup my 73 Boler for the basecamp. Got out that evening for some scouting. I found a group of 6 elk, 5 whitetails and 6 turkeys 3 of which were big toms. Next day I went back to the same area to try and see where these toms would roost and they busted me, so I left the area to cool off and come back the next day on opening morning. Opening morning I made some rookie mistakes, but learned a lot about public land pressured turkeys. So many hunters road hunting opening day I didn’t see any life. Next day went back to that spot, got out of the truck and all I heard was gobbling. Made my way down and busted again. Damn eye sight is phenomenal. This was early morning (6:30am?) so I hung out in the bush a bit to see if anything came by...nothing. Bounced at noon and went to a new area on the other side of where I was staying. Came across two groups of turkeys hiking around the roads, no shots. Driving along slowly heard multiple gobbles. Pulled over and listened. Had to be 3+ toms and a bunch of hens up this hill of new growth. Climbed in a bit and let out some hen calls, instant gobbles. Play that game a while but I can tell they aren’t coming my way. Decide to try and sneak in, one busts me as I get close and flies a km through the valley and lands at the top of a huge pine. Try to get closer and another one flies over me. Next morning go back to original spot but only see 2 hens and some whitetails. Left around noon and headed back to the spot the two gobblers launched over top of me. Sat for 10mins listening and watching and here comes a single file line with this big Tom in 2nd position. I line up thru thick brush from 30yrds thru the most open spot I see. When he walks into my sight I take his head off. Plucked, gutted and filleted. Made the turkey pozole from the meat eater cookbook yesterday and tomorrow is braised stuffed turkey breasts! Happy hunting!

[HighCountryBC]

Congratulations on the success! Sounds like you learned a bit and were able to put it all together to make it happen.

[bluesman]

Congratz ... turkeys are near impossible to sneak in on . Best to set up at dark if you know the roost tree. Then stay put and call. If a gobbler is without a hen , They will likely come a certain distance then see if the calling hen will come to them . You then hope he is lonely enough to come within shotgun range or bow range .
Glad you got one . They are great eating . Last one I had I smoked and then made a huge batch of turkey soup .
I hope their numbers keep increasing . They are not actively managed unfortunately .

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Anyone going out this weekend or want to help a not new to turkey hunting but new to turkey hunting in Canada person out. I got my Grand Slam this year... got my Osceola in Florida back in March, and just shot the Washington Slam (Merriam, Rio, and Eastern) last week... had some extra time and with my wife visiting our family near Oregon I even successfully harvested a bird down there... That's five birds this spring. Been blessed. Got the OK to go hunting BC this weekend, admittedly plan to even hunt Idaho if the stars continue to align. Will be out Saturday through Tuesday. Thanks in advance!

If I could figure out how to get the pictures to upload I'd share a few! Keep getting upload fail....:mad:

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

http://i68.tinypic.com/2qkrzo9.jpg

Success! Get to my first spot, literally first spot at 9am after crossing back to Canada that morning. Park the truck and get out. Let out some yelps on the diaphragm and boom bird fires off 500 yds + up the way. We'll say at my 3. Now I didn’t have my camo top on, gun unlocked, decoys ready nothing. Get the ammo out of the lock box in the tailgate, gun unlocked and loaded, vest put together, just hoping that bird wasn't hot and going to pop up with my willy in my hand. Scamper across the road into some trees and yelp some more. 200yds at 11 oclock, bird gobbles back. OK, OK, wait, yelp, 250 yds 10 o clock. Go, move into the clearing 80 yds and stab my strutter and hen. Yelp, 150 yds 9 o clock... original bird 300 yds 2 oclock. I’m pinned. Literally back up 5 yds from my decoys and hide against a pitiful 4 foot by 1 foot stump/burned tree. Bird on my left head pops up through the trees at 100yds and he's making an arc. Couple yelps, gobble, cool, he sees my setup. Casually works all the way back to 1 o clock and 60 yds away. My gun is on the ground. Its open...he goes into a strut and walks right towards me. Gobble from him, gobble from second bird 150 yds behind him. This is too cool. He struts all the way up to my hen and dances 5 yds away from me. I know he can see me, I'm almost in the open, but I am a statue. 5 min maybe longer just in front of me (crossed my mind to try to jump on him, jk) every time he spit drums I can see his whole body shake, head changing colors, absolutely incredible. He backs from the hen and goes to strut on my stutter. Steps behind strutter, I lift my gun, bang, bird down, second bird gobbles behind some trees less than 100 yds away. Too fun and too fast.

[Bubbacanuck]

http://i68.tinypic.com/2qkrzo9.jpg

Success! Get to my first spot, literally first spot at 9am after crossing back to Canada that morning. Park the truck and get out. Let out some yelps on the diaphragm and boom bird fires off 500 yds + up the way. We'll say at my 3. Now I didn’t have my camo top on, gun unlocked, decoys ready nothing. Get the ammo out of the lock box in the tailgate, gun unlocked and loaded, vest put together, just hoping that bird wasn't hot and going to pop up with my willy in my hand. Scamper across the road into some trees and yelp some more. 200yds at 11 oclock, bird gobbles back. OK, OK, wait, yelp, 250 yds 10 o clock. Go, move into the clearing 80 yds and stab my strutter and hen. Yelp, 150 yds 9 o clock... original bird 300 yds 2 oclock. I’m pinned. Literally back up 5 yds from my decoys and hide against a pitiful 4 foot by 1 foot stump/burned tree. Bird on my left head pops up through the trees at 100yds and he's making an arc. Couple yelps, gobble, cool, he sees my setup. Casually works all the way back to 1 o clock and 60 yds away. My gun is on the ground. Its open...he goes into a strut and walks right towards me. Gobble from him, gobble from second bird 150 yds behind him. This is too cool. He struts all the way up to my hen and dances 5 yds away from me. I know he can see me, I'm almost in the open, but I am a statue. 5 min maybe longer just in front of me (crossed my mind to try to jump on him, jk) every time he spit drums I can see his whole body shake, head changing colors, absolutely incredible. He backs from the hen and goes to strut on my stutter. Steps behind strutter, I lift my gun, bang, bird down, second bird gobbles behind some trees less than 100 yds away. Too fun and too fast.

Next year we have to get out together for a hunt and hopefully I will be able to join you down in Washington to try for some of the other sub-species. You my friend are a turkey slayer!

[Darksith]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7381&stc=1
Thats an odd colour turkey. What did the spurs look like?

[Bubbacanuck]

Thats an odd colour turkey. What did the spurs look like?

I took photos but unsuccessful at uploading them to this site. They were nubs about the size of my thumbnail. Good sized beard and large snood.

[Bubbacanuck]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7389&stc=1

[Darksith]

http://i65.tinypic.com/30x7rjq.jpg
opening day we both tagged out

[Tim Tam Slam]

Very cool! Didn’t know we had that good of turkey hunting haha

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Very cool! Didn’t know we had that good of turkey hunting haha

SSSHHHHH its a nice secret despite us posting here

[xlcc]

New guy here,first post.
I don't know much about huntin' turkeys,just what I have seen on a few utube videos.
I am impressed with the turkeys you guys got,congrats.
For my first turkey hunt I drove down to Grand Forks.Stayed at a friends place that just moved there.He was busy fixing his place up so I hunted on my own.
I was lucky and saw two turkeys on my first day out in the afternoon.Next day in the afternoon I was in this burn from last year walking around where it was getting green.Saw two more turkeys and the hen saw me and scooted away.Never could find them.Next late afternoon I went back in the burn and found a place I could sit down and watch the green area in the burn.I could see about a hundred yards in some of the open areas.It was real noisy walking as everything was dry and black.
About 20 minutes went by so I scratch my homemade slate turkey call with a piece of birch dowel a few times.Never done this before.About a half hour goes by and I see nothing in front of me where I figured a turkey might come in where it is green grassy like and moss because there was some water seepage.I think I hear some kind of turkey noises behind me.Kinda soft calls.I turn my head to look behind me and here comes a hen.Wow,this is cool.Holy,another one then this big ole tom.I could hear him fan out his feathers he was so close.His head was pretty white on top with all these neat colours going down his neck and a beard pretty near dragging on the ground.He jumps up on a burnt log and struts along it following the two hens with his wing tips stick out and tail all spread out too.This is the first time I have seen this.I have a .22mag resting on this rock in front of me.The turkeys are less than 25 yards behind me.As the turkeys go behind some burnt fir trees I turn my head and reach for my rifle.The turkeys walk along picking at bugs and seeds or whatever they are eating and go behind this big rock.Now with my gun in my hands I turn around to try and get a shot.I never saw them again.I think one of the hens must of seen me move.That was lots of fun anyways.
The next day I saw 3 fly over me and disappear.
No turkey for me this Spring.They are very wary birds.

[Bubbacanuck]

New guy here,first post.
I don't know much about huntin' turkeys,just what I have seen on a few utube videos.
I am impressed with the turkeys you guys got,congrats.
For my first turkey hunt I drove down to Grand Forks.Stayed at a friends place that just moved there.He was busy fixing his place up so I hunted on my own.
I was lucky and saw two turkeys on my first day out in the afternoon.Next day in the afternoon I was in this burn from last year walking around where it was getting green.Saw two more turkeys and the hen saw me and scooted away.Never could find them.Next late afternoon I went back in the burn and found a place I could sit down and watch the green area in the burn.I could see about a hundred yards in some of the open areas.It was real noisy walking as everything was dry and black.
About 20 minutes went by so I scratch my homemade slate turkey call with a piece of birch dowel a few times.Never done this before.About a half hour goes by and I see nothing in front of me where I figured a turkey might come in where it is green grassy like and moss because there was some water seepage.I think I hear some kind of turkey noises behind me.Kinda soft calls.I turn my head to look behind me and here comes a hen.Wow,this is cool.Holy,another one then this big ole tom.I could hear him fan out his feathers he was so close.His head was pretty white on top with all these neat colours going down his neck and a beard pretty near dragging on the ground.He jumps up on a burnt log and struts along it following the two hens with his wing tips stick out and tail all spread out too.This is the first time I have seen this.I have a .22mag resting on this rock in front of me.The turkeys are less than 25 yards behind me.As the turkeys go behind some burnt fir trees I turn my head and reach for my rifle.The turkeys walk along picking at bugs and seeds or whatever they are eating and go behind this big rock.Now with my gun in my hands I turn around to try and get a shot.I never saw them again.I think one of the hens must of seen me move.That was lots of fun anyways.
The next day I saw 3 fly over me and disappear.
No turkey for me this Spring.They are very wary birds.

Their eye sight is unbelievable and they will pick up the slightest movement. Sounds like a great experience otherwise and you have a good spot to go back to!

[Honibee]

These forums are a great read.

Anyone in Creston area getting out tomorrow that wants company? Up from the coast for a memorial Wednesday. Love to catch the second last day of hunt and maybe Wednesday morning too. Or if anyone cares to share a decent area to scout since days are few to harvest one themselves?