Turkey Hunting

[CanAm500]

Has anyone ever been turkey hunting. Im on the island so we cant hunt turkey here. Were is a good successfull place to go and hunt turkey. Dad and me are planning a turkey hunt next year, we need somewere to go that wouldnt costs a fortune to get there (Okanagan maybe?)

[kishman]

As far as I know there's not as many in the Okanagan as there are further along in the Kootneys'. Last year was my first try at them so I'm no expert, but I've read posts here about guys seeing them as far north as Kelowna, Trail, Castlegar, Nelson and Cranbrook. I haven't heard many folks mention them west of Rock Creek however, here's a pic I took Whitetail hunting this fall

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/kishman_2006/00210001-1.jpg

Good luck!!

[CanAm500]

So the kootney's would be a beter area then?

kishman, your more of an expret then me, atleast you've hunted them.

[bighornbob]

There are some birds around the Christian Valley (8-14) but they are few and far between. Never even seen a track in the Kelowna area. If you were serious about the birds, I would head over to the Trail/Castlegar area at a minimum. Better if you could get to creston and the east koots.

I may head over myself.

BHB

[Mckinney Creek Adventures]

Oh... they are here, and are getting more numbers all the time. I see them quite often on the road in to our place. I hear them gobbling in the canyon in front of our place in the spring. I have seen several hens with 5+ chicks with them this summer. 8-1 and 8-9 have two seasons, one in spring, and one in the fall because they have found that turkeys down in California have taken a liking to the grapes in the vineyards down there. They dont want to see a problem up here. I had one walk up to my atv last week when I was off for a walk lookin for a whitetail. Seen the tracks in the snow. Havent had the time to hunt them yet but hopin to in the spring.

[CanAm500]

Yeah, im thinking Creston area aswell. What do you use to hunt them with?

12 ga with what type of shot?

[sawmill]

Cranbrook,out around Ft.Steele and Wasa in the spring,puking with them,I got one with an 11 in. beard last year.He tasted awfull though.Too old to change his ways and be food.

[CanAm500]

Cranbrook,out around Ft.Steele and Wasa in the spring,puking with them,I got one with an 11 in. beard last year.He tasted awfull though.Too old to change his ways and be food.

So a younger tom would be beter then....im new to the turkey hunting thing:lol:

[hunter1947]

Every year on the way up to cranbrook i see turkies on the side of the road just outside kitchener. hunter 1947.

[sparkymacker]

I have been going to Cranbrook a fair bit since August and have seen quite a few around Creston and saw a huge Tom a couple of weeks coming down from Radium. I was shocked how big these things are! I want to try hunting them as I bet they are delicious. McKinney, that season in the spring is open for all birds is it not?

[Mini_Me]

Go up to Quadra Island on the south part there is a lot.

[browningboy]

What do they taste like, in a previous post someone said they taste awefull, but is that just how you clean them, pluck etc..????:confused:

[Mckinney Creek Adventures]

I have been going to Cranbrook a fair bit since August and have seen quite a few around Creston and saw a huge Tom a couple of weeks coming down from Radium. I was shocked how big these things are! I want to try hunting them as I bet they are delicious. McKinney, that season in the spring is open for all birds is it not?

I think the spring hunt is for a Tom only, and the fall season in 8-1 and 8-9 are for any turkey. You are allowed two turkeys per year, one of each sex. I may be wrong, but it is clear in the regs.

I had some of one that my buddy capped a few weeks ago. His girlfriend plucked it, stuffed it, and cooked it like a normal turkey and it was awesome. That is if you like turkey. Tasted like any other good turkey I have had. He said it was a medium sized one of the bunch that he seen. I am definitely wanting a couple of those next year.

[browningboy]

So I guess it may be like a "hamburger" bull, get the old and tastes like leather, I want to try getting some gobblers, I think it would be a hoot!

[mark]

I bagged one in last year in the Christian Valley But it wasnt easy.
Mine tasted exactly like store bought turkey, but a little tougher!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_1538.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=2511&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=501)

[browningboy]

cool bird Mark, was that your first turkey? Wow they sure have spread rapidly, are they easy to come by or like the yanks on tv, sit and call, man my wife laughs her ass off when she hears turkey calling, thinks were a bunch of dorks probly, but oh well, the laughs in the pot!:rolleyes:

[CanAm500]

I think the spring hunt is for a Tom only, and the fall season in 8-1 and 8-9 are for any turkey. You are allowed two turkeys per year, one of each sex. I may be wrong, but it is clear in the regs.




Im gonna read up on the regs about turkey hunting in the Kooteny's tonight.

[CanAm500]

8-1 and 8-9 is any Turkey during Oct-Nov 30 bag limit is one*

The spring seaon for region 8 is Apr 15/07 - May 15/07, bearded turkey bag limit one*

*The aggregate regionla bag limit is 2 and only one turkey may be taken during each open season.


But....

Region 4

Turkey> Bearded Apr 15/07 - May 15/07 bag limit 1

SEE REGS FOR MORE DETAIL

So what region would be more successful for a couple hunters from the island to go over and get a turkey for each hunter?

[Mckinney Creek Adventures]

Not sure which is better, but it seems the turkeys here are becoming somewhat predictable where they like to hang out.

Where in region 4? If Creston, add another 4 hours or so on your travel to the hunting grounds.

MCA

[phoenix]

I just saw my first wild turkey a couple of weeks ago here in Kelowna! Big gobbler with a 5-6" beard! I have now ordered a super tight choke tube for the 12 ga and a couple of calls from ebay, look out turkeys!!!
Kim

[Mckinney Creek Adventures]

Just had a hen about 50 yards from our house between the house and our rental cottage. I have heard them several times below our property, but never seen them on our property till today. Now I am pumped for spring turkey for sure.

MCA

[palmer]

As far as I know there's not as many in the Okanagan as there are further along in the Kootneys'. Last year was my first try at them so I'm no expert, but I've read posts here about guys seeing them as far north as Kelowna, Trail, Castlegar, Nelson and Cranbrook. I haven't heard many folks mention them west of Rock Creek however, here's a pic I took Whitetail hunting this fall

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/kishman_2006/00210001-1.jpg

Good luck!!

I know those TURKEYS....I saw them tonight....

[BIGHUNTERFISH]

I dont know what you guys are talking about,Kelowna is full of ''Turkeys'' :lol:

[CanAm500]

Where in region 4? If Creston, add another 4 hours or so on your travel to the hunting grounds.

MCA


Anywere. I dont know the area or the wildlife in the area. But we would like to come out and turkey hunt, but also have something to show for it:) .

[kishman]

Way to keep an eye on 'em for me palmer:lol: !!!!

[palmer]

Way to keep an eye on 'em for me palmer:lol: !!!!

I'll keep them under LOCK AND KEY..till the spring

[bcmulie]

I've hunted the Creston area for turkeys a couple of times, although not for a few years now. It's a pretty long drive if you're coming from the Island, but there's lots of birds there.

bcmulie

[CanAm500]

Drive doesnt matter. I would be nice to get out and hunt somewere new every now and then. Just we would like a turkey or two (depedning on who comes).

[NightOwl74]

As far as I know there's not as many in the Okanagan as there are further along in the Kootneys'. Last year was my first try at them so I'm no expert, but I've read posts here about guys seeing them as far north as Kelowna, Trail, Castlegar, Nelson and Cranbrook. I haven't heard many folks mention them west of Rock Creek however, here's a pic I took Whitetail hunting this fall

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/kishman_2006/00210001-1.jpg

Good luck!!Damn that's a lot of eyes watching you. How'd you get that close? I thought they do the roadrunner imitation at the slightest movement.:frown:

[kishman]

Believe it or not that photo was taken out the window of a toyota pickup. They look pretty calm there, but if you made a move to get out they'd be gone. I must have run into that flock every day during my Deer hunt this year. Again I just saw them, Palmer knows them by name:lol: :lol: :lol: .

[pmj]

I have not hunted them yet but :)... My wife photographed them three year ago on our deer hunting trip. They were lots of them on the road from Christina Lake out to the U.S. border crossing. They would not let you approach on foot. I would suggest trying turkey calls. Probably good to have camo. They seem to do the thing when one sees you they all run/fly through the brush and pines. There is private property and some no shooting areas if you go there. Phone for accomodations in the area and ask the motel owners if there are turkeys around. They usually are pretty good at giving info if there is a chance they will get some rooms rented in the off season. Regulations allow hunting with rimfire (edit) or shotgun (page 16). Might be an idea to use something for shooting beyond the range of the shotgun. There are turkey loads for shotgun but I don't have my Federal book handy. P.m. if you want more details.

[mark]

cool bird Mark, was that your first turkey? Wow they sure have spread rapidly, are they easy to come by or like the yanks on tv, sit and call, man my wife laughs her ass off when she hears turkey calling, thinks were a bunch of dorks probly, but oh well, the laughs in the pot!:rolleyes:

Yip my first bird! No it was not easy! Twas the only tom we saw in 3 days, we heardhim gobble about 300 yards away, then we set up on him and hen called. he was on us in 2 min. Note to hunters, they are very hard to kill!!!! Use very heavy shot, take careful aim, at close range!

PMJ... if you read the regs more carefully youll see that centerfire is not allowed on turkeys! I think its a stupid law! .22 and shotgun are almost undergunned! Yet we can shoot grouse with centerfire???

[Canthuntenuff]

Whatever area you settle on, find some old campsite fire pits..Look for tracks, set a couple of decoys near the fire pits. Then cam up up, start calling (BC Turkeys will come to just about anything) and wait.
I don't know what they get out of the fire pits but they just love-em.

Very tight choke, pattern your scatter gun, and make that head shot with a hardened #2 or #4 shot..They don't give it up easy..Make sure he is good and dead before you pick him up cause them spurs are like lances!

[CanAm500]

What about loading 00 buck in a shotgun. If we do go turkey hunting, there will be a 12 gauge main shooter and a 20 gauge back up, both loaded with the heaviest shot possible.

[pmj]

Mark you are correct. :oops:. Shotgun and rimfire for turkey.

[kishman]

If memory serves, last year I used #5, 3 inch "Turkey Magnum" (lead) with an actual Turkey choke on a 28" barrel. Never got to try it on a bird but it sure did pattern well on the paper (lifesize Turkey targets of course....:biggrin: ) This year I have a different shotgun, so it'll be 3-1/2" Turkey Mags this time out:twisted: . The #5-6 shotsize was recommended to me by quite a few of the guys here on the site so thats what I went with. Good luck!!

[bc-bass-king]

i stokeb about turkeys and cant wait to get out there.. iv got some federal mag-shok 3inch 1 3/4 oz shot # 4 shot. its called high velocity turkey load .. thats what the local gun shop had and said that they have used it befor and worked good.

[JoshLedoux]

if you flip to the very last page of your hunting regulations you'll see a picture of me holding the big jake I got last year. Im on the right my buddy is on the left. Both birds were taken last year in lester ten minutes from Creston

[JoshLedoux]

federal makes a good turkey load, but remington's is just deadly they are a tough bird and the right ammo is important. a good call is a necessity too. i went back to that same spot this fall for deer and saw at least 300 turkeys i was kickin em outta the way almost literally lookin for whiteys. the season opens up for em this spring right at the tail end of theyre mating season so don't wait too long. the reason centerfire is not allowed on turkeys is because they are very easy to spot at a distance and anyone with a bipod and decent scope could pick one off easily, kinda takes the sport out of turking.