The Basics of Turkey Hunting in Washington

The Basics of Turkey Hunting in

Washington

Washington Department

of Fish and Wildlife

Wildlife Program

Hunter Education Division

April 2019

Photo by Curt Fretz

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Table of Contents 
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 5 
License Choices ...................................................................................................... 6 
Turkey subspecies .................................................................................................. 7 
Eastern................................................................................................................ 7 
Merriam’s ........................................................................................................... 8 
Rio Grande .......................................................................................................... 8 
General Turkey Information ................................................................................... 9 
Food and Feeding Habits .................................................................................... 9 
Tracks ................................................................................................................. 9 
Roosting areas .................................................................................................. 10 
Hunting Equipment .............................................................................................. 10 
Shotguns ........................................................................................................... 10 
Muzzleloading shotguns ................................................................................... 11 
Archery equipment ........................................................................................... 12 
Crossbows......................................................................................................... 13 
Clothing and Concealment ................................................................................ 13 
Knives ............................................................................................................... 15 
Optics ............................................................................................................... 15 
Calls .................................................................................................................. 15 
Decoys .............................................................................................................. 17 
Where to Go ........................................................................................................ 17 
Hunting Ethics ...................................................................................................... 18 
Shot placement .................................................................................................... 18 
Shotgun ............................................................................................................ 18 
Archery/Crossbow ............................................................................................ 18 
Tagging ................................................................................................................ 19 
Game care kit ....................................................................................................... 19 
Field Dressing Turkey ........................................................................................... 19 
Hunter Reporting ................................................................................................. 20 
NOTES .................................................................................................................. 22 
Ten Basic Safety Rules .......................................................................................... 23 
 
 
 
 
 

The information contained in this manual was collected from the Washington

Department of Fish and Wildlife website (wdfw.wa.gov) and its employees

unless otherwise cited. (2016)

Introduction

Welcome to turkey hunting! This course should provide you with basic knowledge about turkey

hunting in Washington State and give you a general guide to be successful. It should also serve

to help you in your hunting pursuits.

In our Basic Hunter Education course, we teach students how to hunt safely. This course is

designed to give you an overview of the biology and habits of Washington’s turkey species and

how to hunt them effectively. This guide will also help teach you about game handling, hunting

equipment regulations and choices, correct shot placement, hunter reporting, and much more.

These topics will help you become more knowledgeable as a hunter and make the animals you

harvest become great table fare.

One thing to remember when pursuing any animal is that it is called hunting for a reason. You

may not be successful in harvesting an animal every day, or every season. That’s part of the

enduring challenge and fun of hunting. Each season brings a new opportunity to hone your

skills. To properly set your expectations, check the annual harvest statistics, which are posted

on the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest.

For most of us, hunting is about much more than a successful harvest. It’s about spending time

afield bonding with family and friends, watching the sunrise over the mountains on a crisp fall

morning, and having exciting stories to tell when you get home.

Photos by WDFW and Shari Brewer

License Choices

WDFW offers many different licenses that allow you to hunt various game species in

Washington. To hunt turkey in Washington, you will need to purchase a small game license and

a turkey transport tag. You can also receive a discount if you purchase your small game license

and a big game license as a combination license. Remember that you will not receive the

discount unless the license items are purchased at the same time.

License choices are as follows:

 Small Game License

o Allows you to hunt small game like upland birds and rabbits, as well as

unclassified animals such as coyote.

 Any of the big game combos with the discounted small game license

o Allows you to hunt the big game species denoted by the license, small game, and

unclassified animals.

To hunt turkeys you must also purchase a turkey transport tag. You can harvest up to seven

turkeys during the course of the hunting season. Three turkeys can be harvested during the

spring season from April to May.

Only two (2) turkeys may be taken

in eastern Washington and only one

(1) of those may be taken in Chelan,

Kittitas, and Yakima counties

(combined); only one (1) turkey may

be taken in western Washington per

year outside of Klickitat County. Two

(2) turkeys may be taken in Klickitat

County.

Three additional turkeys may be

harvested in early fall season in

some GMUs, and one more turkey

can be harvested in the late fall

season. Remember that you cannot

turn tags in for refunds, so you may

want to buy as you hunt. Tags

purchased during the spring season

can be used in the fall season, since

the tags are not tied to a specific

season.

Turkey tag purchasers are required

to report their turkey tags before the deadline of January 31. There is a section at the end of

this booklet that provides you step by step instructions on how to report your tags.

Photo by Joe Biggs

Turkey Subspecies

Washington State is home to three sub-species of turkey. They are the Eastern, Merriam’s, and

Rio Grande. In 1960, Merriam’s turkeys were introduced into NE and south central Washington

State for hunting purposes. Since then, WDFW has introduced Eastern and Rio Grande sub-

species to other suitable parts of the state. Turkeys now can be found in five of the six regions

recognized by WDFW. Region 4 is the only area that currently does not have turkeys. Below is a

map of the turkey distribution in Washington.

Eastern

The eastern subspecies was transplanted to

Washington from the eastern United States.

These turkeys like to live in forests with a mix of

evergreen and deciduous trees. The trees they

like to use are Douglas fir, western hemlock,

western red cedar, red alder, and big leaf maple.

They also like to eat the soft mast of Pacific

dogwood, hawthorn, Oregon grapes,

huckleberries, blackberries, cherries, and crab

apples. The Eastern wild turkey is found in

western Washington and only about 50 are

harvested each year.

 Chestnut brown tail coverts

 Tail feather tips are buff or chocolate brown

 Adults may weigh 25 lbs. or more

Photo by National Wild Turkey Federation

Merriam’s

Merriam turkeys are native to the coniferous mountains

and canyons of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.

They live in the canyons and forests of northeast and

central Washington. These turkeys prefer forests that

contain ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, western white pine,

Engelman spruce, Douglas maple, willows, cottonwoods,

and aspens. In Washington, they eat grass leaves and

seeds, ponderosa pine seeds, acorns, grasshoppers,

forbs, and fruits like wild strawberries. Also, they prefer

to roost in Douglas fir and grand fir trees.

 White or buff tail coverts

 Nearly white tail tips

 May weigh up to 25 lbs.

Rio Grande

Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma are the native stomping

grounds for the Rio Grande turkey. These are the only species

in Washington that prefers to nest within .25 miles of a

permanent water source. Their winter roost sites are normally

in wooded streamside areas. They eat insects, grass and sedge

seed heads, hackberry, prickly pear, fruit and seeds of various

shrubs, and the foliage and forbs of grasses. The Rio Grande

turkey is found from Spokane and Lincoln counties south into

the Blue Mountains of Washington.

 Light brown tail coverts

 Buff/tan tail tips

 Legs appear longer than other varieties

Hunting Techniques

Most turkey hunting is done in the spring when male turkeys (toms) are displaying to female

turkeys (hens) in a bid to become their mate. The great thing about spring hunting is that the

birds are generally vocal and respond to calls and decoys. In Washington you can harvest up to

three turkeys during the spring season.

Fall hunting is a bit different than spring hunting because the birds are gathering for the

upcoming winter months. They are generally just feeding and moving throughout the day.

Hunters can harvest up to four turkeys during the general fall seasons. An additional bird can

also be harvested during the fall special permit season if you put in for and are drawn for a

special permit.

Photo by WDFW

Photo by National Wild

Turkey Federation

Spring Hunting

Spring turkey season is a great way to get outdoors after a long winter. You can use a locator

call to determine if there are toms or jakes (immature tom) in an area. Often toms will respond

with a shock gobble to any loud, sudden noise. Once the season opens, use locator calls or hen

yelps to locate a tom. When you get a response, set up your blind or find a location to easily

conceal yourself. Look for meadows or small openings in areas with a lot of food. It is

recommended to sit with your back to a tree, stump, or hill side to protect you from another

hunter and help with camouflaging you. If you have a decoy, try to place it about 20 yards from

where you will be sitting. Once you are set up, use your turkey call to draw in the birds.

Generally hunters use hen yelps, clucks, and purrs to draw in toms.

Fall Hunting

Hunting turkey during the fall is similar to hunting deer. Turkeys are generally in larger flocks

made up of hens and their offspring or smaller groups of toms. Look for travel corridors and

feeding areas that the birds are using. Set up an ambush point on travel routs between the

roost tree and the feeding area. Set up similar to the spring hunting information above.

Sometimes you can coax hens closer to your ambush point by using some soft hen calls and

juvenile turkey ‘kee kees’. Listen to the birds and imitate the calls they are making.

General Turkey Information

Food and Feeding Habits

Wild turkeys will eat just about anything that provides them with nutrition. They will eat fresh

green vegetation, seeds, fruit, invertebrates, plants, and sometimes small lizards or frogs. A

field full of grasshoppers in turkey country is sure to attract birds. Turkeys feed right after flying

down from the roost in the early morning and in the evening.

Tracks

Turkey tracks can be found in snow, soft mud, or light dirt

areas. Their track is very distinctive. It is about four inches

long, characterized by three long toes that face forward, and

one little toe that faces back, about one inch. The middle toe

of the hen is smaller (less than 2 ½ inches) than a mature tom

(more than 2 ½ inches). When strutting, toms will also leave

wing drag marks.

Droppings

Turkey droppings somewhat resemble goose droppings and can be useful in determining the

gender of the bird who left it behind. They are similar in size but not always in color. Hen

droppings are usually a single pile while a tom usually leaves an elongated “J” shaped dropping

about two inches long. Finding droppings may signify that this area is being used by turkeys. But

Photo by Andy Arthur

Hen Droppings

Photo by Rich Mann

Tom Droppings

Photo by Rich Mann

it also may mean that they just passed through. Try a locator call or soft clucks and yelps if you

find a lot of droppings to see if there are turkeys in the area. If you find a lot of droppings below

a tree, you may have found the roost tree. Make sure to take note of where the tree is so you

can use the knowledge to your advantage.

Roosting Areas

Turkeys generally roost in trees. However during nesting season, some hens may stay on the

nest to protect the eggs. During the summer, most roost areas are 30-100 foot trees that are

close to where the birds have been feeding. Winter roosts seem to be more deliberate and the

turkeys generally use traditional night time roosts. They like to use the largest trees in a grove

and tend to roost as near to the top of the tree as comfortably possible. Hunting birds at the

roost site may disrupt normal patterns and is not recommended. Set up about 70 or more yards

from a roost site and call the birds to you when hunting.

Hunting Equipment

Legal hunting equipment is as diverse as the

companies that create and sell them. There are

many books that have been written about the

different types and uses of firearms and archery

equipment. With limited space and time, the

regulations for the hunting equipment will be

discussed below. Legal hunting equipment for

turkey hunting is limited to shotgun,

muzzleloading shotgun, archery, or crossbow in

Washington. This section details legal hunting

equipment at the time of the writing of this

booklet.

Shotguns

Shotguns are the most widely used hunting

equipment when hunting turkeys. Any shotgun can

make a good turkey gun as long as it shoots

straight and can have a full or extra full choke. The

choke helps group the shot together. Some

Photo by Brad Johansson

shotguns have interchangeable choke tubes and a threaded barrel that allows shooters to

change their shotgun’s choke based on their needs for shooting/hunting. If your shotgun does

not have an interchangeable choke there are some ammunition companies that have

developed turkey loads that are designed for use without super tight chokes. Hunters must use

#4 shot or smaller (e.g., #6 shot is legal) to hunt turkey. Remember that the larger the number

of shot, the smaller it is.

It is unlawful to hunt game birds, including turkey, with a shotgun capable of holding more than

three shells. Make sure your shotgun holds three or fewer shells. If it is designed to hold more

than three, the manufacturer should have also supplied a magazine plug to fill the space to only

allow the three rounds.

Muzzleloading Shotguns

Muzzleloaders come in all makes and models. No matter who manufactures the muzzleloader,

it has to meet the following criteria to be legal to hunt wild turkey within Washington State:

 Muzzleloader: A firearm that is loaded from the muzzle and uses black powder or a

black powder substitute.

 A muzzleloading firearm shall be considered loaded if a powder charge and a projectile,

either shot or single projectile, are in the barrel and the barrel or breech is capped or

primed.

 It is unlawful to hunt wildlife using a muzzleloading firearm that does not meet the

following specifications:

o A muzzleloading shotgun must have a single or double barrel

o A muzzleloading shotgun used for turkey must shoot #4 or smaller shot.

o Persons lawfully hunting small game with a double barrel, muzzleloading

shotgun may keep both barrels loaded.

Muzzleloaders are a great way to hunt with a method that has been around for hundreds of

years. With muzzleloaders, make sure you use a black powder or black powder substitute that

is rated for your muzzleloader. If you use the incorrect powder, it could be disastrous. Some

other helpful safety hints include:

 Never fill the muzzleloader directly from the powder can as it could spark and ignite the

powder in the can.

 Mark your ramrod when the muzzleloader is empty so you can make sure it is empty

upon storage.

 Be sure to seat the wad and shot directly on top of the powder charge.

 Store powder and percussion caps in separate dry and cool places.

Beware of what is known as a hang fire. This happens when the trigger is pulled, the percussion

cap ignites, but the firearm does not go off. Make sure to keep the muzzle pointed in a safe

direction for at least 30 seconds. If it still does not fire in that 30 seconds, put on another cap or

re-prime the pan, and fire again. Make sure the nipple is clean on percussion locks.

Archery Equipment

Archery equipment consists of many types of bows that are commercially available today. All of

these bows have to meet the following criteria to be used to hunt wild turkey in Washington

State.

 Mechanical broadheads are legal to use for all archery hunting.

 It is unlawful to have any electrical equipment or electric device(s) except for

illuminated nocks, attached to the bow or arrow while hunting.

 It is unlawful to shoot a bow and arrow from a vehicle or from, across, or along the

maintained portion of a public highway.

 It is unlawful to use any device secured to or supported by the bow for the purpose of

maintaining the bow at full draw or in a firing position.

 It is unlawful to hunt wildlife with any bow equipped with a scope.

Bows can generally be placed in one of two categories, compound or traditional. Compound

bows are the most popular hunting bow because of their ease of use. The mechanics of the

bow allow for the shooter to more easily draw and hold than the traditional bows. The

compounds have what is called let off. At a certain point in the draw, the draw weight is

reduced by as much as 85%. These bows are always strung and ready to go.

Traditional bows are either Long Bows or Recurve Bows. There is no mechanical let off when

holding these bows at full draw. However, these bows are just as effective at harvesting animals

as compound bows (if you are proficient with them). These bows have to be strung before use

because if you kept the bow strung it would lose power by forming to the strung position.

There are several types of arrows

available for hunters, generally

constructed of wood, aluminum,

or carbon fiber. Refer to the

manufacturers table to determine

which arrow type and size fit your

bow and shooting conditions. If

you are unsure of the arrows to

purchase, consult with an archery

retailer, and they can help

determine which is appropriate

for your bow. Broadheads should

be used when hunting with

archery equipment. These also

come in many different shapes

and sizes.

There is a broadhead that has

outstretched blades designed to

Photo by Wyatt Taylor

be shot at the neck region. These are called guillotine broadheads. Guillotine broadheads are

designed to decapitate the turkey, hence the name. These should only be used if you are 100%

confident that you can accurately hit the target. You may want to purchase the same weight

broadhead as the field points you are using for target practice to minimize sight adjustment in

your bow.

Crossbows

Crossbows were made legal to hunt with in 2015. Crossbows are gaining popularity amongst

hunters because of their accuracy and speed. It is unlawful to discharge a crossbow from a

vehicle or from, across, or along the maintained portion of a public highway.

 Mechanical broadheads are legal to use for all archery hunting.

 Guillotine broadheads can also be used with crossbows.

Clothing and Concealment

In hunting as in everything else, if you are not comfortable you won’t enjoy your experiences as

much as if you were comfortable. This is why how you dress is being covered in this manual.

Below are some suggestions on choosing boots, camouflage clothing, and blinds. Remember

that these are suggestions and finding what works for you is the key.

Remember to obtain permission from the landowner prior to placing ground blinds and if you

are on public land, check the regulations of the agency that owns the land.

Boots

Hunting boots will help support your ankles and also keep your feet dry and warm. Wet and/or

cold feet when hunting can make for an uncomfortable day. Some boots have insulation in

them to help combat the cold. When choosing a boot, think about the kinds of hunting you will

be doing and the temperatures in which you will be hunting. If you are primarily an eastern

Washington hunter, you may want to get the boots with 2000 grams of insulation to help on

those frigid mornings. But you also may have some hot foot issues when hunting turkey in May.

Layering

When dressing for any hunt, make sure to take into consideration what you may be doing.

Dressing in layers will allow you to regulate your body temperature more efficiently. The idea is

to wear only the layers that you need to stay warm and dry at the time, but have the option to

take a layer off or put another layer on if conditions change. In cool weather, for instance, you’ll

probably want to wear fewer layers to hike up a steep incline, but will want to put another layer

or two on once you are setup at your hunting spot and likely to be sitting for a while. A tough

pair of jeans or brush pants also may be a good idea to help protect your legs when working in

brush.

Camouflage

When turkey hunting, you can wear camouflage clothing to help conceal yourself from the

birds. The number of camouflage patterns and manufacturers is dizzying. Just remember to try

to match a pattern with the kind of habitat and climate you are going to hunt. Several of the

bigger camo pattern companies have all purpose patterns that will work in a lot of different

locations. These can be effective if you are unsure of where you may be hunting. If all else fails,

you can use the old style of green, brown, and black camo that is common in popular culture.

Remember to camouflage your face with a face covering or face paint and your hands with

gloves. A turkey vest is another good investment as it generally has a seat cushion built into it.

The basic idea of camo clothing is to break up the outline of your silhouette and get you to

blend into the habitat. Animals are instinctively afraid of humans and if they see the shape of a

human, they will not stick around for you to possibly get a shot at them.

Sometimes no camo is better than a contrasting camo pattern. If you are hunting the timber for

turkey and are wearing camo that was designed for waterfowl hunting, you will stick out like a

sore thumb. At that point, wear clothing that is similar in color to the surrounding country.

Also, because the weather in the Pacific Northwest is generally wet, having warm waterproof

camouflage clothing can increase your comfort level and improve the experience.

Blinds

Turkeys have outstanding vision, so minimizing movement and being totally concealed is the

key. Ground blinds are becoming more and more popular. Commercial ground blinds are

designed to pop up and provide total concealment on the ground. Just popping this blind up

does not guarantee concealment, so try to place brush and cover around the blind to help

conceal it. Make sure to keep the windows in the back zipped up so as to not silhouette

yourself. Ground blinds should be set out in advance of your hunt, if possible, so the game

become accustom to the blind.

Blinds can also be constructed with burlap, 1 x 1’s, spray-paint, and some string. Cut the 1 x 1’s

to about a four foot section. Drill holes in the 1 x 1’s and lace the burlap to them. Spray paint

the wood to be a dark color and put streaks of green, black, and tan on the burlap. You will then

have your own blind that is easy to transport.

Depending on the surroundings, you may be able to fashion a very functional blind from

available materials such as tree limbs, grass, or sagebrush. Be sure to “brush up” any blind with

whatever natural vegetation occurs at the site you’re hunting.

Where you build or place your blind may well be as important as how it looks and how well it

hides you. As a general rule it’s best to be situated with the wind in your face for turkey. If you

are not sure of the wind direction, there are wind indicators that can be purchased from

sporting goods stores. One of the most used is a powder in a squeeze bottle that will create a

puff of smoke and drift with the wind. Also you can use the old standby of picking up some dry

Photo by WDFW

grass and dropping that from about eye height and it should give you an indication of the wind

direction.

Turkey vest

Some hunters also choose to purchase a turkey vest. This is a tool that will help carry gear into

the turkey woods more easily. These vests also generally have a foam seat to help make

hunters comfortable when sitting for long periods of time.

Knives

There are about as many types of knives available in today’s sporting goods stores as there are

people to buy them. They have many different shapes, uses, designs, and materials. One thing

to keep in mind is a sharp knife is a good knife. Any knife can be used to care for your game.

However, some are designed specifically for different jobs. When picking a knife, you will want

to find something that works for you. Keep a sharpener in your pack for touching up the blade

when field dressing the animal.

Optics

Generally you do not need a spotting scope or binoculars for turkey hunting. However, they are

helpful to locate birds, observe their movements, or watch them go to their roost.

You will notice optics have a designation such as 8 x 42. These numbers correspond to the

construction. The first number is the level of magnification. In the 8 x 42 example, the image is

magnified 8 times. The second number is the diameter of the objective lens of the optic. In the

8 x 42 example, the objective lens is 42mm wide. The higher the objective lens, the bulkier the

optics can be. However, the larger the objective lens, the clearer the image will be, due to more

light entering. You may want to go into a sporting goods store and test out some of the optics

before deciding on a specific size or model.

Calls

There are many types of calls that can be used for turkey hunting. They generally fall into two

types – friction and air operated calls. Most calls are used to simulate the calls of a hen turkey.

A couple of calls do imitate the gobbling of a mature tom. However, these calls can also call in

other hunters looking to harvest a mature tom and should be used sparingly. Practice makes

perfect when using these calls. Take some time, read the directions from the manufacturer, and

practice calling when you can. Below are some of the calls that are used for calling turkeys.

Friction calls

Pot and peg call - These calls are also sometimes called slate calls due

to the materials traditionally used to construct the striking surface.

However, many more materials are being used and produce the same

great sound. The call works by causing friction between the striker

(the pen looking stick) and the face of the call.

Box call - The box call is aptly named as it is basically

a box with a movable lid to make the sounds. Calls

are made by putting pressure on the lid and drawing

it against the edges of the box.

Push button call - These calls are very easy to

operate but sometimes do not give you the versatility

of a slate call or box call. Push button calls are

generally mounted on the shotgun or crossbow and

used for the last few calls. It makes a yelping sound which can cause the turkey to pause and

give the hunter their shot.

Air Operated Calls

Diaphragm call - This is the most difficult of the calls to master. Since all you are using is your

mouth to make the call function, it can be very frustrating to learn. This method frees your

hands up to do other things while calling, such as aiming at a strutting tom. This call requires a

lot of practice to become proficient. One trick to practicing is keeping the call in your car. Call to

yourself while commuting to work, going to the grocery store, or scouting for any other hunting

season.

Locator call

You might have seen crow, owl, hawk, or even peacock calls on

the shelves in the sporting goods stores and wondered who in the

world is hunting those birds. These are known as locator calls.

During the spring months, tom turkeys will gobble at just about

any loud, sudden sound. Using a locator call will help locate the

turkeys without bringing them to your location. Locating the flock

will give you a better idea of where and how to set up once the

season begins.

Gobble tube

This call is shaken to produce gobbling type sounds. It can be effective for challenging and

bringing in mature toms, but can also call in other hunters.

Wingbone call - The wingbone was traditionally made from the

wing bones of the turkey. There are commercially available calls

made from plastic materials as well. This call makes yelps and

clucks but can be difficult to operate without the proper practice.

It does require you to use your mouth to make the call, but does

not offer the hands free calling that the diaphragm call offers.

Photo by Rich Mann

Photo by WDFW

Photo by Rich Mann

Decoys

Turkey decoys can be effective when hunting. They can attract, distract, challenge, or instill

confidence in the turkey you have your eyes on. Decoys come as a Hen, Jake, or Tom. The Hen

decoy is great for pulling in toms that are strutting in spring. Jake or small bodied tom decoys

can be used to bring in toms that feel they are challenged for their hens. Some decoy safety tips

are:

 Don’t carry an uncovered decoy

 Establish a minimum 50 yard line of sight

 Set the decoy about 20 yards out from your blind

 Look before you move

 Call out to an approaching hunter. Do not wave your hand

Where to Go

Finding hunting access on private lands in Washington State is becoming more of a challenge.

However, there are still a number of options available to hunters on public land. WDFW’s

wildlife areas are good places to start. WDFW also has a lot of private landowners who have

signed up to allow public hunting access on their lands. These lands can be found on the WDFW

Hunting Access webpage https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/locations as well as a booklet on how to

find hunting access.

The “Hunting Regulations Webmap” provides users with a different way to review the Hunting

Regulations. Users can explore regulations data by either selecting criteria for a search or

clicking on the map to find out what hunts are available for their selected Hunt Type. In

addition, it has the capabilities to look at public/private ownership, show private lands hunting

opportunities, map water access sites, and display satellite imagery. The data shown in this

webmap are an extension of the printed PDF pamphlet and not an authoritative source of

WDFW hunting regulations. This tool is also available for use on smart phones. It can be found

online at https://geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov/huntregs/.

If hunters want to gain access to private property, they should scout their desired area and

locate lands they might want to hunt. Once a hunter has located properties to hunt, he or she

can knock on the door of the landowner. If the hunter can’t locate a house, landowner contact

information can be obtained from the county tax assessor office. Landowners may refuse to

grant permission. If they do refuse access, make sure to thank them for their time. Hunters who

are persistent in their search will most likely gain access to some lightly hunted areas and make

new friends along the way. Other options include hunt clubs and hiring a guide who has access

to private farms and ranches.

The department’s website contains annual hunting prospects that detail WDFW biologist’s

expectations for hunting for the current year’s seasons. These prospects are broken into 17

districts that mark where a particular biologist is responsible. Hunters can find the hunting

prospects online at https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/locations.

Hunting Ethics

All hunters should be hunting ethically. There are many interpretations on ethics and what they

mean, but before starting your hunt, think of what you believe is ethical and put it against what

the public as a whole may think is ethical. Being ethical hunters will improve public perceptions

of hunting and will benefit the sport. WDFW encourages you to raise your ethical bar to the

highest level.

Some things that are considered un-ethical in regards to hunting are:

 Shooting at birds when they are outside your hunting equipment’s effective range.

 Shooting birds while on the land, water, or foliage

 Hogging all of the shots from your hunting party

 Shooting a deer or elk at 1000 yards

 Using a bow or firearm that is not properly sighted in

Shot Placement

Shot placement is crucial when trying to harvest a turkey. As ethical sportsmen and women, we

should strive to only take good shots and make the most humane kill. This can be achieved by

only shooting when you are 100% confident in the shot. Part of being confident is practicing

with your hunting equipment before the hunt. Another way to be confident would be to know

exactly where to put the shot. Also be sure to note if there are any obstructions between you

and the turkey when shooting. A branch or twig can significantly impact a projectiles trajectory.

Below are suggested shot locations when harvesting turkey with the two different types of

hunting equipment types.

Shotgun

No matter which shotgun you are using, a head/neck shot

is the preferred method for harvesting turkeys. This

prevents meat loss due to shooting up the breasts and

turning them to hamburger. Aim for the middle of the neck

right where the feathers start to appear.

Archery/Crossbow

If you are shooting the guillotine

style broadheads that are meant to decapitate the bird, aim just like

you were using a shotgun. With regular broadheads you will want to

aim for the vitals that are just below the wing joint when broadside,

base of the tail when the tom is strutting and facing away, or just

above the beard when facing head on.

Photo by WDFW

Photo by National Wild Turkey

Federation

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/wildturk

ey_springguide.htm (2016)

Tagging

Once you harvest your turkey, be sure to notch and affix your tag to it.

Immediately after the animal has been harvested, the tag of the person

who has taken the animal must be validated by cutting out and

completely removing the month and day of kill. A slit is not acceptable.

The tag must be securely attached to the carcass in a visible manner.

Washington tags have little holes in the right hand side of the tag. This is

a good spot to stick a zip tie through and attach the tag very securely to

the turkey’s leg.

Game Care Kit

In your hunting pack you may want to keep some supplies for caring for your game once it is

harvested. There are game cleaning kits that have bags for organs and gloves to keep your

hands clean. If you foresee traveling a great distance to get home, you may want to have a

cooler with ice ready to cool the meat and keep it from spoiling.

Field Dressing Turkey

It is unlawful to possess in the field or transport game birds unless a feathered head is left

attached to each carcass, except falconry-caught birds. If you are in the field or transporting

game birds anywhere after cleaning, remember to keep the feathered head attached.

To clean a turkey, first lay the bird

on its back. Follow the breast down

to the rear of the bird until it

narrows to a point between the

legs. Removing some of the

feathers in this area will make it

easier to clean the bird and help

keep the feathers out of the body

cavity. Pull up on the tip of the

breastbone and cut the bird open

by making a shallow horizontal

incision (through the skin only)

between the tip of the breast and

the anus (step A). Make sure to

keep the anus attached to the

intestines and pull it slightly out of

the bird. Then make the incision

large enough to insert your hand.

Run two fingers along each side of

the spine up and under the lungs. Grasp the heart and gizzard and pull out the entrails.

You can remove the crop (a sac filled with what the turkey's been eating) by making a cut on

the neck of the turkey and reaching down and removing it (step B). This can be done in the field

or at home since there are no fluids that may contaminate the meat. The crop is located at the

top of the breast. The crop has a thin membrane so remove it carefully so that you don’t break

it open. Rinse out the carcass with water and wipe with paper towels if you have these

available. It is never recommended to store meat that is wet.

Plucking turkey is a very time intensive task. To make it easier, you can boil water in a large

stock pot that will allow the bird to be dipped into the water. Do the dipping outside as the

large bird will likely make the stock pot overflow boiling water. Be Careful! This lightly cooks the

skin and makes the feathers easier to remove. If you do not have a stock pot that large you can

just pluck them without the water.

Remove the feet by cutting around the knee area making sure to sever the tendons. Bend it to

the side to make this easier. Discard the feet unless you are feeling adventurous and want to try

bird feet. You may want to save the beard and spurs as a memento of your hunt. Check out

YouTube for how to save mementos of your turkey hunt.

Once you have the bird plucked, wash the bird and pat it dry. Now you are ready to have some

great table fare!

Hunter Reporting

Hunter reporting is an integral part of hunting any animal that requires a tag. It allows WDFW

staff to accurately measure the harvest, and coupled with winter surveys of the animal species

will help with setting the next year’s hunting seasons. Since the information is necessary for

WDFW to effectively manage the game animals, this is a mandatory report even if you did not

harvest. If you fail to report by the deadline of January 31 then you will be subject to a $10

administrative penalty. Remember that you have to report on all tags that you purchase except

cougar. Below is a step by step process to report your tags. If you have trouble with the online

system, you can also call 877-945-3492 and report by phone.

o Go to fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov

o Under the “I want to Submit” section on the left hand side (Highlighted in

Orange), Select “Hunter Report”.

o Select the “Submit Report” Box in the top left hand corner of the page.

o Enter all customer information fields. Then click “GO”.

o If an error occurs, “customer not found, please try your search again.” Verify the

information that was entered.

o Select the first species under the “Choose a tag to report on:” section.

o Answer all questions that are on the screen. The questions will change based on

the answers provided.

o When completed, the report will issue a message that says, “You have finished

the hunter report. Click FINISH to save all of your answers. Click “FINISH” when

completed.

o A confirmation page will come up that will show the report has been submitted

successfully.

o Write down the submittal date and the confirmation number, this information

may need to be referenced at a future date.

o When completed use the Back button on the screen and it will take you back to

the page that shows which tags need to be reported on or have been reported.

o Repeat the process for all tags with an outstanding report.

o This information is used to set future hunting seasons in conjunction with WDFW

field staff population surveys.

NOTES

Ten Basic Safety Rules

1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and

under control.

2. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. Use your

safety, but remember that safeties sometimes fail.

4. Be sure of your target and what lies beyond before firing.

5. Never place or carry a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.

6. Never use a firearm unless you are familiar with how it

works. If you need an owner’s manual, write to the

manufacturer.

7. Never cross a fence, climb a tree, cross a stream or jump a

ditch with a loaded firearm.

8. Never point at anything you do not want to shoot.

9. Unload firearms when not in use. Store firearms and

ammunition separately.

10. Never use alcohol (or drugs) before or during shooting.

Learn More about WDFW’s Hunter Education Program

Website

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/huntered/

[email protected].gov

Regional Offices

Region 1 Spokane Office: (509) 892-1001

Region 2 Ephrata Office: (509) 754-4624

Region 3 Yakima Office: (509) 575-2740

Region 4 Mill Creek Office: (425) 775-1311

Region 5 Vancouver Office: (360) 696-6211

Region 6 Montesano Office: (360) 239-4628

Headquarters Olympia Office: (360) 902-8111

More Information

For more information about the Hunter Education Program, contact our

staff in Olympia at (360) 902-8111.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Headquarters

1111 Washington St SE

Olympia WA 98501

wdfw.wa.gov

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) receives federal assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service and provides equal access to its programs, services, activities, and facilities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of

1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age

Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968.

The U.S. Department of the Interior and WDFW prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, national origin,

sex, age, mental or physical disability, reprisal, sexual orientation, status as a parent, and genetic information. If you believe

you have been discriminated against, please contact the WDFW ADA Program Manager, PO Box 43139, Olympia, WA

98504 within 45 calendar days of the alleged incident before filing a formal complaint, or write to: Chief, Public Civil Rights

Division, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington DC 20240.

If you need further assistance or information, please contact the Olympia office of the Washington Department of Fish and

Wildlife: (360) 902-2349, or Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), (360) 902-2207.