IT'S TIME TO TALK TURKEY

FIRST TURKEY: Dakota Gillette, 11, took the first turkey of his life last weekend in the Mount Emily area with help from his father, Phil, who called the bird in. Dakota and his father were taking part in a new turkey youth hunt. (Photo/Anthony Hilton).

Dick Mason

The Observer

Turkeys or taxes?

Northeast Oregon hunters who are tax procrastinators must make a choice this weekend. Turkey season opens Saturday, and state and federal income taxes must be mailed by Monday.

Hunters worried about missing prime turkey opportunities by staying home to work on their taxes should relax.

The turkey hunting outlook for Northeast Oregon this weekend is not promising.

Union and Wallowa counties have excellent populations. But finding turkeys will be difficult because many areas remain inaccessible since spring weather has been slow arriving. Snow and mud will limit the areas hunters can reach.

"A lot of people will be jammed into a few places,'' said Phil Gillette of La Grande, the owner of Phil's Outdoor Surplus and More.

Hunters going out into the woods this weekend should be careful about driving on and doing damage to muddy roads, said La Grande Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Jim Cadwell. Landowners may reduce access to hunters in the future if too much damage is done, he said.

Turkey season runs through May 31. Hunters are limited to two males or turkeys with beards.

For some, turkey season started last weekend during the new Oregon youth hunt. Those age 17 and under could hunt turkeys April 8-9 if accompanied by an adult.

Gillette took his son, Dakota, 11, on that hunt and helped his son call in a turkey, which Dakota harvested, the first taken in his young hunting career.

"I don't know who was more excited, him or me," Phil Gillette said.

He said the hunt provided a great father-son experience. The hunt also allowed the experienced hunter to do some early scouting.

Gillette said that he will not be hunting this weekend because of anticipated bad weather but will go soon after.

Regardless of whether a hunter hunts turkeys early or late in the season, he or she should always follow safety precautions. One of the most important concerns attire. Hunters should never wear red or blue because it increases the chance of being mistaken for a turkey, Cadwell said.

Big-game hunters often wear blaze orange to protect themselves from accidentally being shot. Turkey hunters don't have this option because turkeys can easily see color.

Turkeys also are good at spotting movement. Hunters should be as still as possible when turkeys approach.

"Their eyesight is second to none,'' Cadwell said.

Turkeys have excellent hearing and are easily frightened by hunters who make mistakes when calling. Hunters should be careful about calling frequently, since it increases the odds of making an error.

"The biggest mistake hunters make is calling too much,'' Cadwell said.

Frequent calling also makes it easier for turkeys to pinpoint a hunter's location and determine that the noise is not coming from another bird.

Early in the season many turkeys responding to calls are young males unfamiliar with hunter tricks.

"Jakes are less cautious and come in quicker,'' Cadwell said.

Contrarily, adult males are sometimes harder to call in early in the season because they are with females. Once the females begin nesting the males are easier to pull away, Cadwell said.

Hunting is best on mild, still days. Wind is always an enemy of turkey hunters.

"Wind makes it harder for turkeys to hear calls,'' Cadwell said.

The popularity of turkey hunting in Northeast Oregon has increased significantly in recent years as populations have grown because of the successful transplants of Rio Grande turkeys. The start of turkey hunting season has thus become a popular new rite of spring.

"It's like the kickoff to spring,'' said La Grande turkey hunter Jonel Ricker.

Gillette understands why people feel this way.

"Everybody has been cooped all winter with little or nothing to do,'' Gillette said. "Hunters are saying, ‘Gosh, I want to get out in the woods.' ''

Gillette has one key word of advice for hunters who venture out into this weekend's less than desirable conditions.

"Patience, lots of patience.''