WILDLIFE -- Washington's late fall turkey hunting season ends today, much to the disappointment of some landowners who will be bearing the brunt of huge numbers of wild turkeys this winter.

I took my third 2015 tag over the weekend and tried to put it to use to benefit a cattleman in Spokane County. I saw the futility of my efforts -- and his -- first hand.

More than 200 turkeys were pecking and pooping through the hay he had spread out in his field for his cattle. Driving around his section of land I could count another hundred or more turkeys on surrounding lands. I tried to sneak into position for one hunt and couldn't avoid crawling through turkey crap.

I joked that I at least succeeded in spooking the turkeys off his land.

"They'll be back," he said.  Indeed, even more turkeys were in his field the next morning.

I could walk to within 20 feet of the turkeys when they were among the stock. But when they moved out to where it would be safe to shoot one, they quickly got more wild and moved out of shotgun range. 

In one instance I was perfectly positioned for turkeys walking past me on the edge of the pasture, but there were so many turkeys together, I couldn't shoot without taking the chance of hitting at least three birds with one shot.

When I tried busting up a flock to scatter the birds and call them back in, they simply flew or boogied into the distant safety of another property where hunting isn't allowed.

Turkeys win.

This year's turkey hatches -- there were at least three of them -- have left us up to our necks in turkeys in some areas.

Some people will bear the burden if snow piles up and congregates the big birds where livestock are being fed.