Turkey hunters getting another shot

Washington hunters who didn’t fill their tags this spring have one last shot at wild turkeys this fall.

For the second year, the state has set a general fall turkey season for either hens or gobblers. The general season runs Sept. 24-30 and Oct. 8-14 in Units 105-124.

The split season is intended to keep turkey hunters out of the way of elk hunters during the muzzleloading season.

Hunters who drew special permits for fall hunts in the Sherman, Roosevelt, Southeast and Klickitat areas will be in the field Sept. 24-30.

“It’s not too hard to find broods of turkeys in Northeastern Washington,” said Steve Zender, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist in Chewelah. “They’re not really exploding like there were for the past few years, and that’s a good thing. We want turkeys, but we want people to respect them and not hate them being a nuisance.”

Hunters who did not tag two turkeys in Eastern Washington during the spring season will be eligible for the fall hunt.