Local hunter sets state turkey record

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake resident and Washington hunter Garnet Wilson set a new Washington state turkey hunting record on Sept. 29.

Wilson is the first hunter in Washington state history to legally bag three turkeys in one day.

On Sept. 29 Wilson and her husband, Dennis Clay, began the Washington Early Fall Turkey season near Davenport where she bagged her first turkey of the day.

In the area around Davenport hunters were able to shoot one turkey of either sex with a proper permit, license and game tags.

Wilson and Clay came upon a flock of turkeys and flushed a bird near where Wilson was standing before Wilson shot the bird, her first of the day.

After bagging the bird, Wilson and Clay moved toward Colville where the turkey limit was two beardless turkeys.

The turkey population in Northeast Washington have grown to considerable numbers and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife opened the early fall turkey season between Sept. 27 and Oct. 3, said Washington Fish and Wildlife Upland Game Bird Manager Mick Cope.

"The turkey population in Northeastern Washington has grown to a tremendous level," he said. "As part of our population control efforts and to address landowner complaints, we opened an early fall season…where hunters could take two beardless (female) birds in some Game Management Units of the state, plus one bird of either sex in another part of the state."

When Wilson and Clay reached their hunting area near Colville, a local landowner advised the couple to hunt along a small creek in the area.

Wilson and Clay found the flock of turkeys and positioned themselves ahead of the flock, anticipating the turkeys would move toward them.

They were right.

When the flock arrived at their location, Wilson couldn't believe how many turkeys there were.

"I was surprised at the number of birds in front of us," she said. "I tried to get two, nice-sized hens on one shot, but I had to shoot a second time. Of course i would have liked to shoot toms, but we need to thin out the hens a little bit."

The early fall turkey season when hunters could bag beardless birds is intended to reduce the beardless population without affecting the spring hunt next year when only birds with beards may be taken, Cope said.

Wilson's place in the Washington state hunting record books is amazing, Cope said.

"As best as I can tell at this time, it appears Garnet Wilson is the first Washington hunter to legally shoot three turkeys in one day," he said. "She has certainly done her part in turkey management by harvesting three beardless birds and to do so in one day is an admirable achievement."