The end of Wild Turkeys in Washington

[BOWHUNTER45]

Turkeys do not compete with squirrels period.  WDFW turkey haters just keep throwing that out there like spaghetti to see if it sticks to the wall and make it seem to the uniformed as though something terrible is happening.  That question has been answered many times years ago. 

Let's see now....if I recall squirrels live in trees.  What is a turkey getting food wise that a squirrel is not?  Good grief.

Some should not open there mouth until they know who they are talking too !!


Oh really? Are you a biologist? State your facts, sources ?

I usually prefer to enjoy this forum just as a member, but since you have called me out so to speak, as a matter of fact, I am.  As a sidenote to that, I also managed the Washington Wild Turkey Program for 20 years from 1987 till 2002, when I retired.  That unfounded assertion and other equally stupid ones came up every time we wanted to expand opportunity statewide for turkeys during those years.  No scientific data whatsoever to back it up, but hey, lets throw it out there and assume someone will believe it.

I'll leave it at that............

[bowhunterforever]

The seasons they run for wild turkey already are hurting them, they don't need anything more.  They already run too long of a season in the fall, a month and a half in the fall for a general hunt is overkill.  But that's what this game department wants.

Wish they would get rid of the fall hunt

[PA BEN]

When we had the big turkey boom, locals and farmers complained about the large numbers of turkeys destroying crops, crapping in cow feed areas, digging up gardens etc. The NWTF along w/ the WDFW did trap and transport programs in Stevens County. I know the numbers are down now, but just think what 200 turkeys do to a wheat field feeding everyday. There does have to be a balance.

[Wacenturion]

When we had the big turkey boom, locals and farmers complained about the large numbers of turkeys destroying crops, crapping in cow feed areas, digging up gardens etc. The NWTF along w/ the WDFW did trap and transport programs in Stevens County. I know the numbers are down now, but just think what 200 turkeys do to a wheat field feeding everyday. There does have to be a balance.

There was a balance, in an active trap and relocation program.  Landowners who had a problem were immediately helped out by field staff responsible for a certain landowner/access program which the agency gutted in early 2000.  If there was a problem we addressed it.  All staff, including myself were essentially on call through the winter to trap and move birds.

However, the problem with that was that powers now in WDFW (as of 1999) had control and essentially ended the turkey introduction and relocation program, as they didn't want any further expansion of birds, even into areas that already had them to periodically add new blood...i.e. Klickitat County.

Therefore the landowner-turkey relationship took a turn for the worst as the toilet so to speak, backed up.  Complaints, no assistance and now the opportunity for those in WDFW who dislike turkeys, to propose and add liberal seasons in a smoke and mirror effort to look like they are addressing landowner issues. 

It's funny back then that when a landowner had a problem and wanted them removed, when we got there to set up, they generally told us not to take them all and to leave some.

Everyone benefitted.  Landowners could count on help.  People got to assist staff on trapping which was fun and sportsmen in other counties got to be present and see birds released in their own backyard.  A win win for WDFW and sportsman alike.  Along came a new director, reorganization and control of turkey relocation put back into Wildlife Management whereby it all ceased.  Forgot to mention that at this point WDFW used planning to excuse away the program as it had been run over 20 years.  Had to be sure that turkeys weren't competing with squirrels, eating slugs, attacking grade schools....whatever red flag they could raise to avoid the continuance of turkey releases.

One final note.  Volunteers from both NWTF chapters as well as local unaffiliated sportsmen and sportswomen helped on quite a few of the trapping efforts.  As many were WDFW turkey program field staff only as we had to be there on a moments notice, usually within a day or two, weekends or weekdays. 

The NWTF itself, the parent organization, didn't contribute much other than free transport boxes from Weyerhauser, which they simply put their logo on and acted as the middle man.  The parent group also got involved as a broker, a middle man so to speak, to set prices on the different subspecies as far as the trapping cost per individual bird.  That really had adverse impacts.  Where I used to horsetrade and generally got birds free from other states, now we had to pay for them.  That greatly  restricted our ability to get birds easily as we had before, especially Easterns.  Nothing more than another way to glean money from unsuspecting volunteers and pretend they were doing something wonderful.  Like many conservation groups, it's all about the money.

Hope that clears it up some...........

[jackelope]

Turkeys do not compete with squirrels period.  WDFW turkey haters just keep throwing that out there like spaghetti to see if it sticks to the wall and make it seem to the uniformed as though something terrible is happening.  That question has been answered many times years ago. 

Let's see now....if I recall squirrels live in trees.  What is a turkey getting food wise that a squirrel is not?  Good grief.

Oh really? Are you a biologist? State your facts, sources ?

I usually prefer to enjoy this forum just as a member, but since you have called me out so to speak, as a matter of fact, I am.  As a sidenote to that, I also managed the Washington Wild Turkey Program for 20 years from 1987 till 2002, when I retired.  That unfounded assertion and other equally stupid ones came up every time we wanted to expand opportunity statewide for turkeys during those years.  No scientific data whatsoever to back it up, but hey, lets throw it out there and assume someone will believe it.

I'll leave it at that............

Awesome man, it was meant to be insulting. I am a man of facts. I like to hear why or see proof. Hopefully you didn't take that as an insult, I am married to a biologist so I am on your side . My biggest concern these days is when hunting an animal that isn't a native species becomes more important than one that is. It doesn't matter if the animal is big or little, they all deserve a fair shake when it comes to their native habitat. I am by no means a hippy, and you can ask quite a few members who know me, but I do believe in conservation.

 
Sweet backpedal.

[PA BEN]

I was in on some of those trap and transports back then. It was fun for the kids to take along. They can't thinn them all that way. Most of those complaints back in those days were people feeding them in the winter. Turkeys making a mess around homes and farms. The game dept. said to stop feeding them and people said, "but they will starve". As far as I know they didn't do a thing in the summer and fall. My Dads wheat fields took a big hit from the turkeys. 

[Tom Tamer]

The state don't give to Sh*&s about turkeys, and yes the fall season and double birds in a day should be done away with. Maybe6-8years ago when it was at a peak but they haven't adjusted for bad winters and cold springs. Flocks aren't rebounding like they should. The Teanaway fall hunt should go away. Talking with town folk they are not even hearing of anyone getting one yet. Been tough. Most areas I hunted for 12+yrs are void of any kind of Turkey sign. Where I used to as little as three years ago could chase four or five different Toms in a sq mile now seems to be extinct. When I was in the NWTF I tried for years to get the state to rethink their stance and they scoffed at it everytime. Don't expect anything to change.

[rosscrazyelk]

Just out of curiosity how much does a turkey cost and is it illegal to plant birds on your own?

[WAcoyotehunter]

Turkeys do not compete with squirrels period.  WDFW turkey haters just keep throwing that out there like spaghetti to see if it sticks to the wall and make it seem to the uniformed as though something terrible is happening.  That question has been answered many times years ago. 

Let's see now....if I recall squirrels live in trees.  What is a turkey getting food wise that a squirrel is not?  Good grief.

Oh really? Are you a biologist? State your facts, sources ?

I usually prefer to enjoy this forum just as a member, but since you have called me out so to speak, as a matter of fact, I am.  As a sidenote to that, I also managed the Washington Wild Turkey Program for 20 years from 1987 till 2002, when I retired.  That unfounded assertion and other equally stupid ones came up every time we wanted to expand opportunity statewide for turkeys during those years.  No scientific data whatsoever to back it up, but hey, lets throw it out there and assume someone will believe it.

I'll leave it at that............

 

What about native grouse?  Do turkeys compete with them?

[bobcat]

The Teanaway fall hunt should go away. Talking with town folk they are not even hearing of anyone getting one yet.

We got one out of Teanaway on April 19th. Perhaps the one and only for this year so far, it sounds like. 


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[snowpack]

Just out of curiosity how much does a turkey cost and is it illegal to plant birds on your own?

They don't cost much.  You can order chicks online for a few bucks each.  Rios, merris and easterns are on a lot of the websites.  If for private property you can have them run around like chickens/ducks/geese do.

[Bob33]

Just out of curiosity how much does a turkey cost and is it illegal to plant birds on your own?

I've seen them on sale at Safeway for $.99/pound at Thanksgiving.

[CP]

Safeway is a lot cheaper than shooting a wild one.

[Wacenturion]

Just out of curiosity how much does a turkey cost and is it illegal to plant birds on your own?

The cost years ago (the 90's) were as follows..

Easterns....$500 a bird

Meriams and Rios....if I recall they were $100 a bird.

That doesn't include airfare.

Difference was the difficulty in trapping large numbers.  Rios and Merriams generally are in large winter flocks and readily come to bait, Easterns much smaller numbers and warier.

Yes it is illegal to plant your own.  Although the source may be wild game farm stock, they are nothing more than a nuisance from the get go, that is if they survive.  The usual tipoff is people calling and complaining about birds crapping and roosting on decks, roofs etc. 

[Wacenturion]

Just out of curiosity how much does a turkey cost and is it illegal to plant birds on your own?

They don't cost much.  You can order chicks online for a few bucks each.  Rios, merris and easterns are on a lot of the websites.  If for private property you can have them run around like chickens/ducks/geese do.

I believe he was referring to the cost of wild trapped birds we were bringing in.

If you release them on your own property you had better make sure they are confined somehow.  If they wander off and pose a problem on adjacvent properties, you not only risk having an upset neighbor(s), but the possibility of a citation as well.