The end of Wild Turkeys in Washington

[rosscrazyelk]

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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I got mine in the teanaway opening Day. 

[Wacenturion]

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?

No, not in my opinion.  Next to whitetail deer there has probably been more research done over the years on wild turkeys as many other species.  Nothing in the literature suggests negative connotations in regards to competition with other wildlife.  Most negatives come from nuisance or damage complaints, some of that stemming from people feeding and taming down flocks during adverse weather.

In fact one could argue that turkeys provide positive benefits in regards to other wildlife.  I'll give an example.  Years ago when we first released Rios in the Wenas area (early 80's), subsequent releases the following year showed some interesting observations.  We had to go in by snowmobile with TV crews from various news stations, as the snow depth was fairly deep. 

On south facing slopes around the base of quite a few conifers, it looked as if someone had taken a rototiller and made a huge circle around the base of those trees.  There were plenty of evidence of turkeys and their scratchings which accounted for what we saw.  Although we didn't see any of the birds that were already present in the area, there was an abundance of hungry small birds eagerly hopping around and feeding on anything that was exposed and qualified as food...seeds etc.  Thank the turkeys for that.

In regards to western grey squirrels, I asked several biologists from different eastern states years ago in an effort to respond to objections by those opposed to turkeys at WDFW.  A Pennsylvania biologist I asked summed it up best.  He said....."What are you guys drinking in your water out there.  Squirrels (referring to eastern grey and fox squirrels) can easily outcompete a turkey for mast.  They can get the acorns and other mast items before they fall off the tree.  Turkeys also create additional food sources by eating and deficatiing out seeds that eventually turn into new plants and mast producing trees.  You're kidding right?"  I explained that I was in complete agreement  but mearly the messenger and had to ask.


Sharptailed grouse provides another interesting sidenote.  Naysayers at WDFW used the possibility of turkeys competing with Sharptails to put off our early efforts in the 90's to establish Merriams in Okanogan County.  Funny that both Merriams and Sharptails coexist on native ranges in Colorado without issues. 

To give you an idea of the mentality at WDFW when a noted sharptailed/sage grouse expert from Colorado was at a professional Western Sage Grouse workshop many years ago, biologists in WDFW literally hung on his every word while discussing grouse issues on a field tour.  Later when I had to address the yearly continuing "what if" questions leading up to releases, when I explained that this same expert basically said what I mentioned above about Merriams and Sharptails co-existing in Colorado, those same biologists basically said that he didn't know what he was talking about.

If it fits their argument, they use it or try to make people believe something that isn't true and has no scientific basis in fact.  If it doesn't fit their opposition, they discount it as if the facts and data don't exist.  That folks, is the existing mentality at WDFW.

[MerriamMagician]

If only we could reappoint Wacent to head of the turkey program at WDFW and get rid of whatever stands in his way there.  Anyone with me? Get our turkeys headed back in the right direction 

[irishevox]

 

[REHJWA]

Not just turkeys...

[Bob33]

Get our turkeys headed back in the right direction 

Interesting choice of words.

[kevinlisa06]

A few years back I was hunting in Chewelah and a squirrel ran across the road in front of us carrying a turkey egg then he dropped it when he saw us. We came back up the road for lunch and yep the egg was eaten.


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[BOWHUNTER45]

A few years back I was hunting in Chewelah and a squirrel ran across the road in front of us carrying a turkey egg then he dropped it when he saw us. We came back up the road for lunch and yep the egg was eaten.


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sure it was not a mink or weasel ??

[Tom Tamer]

Good to hear a few are finding Teanaway birds. As to the grouse questions and squirrel questions. Not being a biologist but as a hunter I pay attention to certain things. If turkeys were harming these species then why is it all I hear in the woods in the spring is the drumming of Ol' Mr. Ruff grouse? Or back east where Squirrel is hunted and turkeys abundant then why aren't those squirrels in danger. Not many stop and ask themselves these question yet once anyone throws out any " Spagetti" they start chmapioning those remarks qithout a thought of what they actually witness?

[kevinlisa06]

JB it was definetely a squirrel!


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[REHJWA]

It would suprise people what anmimals will eat...
This white tail buck eats a baby bird about 1 min into this video...
http://youtu.be/sQOQdBLHrLk

[kevinlisa06]

Omnivore!


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[irishevox]

craziness

[270Shooter]

This is off topic but wacent, what kind of birds are in the wenas? Are they rios or merriams? Or a hybrid?

[huntnphool]

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 ?

Open mouth insert foot, lmfao!!!