Free: Contests & Raffles.
]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.
Quote from: JODakota on April 27, 2014, 06:06:35 PM]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.I believe you. And Wacenturion's response left me in stitches. (And how the hell else was he supposed to take it?) Fact is, you can't hunt squirrels here. And trotting them out as a reason to talk curtailment of the turkey hunting opportunity is typical of the Washington Department of NO Fish and WATCHABLE Wildlife and the goobers who get all antsy in their spandex when hunting season rolls around.Wacenturion is the guy who made the turkey hunting program here. He's the real deal. "Conservation" is a term now too-often used by preservationists who want to limit opportunities, and would rather fly a desk and write studies than get out there and make sure we have 10,000 more elk, 50,000 more deer and maybe tens of thousands more turkeys, grouse, chukar, huns, pheasants, mountain goats, sheep and other huntable game species. Not to mention a million steelhead and salmon and ten times ten times ten as many trout in the lakes and streams.People who want to preserve something should buy an art museum.
Quote from: Wacenturion on April 27, 2014, 05:42:35 PMQuote from: JODakota on April 27, 2014, 05:07:28 PMQuote from: Wacenturion on April 27, 2014, 05:02:55 PMTurkeys 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?
Quote from: JODakota on April 27, 2014, 05:07:28 PMQuote from: Wacenturion on April 27, 2014, 05:02:55 PMTurkeys 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............
Quote from: Wacenturion on April 27, 2014, 05:02:55 PMTurkeys 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 ?
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.
I don't know if Turkeys compete with Grouse or not. However, the last few weekends, in the NE corner, I've heard MANY grouse drumming, attempting to woo the opposite sex. All the while, in the same areas, I've seen and heard dozens upon dozens of turkeys.
I am sitting laughing to myself right now ...Like I said ..it is all about the landowners ..Most of the farmers and even landowners other than the farmers hate them ... ..Even if everyone decided not to participate in the fall hunt they would just come in and kill them themselves ...that's the problem ...