Free: Contests & Raffles.
Centurion, are you referencing the region 3 biologist, the same one who got in all that heat a few years back about falsifying evidence of the lynx. If you are, my dad a little squabble with him during some of the Yakima County plants. My dad, who was the chapter chairman of the Yakima chapter, tried to persuade him to plant some birds in Reynolds Creek. Traditionally, on every other plant in the Tampico area, birds naturally migrated over to Reynolds Creek and did well there. But the biologist claimed that Reynolds Creek didn't have as many "pine nuts" so the birds would survive the winters as well. What a joke. Too much "science" and not enough actual observation. Guess what? After the plants in Nasty Creek and other areas in Tampico, more birds ended up in Reynolds Creek. Go figure.
PM sent. And yep, what an idiot. So I sure hope all you guys are scouting areas with enough pine nuts
WaCent - Missed your message earlier ... Maybe we can get together for dinner over there ... my boy and I will be arriving in Davenport Tuesday afternoon and will be there until Friday late afternoon or evening (landowners family gets the weekends), then the boy is heading back home and I'm heading to Colville to take one of my chapter members out (even if I have tagged out --- it's myas my way of "paying back" or "forward" my volunteers --- ie: a happy tukrey hunter is a happy volunteer). I will also see how my other members are doing, and we all may meet with Tacoma chapter members for dinner Saturday night. Probably stay there until Monday about noon. I probably will take my 25 ft trailer versus renting a room (but I don't like cooking and doing dishes during turkey season so we will just have at most a great start microwaved breakfast, then carry a lunch/snacks, and dine out in the evening). I like to hit it from before dawn to close to dark as needed ... but also take breaks as necessary if we feel like it and are getting too darn frustrated. Let me know if you want to meet up ...To WaCent and Yelp --- As far as the national and regional assistance, that is a result of the BOD/RDand National realizing we could use additional help out here with the WDFW .... especially them having our hands tied as to traps and transfers, or anything else that would benefit the turkeys. They may be able to help us right the ship and get it sailing straight again. I know I must have said this before, but have you ever considered adding your voices of reason to the BOD. As long as you are an active member of a local chapter it's a pretty simple ... we meet usually twice a year (more only if it's really, really necessary) ... most other business is done with a couple of in between telcoms or via e-mails.
I'd like to sneak a question in on this thread, not the main topic but the direction it's heading. I'll try to tie it all together at the end. Has anyone seen or heard any evidence that our turkeys are eating acorns from the indigenous Oregon white oaks we have in our beautiful state? I have checked the craw of every bird I have taken and this is what I've found: dandylion blossoms,plain ole grass, pine nut(Of course)snow berries(Have to show you guys the picture of this softball size craw that weighed 20oz.),little blue/huckle berry looking things, and, oh, one baby rattle snake,and much more. Conspicuous by it's absence is the acorn. do our turkeys eat em? I know down south the easterns literally live and die for them. my tie in to this thread is. If they are throwing words around like pine nuts and carrying capacity for reasons not to relocate than they are being far less than truthful. Every year here in central WA. I'd say many tons go back to ground UN eaten. Maybe Jerbear can chime in since he lives in the middle of oak central. Any way, so sorry for the rant, I just wondered if acorns are a food source for any of the birds you guys run into? ThanksMerriamMan...Most of the areas in the Yakima Area will support more turkeys, there was a lot of negativity about turkeys prior to and after releases in the 1990's and earlier and still today there is still some naysayers that say turkeys aren't doing well. Well they are wrong. They say that because they have know idea. I know for a fact the population is slowly growing north and south of Yakima. I talk with elk hunters that see them all over. But when you have negativity it breeds more negativity and it makes it hard to make the idea of supplemental releases are good thing. They would rather it fail than be successful it seems. As far as food sources, almost anything can be on the dietary hit list. Opportunistic feeders wild turkeys are adaptable to different habitats. The time of year will dictate diet. Greenup, flowers, to insects, to seeds, grains, fruits, nuts, etc..mast crops that get them through winters. The adaptable and opportunistic nature of the wild turkey also defines them as nuisance in some people eyes. There are examples of both but there are also solutions. Some of these solutions are not always agreed to by hunters or managers. Fall hunts, kill permits, etc.. All it would take is a little effort on the part of all to put the Nuisance issue away. But I think some like the idea of it and use it to push management direction. Not to drag you down...Like fishhunt247 says they will eat acorns. I know back east there are tastier acorns than others, but that is all I know.
