Big Tom's need shot (Twisp)

[OneHorn]

i have read most of this topic and i may be outa line by just jumpin in on this but i would like to just ask what ever happened to just good ol turkey huntin. If someone has some turkeys they need taken care of they should just let a few people out on there property for free and let them hunt them. Tame or not if they want them taken care of you shouldnt have to pay. AND if you ask me someone makin some birds tame and takin the fun out of hunting them, WHY??? That would be like seeing a wild bird in a field and sneaking up on him and shooting him. To me turkey hunting is all about testing your skill and playing the turkeys game and trying to out smart him, not just walkin up on him. Now i may be outa line but thats kind of what i got outa this. I woulld be a little afraid to eat a tame bird...

[yelp]

Onehorn..Its not the hunting I have a issue with..I just want him to keep his gamefarm turkeys on his property.  High fence them in..Not only are they tame they are game farm stock..which can be detrimental to wild flocks. 

[OneHorn]

Yelp, thanks for clearin that up. sorry bout my rant. I agree 100% with you. High fence the damn place so nothing happens to the wild flock

[Wacenturion]

To be clear....It is illegal to release game farm wild turkey stock in Washington, even on one's own property.  Turkeys are treated differently than pheasants, quail, and partridge in the WAC.  Those other upland birds can be released with permission.

WDFW is dropping the ball big time on this one.....but then again....they could care less, as disease ridden turkeys wiping out wild flocks especially near sharptails (which is another lame excuse not to release additional birds in Okanogan) would be welcome in their mind (those idiots in Wildlife Management)....

[fishunt247]

I'm just posting up so I can keep up with this thread, even though it seems like no more arguments can be made to justify these birds. I agree with everything pointed out here, and can't say anything that already hasn't been said. 

[Machias]

So, if that is the case, you should not be required to have a hunting license for these birds and they should be "open" year round and no bag limit?  Correct?  If not, then they must be "wild" birds?  How many generations of hatchlings before those birds are considered wild, if ever?  I agree that the state should only release birds/animals/whatever, but at what point does the off spring be considered wild and require "management" by the state or do they ever?  Just curious.

[boneaddict]

Theoretically I'd think it would be hatched by mom and raised on the ground......

[Machias]

Then these birds, (I agree with the wrongly released 12 years ago) (not the original stock who must all be long dead and gone) are considered "wild"?  And if they are considered wild and a tag required then why wouldn't the count as an Eastern....since they are easterns?  I personally have no desire to hunt these birds or ANY wild stock that is fed and habituated to humans, and I see it happening all over Eastern WA with Rios and Merriams.  I'm just curious.  Seems like the state should go in and either wipe these birds out or require whoever released them to fix the problem, i.e. pen them up if they are not considered wild stock.

[wastickslinger]

What do you guys classify as tame? cause Im gettin real confused


Tame for me would be walking right up to the flock and almost petting them.........

I see all sorts of pics on here of ppl feeding deer and elk on game cameras.......are those animals tame or wild?   

A flock of albino turkeys. I can see MuleySniper in snow camo acting like a huge horney hen trying to kill one of those big wild albino turkeys. 


Good Point, Moss.   

No....it's not a good point.  Not even comparable to what being discussed here.  When you go deer hunting are you going after tame deer or elk in a city, park where ever...I don't think so.  If you are though....then these birds will fit the bill.

You don't need to get close enough to pet them....just close enough to shoot them with a 12 gauge without using camo, cover, or whatever to shield your approach......you know ....how tamed down animals react to your presence.  I don't even know why I'm spending time trying to explain it.....if anyone here thinks this at all resembles turkey hunting in it's true sense....then have at it.  Here's another spot you can try............

A flock of albino turkeys. I can see MuleySniper in snow camo acting like a huge horney hen trying to kill one of those big wild albino turkeys. 

[twisp_river_slayer]

haha i love how everybody gets worked up over those turkey's. They definatly are not wild but still a challenge to hunt. During hunting season they are pretty tame though. My camo usually consists of a sweatshirt, jeans and my nike's. I havn't justified dressing up for turkey shooting beause you cant really call it hunting. As far as spending 250, every rancher i know only charges 100 a bird with no deposite. If people are paying that much then keep it up. lol Most people hate them and just let you kill them anyways. What the game department should do is open a fall season too. IMO

[turkeydancer]

As far as WDFW is concerned, the birds are classified by county of kill ... ie- these would not be considered Easterns, they would be considered Merriams.

The NWTF's cost in the 80's/90's was $600+ per wild bird just from the NWTF that was planted even with all the free NWTF labor ... more if you consider the WDFW labor costs and costs they incurred for the nets, "mortars", gas, etc. Paying off the turkey debt took many years and was a hardship on the outreach programs, etc.   If people are upset, it is because of everything that was put into getting truly wild birds and the sacrifices made that can be wiped out from avian diseases spread  by illegal releases like this one. The state is not allowing any additional wild turkey traps and transfer.  Do you really think that would be funny to see the populations wiped out for your lifetime?   

[mossback91]

I thought there already was a fall season in the methow?!?!

[Wacenturion]

Doesn't matter if there is a fall season or not.  These birds are smack in the middle of his ranch for the most part.  They stray much and they are wolf bait. 

Is there some sort of an imaginary line the wolves don't cross on that ranch....lol

[mossback91]

 

[Wacenturion]

haha i love how everybody gets worked up over those turkey's. They definatly are not wild but still a challenge to hunt. During hunting season they are pretty tame though. My camo usually consists of a sweatshirt, jeans and my nike's. I havn't justified dressing up for turkey shooting beause you cant really call it hunting. As far as spending 250, every rancher i know only charges 100 a bird with no deposite. If people are paying that much then keep it up. lol Most people hate them and just let you kill them anyways. What the game department should do is open a fall season too. IMO

Thank you.............I think you have pretty well explained in laymans terms from experience with these birds what some of us were trying to explain in this thread.

As Machias stated..........."Then these birds, (I agree with the wrongly released 12 years ago) (not the original stock who must all be long dead and gone) are considered "wild"?  And if they are considered wild and a tag required then why wouldn't the count as an Eastern....since they are easterns?"

As you can see from the reply from TRSlayer.......they are not wild....even 12 years later.  That's what game farm birds are from generation to generation...TAME.  So to answer you question......never....they are not wild birds...and as far as being Easterns and counting as an Eastern in our state......never.......they are so far removed from western Washington Easterns that it would be an insult to everyone who has put in the time and effort to harvest an Eastern to even consider these game farm birds an equal.....enough said.