Open Season on Lopez Island?

[patton1]

A buddy of mine told me that he was talking to an older gentleman who had told him that you could hunt turkey on Lopez Island all year round.  I don't know if they have a turkey problem or if there is any truth to this.  I've tried looking it up in the regs and online and have found nothing so I figured I would bring it up on here.  Does anybody know anything about this?  Thanks.

[lokidog]

I don't think it is OK to, and why would you?  When we get a turkey here on Decatur, we tag it since it is not a farm-raised bird.  Good luck on finding a place to hunt as well.

BTW, there is no "overpopulation' of them.  The racoons pretty much keep the numbers down.   

[singleshot12]

I wouldn't think it would be ok either although I know that a few of the locals hunt them year around as if open season.

[bobcat]

Maybe they're not true Eastern turkeys that were planted by the WDFW, which in that case they'd probably be considered an invasive species. So they would not be protected and could be killed at anytime with no restrictions on how you do it. I don't believe a hunting license would even be necessary.

[Wacenturion]

Maybe they're not true Eastern turkeys that were planted by the WDFW, which in that case they'd probably be considered an invasive species. So they would not be protected and could be killed at anytime with no restrictions on how you do it. I don't believe a hunting license would even be necessary.

I would reluctant to be giving that kind of advice to anyone.   

[bobcat]

It wasn't advice- just my thoughts on it. Did the WDFW plant turkeys on Lopez Island or not? Don't you know these things?

[dscubame]

Maybe they're not true Eastern turkeys that were planted by the WDFW, which in that case they'd probably be considered an invasive species. So they would not be protected and could be killed at anytime with no restrictions on how you do it. I don't believe a hunting license would even be necessary.

I would reluctant to be giving that kind of advice to anyone.

   Horrible advice.

[bobcat]

As I said, it wasn't advice. I'd be curious to know what the rules are on "farm" turkeys that people release illegally into the wild.

[Curly]

Didn't sound like advice to me.  Just sounded like a question.............

[patton1]

I wasn't asking the question because I wanted to go over and shoot a bunch of tame turkeys or anything.  I was just wondering if anybody knew anything about it.  Bobcat-I don't think it was bad advice either because to me it didn't even sound like advice.  My thoughts were along the same line as yours.  I just couldn't imagine there being an open season for turkeys ANYWHERE and was wondering.  I figure it it is a bunch of BS but thought it was an interesting little rumor (if that is all that is).

[BOWHUNTER45]

In the 90 s I used to go out to Orcas and hunt because it was close to home . There used to be alot of them but now things have changed ..there are population on decatur but like someone said ealier its hard to find places to hunt BUT in all means open season state wide ....

[Wacenturion]

The original birds planted on the island's back in the 60's were Easterns from game farm stock reared on WDFW pheasant farms.  They played around raising a few at a couple of the farms more like a hobby than actual production.  Some of the surpluses were released.  Later a few wild trapped Merriams from Klickitat County, also in the 60's I believe, were also released out there on top of those Easterns.

For many years they were a big nuisance problem, as they tamed down.  Those problem birds were one of the reasons why WDFW Region 4's office was so opposed to new turkey introductions back in the 80's and 90's.  The other reasons were wildlife management staff in that office hated turkeys...plain and simple. 

Even though wild trapped birds from out of state posed no problem as far as nuisance was concerned, they used it as an excuse.  The actual first releases of Easterns on Pillchuck were scheduled and then denied the day before, until the Regional Manager was put into an uncomfortable situation by threat and he overturned his Regional Wildlife Bio's decision not to allow the release.

On the other issue, if it was legal to shoot feral game farm turkeys, that appeared to look like wild birds or wild hybrid birds, without a license and was open all year, just imagine the possibilities for someone to break the law on legal birds.  Now if it were some white 40 lb. non flying bird that escaped and was poising problems in a rural setting....you would probably be ok.

[skagit]

There is no public land to hunt there anyways.

[BOWHUNTER45]

It does'nt matter who let what go you still need a licence no matter what and it has to be season... Last time someone let some loose up here and the dept. was asked that question if you could just kill them ..they said as long as the season is open and you have the tags ......and permission of course to enter private land ...

[lokidog]

Thank you Bowhunter45.  It amazes me the number of people that think seasons and licenses and details like NO TRESPASSING ON PRIVATE LAND do not matter here in the islands.  As far as I am concerned with these turkeys is, if it looks like a wild bird, can fly like a wild bird, was hatched in the woods like a wild bird, IT"S A WILD BIRD!!! 

BTW  they seem pretty tame until you have a bow or a gun in your hands and you are trying to close the distance....