This is the fifth time that we have reported on an initiative to throw the spring hunting season wide open and end quality turkey hunting as we know and appreciate it.

          The magic of spring hunting is trying to use one’s skills to call up an active gobbling tom into close shotgun range.  Most spring turkey hunters with some experience have come to learn that two different hunters trying to call up the same gobbler is a crowd.

          Members of our organization have experienced the loss of quality hunting in the past and worked hard to regain what was lost.  We realize that there are many more hunters than there are gobblers.  We also realize that  certain areas of the state get an undue amount of hunting pressure.  We learned many years ago that the more hunting pressure placed on spring gobblers the less gobbling they do and the more call shy they become.  We also learned over the many years that if the hunting pressure was spread out over a long hunting period that quality hunting could be found, even into the latest season, while still allowing each and every hunter the opportunity to hunt each year.

          This past year the NWTF brought another resolution that called for the 10 day third season to be dropped and added to the fourth season for a 25 day open season.  This not only brings more hunters to the field at one time, it also greatly increases the competition for licenses for the first two 1 week seasons.

          In response, we carried a resolution to MUCC that called for the retention of the current spring seasons and to retain a permit system where licenses are issued depending on the available resource.  Both resolutions were presented at the MUCC Region II meeting at Gaylord.  Rick Riley, president of the Traverse Bay chapter & a director of our state chapter presented our resolution.  During the arguments the NWTF representative stated that the DNR was 100% behind their resolution.  In fact, Al Stewart of the Wildlife Division had written their resolution a the state NWTF convention in January.

          Over the years we have met with Wildlife Division staff and wishes of our members regarding hunting seasons is well known.  This past year we held meeting a with Al Stewart, Wildlife Division Chief Becky Humphries and various DNR District Biologists plus attended a spring regulations meeting (that almost didn’t happen) in an effort to retain quality hunting.

          Beside the resolution that Stewart wrote, the District Biologists were given three options for the 2001 spring season.  They had the option of retaining the current seasons, an open season or the season as proposed by Stewart for the NWTF.  We understand that the option for retaining the current permit system “was not on the table” as an option at all.

          In addition to the meetings and letters a letter of explanation was sent to each Natural Resources Commissioner, naturally to no avail.  We were screwed that minute in January when Al Stewart wrote the NWTF resolution and were being stroked the rest of the year.

          DNR has taken a lot of bows and accolades for the work done by our organization.  At this time of year (winter) we are dealing with thousands of nuisance turkeys, distributing corn to thousands more and trying to raise the funds necessary for the following winter.  Come spring thousands of turkey hunters will flood our areas and find gobblers to pursue.  It seems that lately we are on a one way street.  Are we being taken for granted or just being taken for fools?

          A section of state law dictates that a lottery shall be held to determine the issuing of turkey hunting permits.  Any bets for the future?

         

Oh, by the way, our request to return to a more reasonable closing hour has been met with silence - deafening silence!

Stay tuned.

 

Jim Maturen