"Fall 2005 To all MWTHA members and interested friends: For most of us this past spring, it was a pretty good season, much better than the year before in terms of gobbling and cooperative birds, thanks to an improvement in the weather-as this is written we’re hoping for a good 2005 hatch. But although conditions have been just about perfect, so far the hatch appears to be mediocre at best, with some theories out there among some members of MWTHA that the very early and prolonged summer heat may have brought the spring breeding season to an early end. Predation is also an obvious factor. How the MI DNR will see this year’s hatch remains to be seen, but we were indeed disappointed this past June when participants of this year’s MUCC convention voted to extend the two week Unit ZZ spring hunt further into northern Michigan-something MWTHA fought bitterly, to no avail. DNR field biologists in northern Michigan have also voiced their disapproval of this measure-hopefully, the brass in Lansing will be willing to listen to their own people and to those who the proposal would affect, and not just to those who promoted this resolution purely to satisfy the demands of a handful of influential private property owners. The wild turkeys in the state of Michigan belong to all of us-not just the privileged few. That’s something we’re hoping the DNR remembers-we’ll be watching to see what is proposed for the 2006 spring season very closely. If you haven’t checked out our website lately, which will be updated soon to include info on both the 2005 fall and 2006 spring hunts, upcoming workshops, outdoor shows we’ll be attending this winter and other chapter projects, be sure to do so soon at http://www.mwtha.net, and don’t forget to attend your local chapter meetings, which will be gearing up soon to prepare for yet another Michigan winter. Have a great fall, hope to see you at one of our winter/spring events soon!"