As these years roll by we have lost some of our pioneers in the restoration of Wild Turkeys in Michigan. These are the people who gave of their time, personal funds and resources to give those first Wild Turkeys a foothold, that has turned out to be beyond our wildest expectations.

For most of us this past spring, it was a pretty good season, thanks to slightly higher numbers of birds in many areas of the north. We work hard every day to see that.

 

But although conditions have been excellent for the hatch, we’re hearing reports of hens running with toms into mid-July, hens with one poult, and groups of hens with no poults at all. Predation is an obvious problem all over the state.

In the March, 2006 issue of Michigan Turkey Tracks we wrote of the demise of Pigeon River Country State Forest.In the article were listed specific problems that endangered the “Big Wild”, one of the most unique forests on this planet.

Turkeys had been gobbling off the roost most mornings, as well as strolling through the yard. Then the season opened and “poof” they were gone. The first two seasons there hadn’t been any evidence of hunters, no shots fired, and not even any owl hooting.

During the 26th Wild Turkey Hunters Rendezvous, which was held on March 31 at Baldwin we presented three awards to three well deserving people.

 

A certificate of Professional Excellence was presented to Ruthann French, a DNR wildlife technician who has worked

This past winter the northern chapters of MWTHA purchased and distributed 224,000 pounds of shelled corn throughout a large portion of the northern lower peninsula. We are continuing what we are dedicated to, the survival of our Wild Turkey flocks during the severe portion of each winter.