On 1/29/13 attended a meeting with DNR Northern Lower Peninsula biologist Rex Ainslie at Cadillac. We discussed pending fall and spring Turkey hunting regulations for discussion. We also had an opportunity to discuss critical habitat needs on our state forests.
On 1/30/13 we attended a meeting at MUCC headquarters in Lansing with DNR forest managers and Wildlife Division staff to discuss the pending Regional Forest Plans. We noted that the plan contained featured wildlife species, including the Wild Turkey, but no plan on how they are to be managed, which would no doubt lead to no management at all. Copies of the series of articles written on forest management or rather the lack of in various issues of Turkey Tracks was given to them as our official response to the plan.
As this is being written during the first week of February our chapter has purchased 10,800 pounds of shelled corn. We have distributed it free of charge to 2,375 Wild Turkeys scattered over our 13 county chapter area at a cost of approximately $1,593.
We began our survival program on January 2, 2013. Snowfall would come and go, however 4 inches of snow or more had melted forming a crust of pure ice. This allowed the turkeys to roam freely but unable to get to the ground for food.
We purchase our corn at one location which is the Leroy Milling Company at Leroy in Osceola County. They are super to do business with, which makes our program run so smoothly.
With much more winter weather yet to come there will be more turkeys to support and more corn to buy. All of this would not be possible each and every year without the individuals who offer support to our efforts.
