Wild Turkey hunting during the fall enables the DNR to stabilize or reduce Wild Turkey numbers. Hunters are encouraged to harvest female turkeys during the fall season. Proposal G which passed with overwhelming support dictates that our natural resources be managed using “sound science.” Sound science would dictate that a fall season would not be had on a turkey population that has experienced huge losses on an already depleted numbers. This is not sound science this is just plain NUTS! Occasionally the term Social Science appears in the management of our natural resources. This is as phony as a three dollar bill.
We are getting reports from farmers of killing turkey hens on nests while harvesting hay during the end of July. The DNR and the Natural Resources Commission have approved moving the fall (hen) hunting season forward three weeks to September 14. We have seen many turkey flocks during the middle portion of September where the poults are about the size of grouse. The young learn their survival skills from the hen. Kill the hen and the small young are doomed. We appeared before the NRC and asked that the season not be started early, giving the young at least three more weeks of growth to no avail. Where is the science by killing a hen with small young? The system is broken and we are experiencing the results.
Apparently the north country was not the only areas hit hard. Adam Stump, president of our Southwest Michigan Longbeards chapter reports a dismal spring season in Berrien and Cass counties. During past years the areas that he hunts had a good number of turkeys. This past spring he saw one tom and two hens during the two weeks that he hunted. Out of ten turkey hunting friends only one was able to kill a gobbler. Hey-What the hell! Lets kill those remaining hens, especially those that have small poults with them. Is that SOUND SCIENCE?
