RE: Wa. House considering Game Law Change
As for the plan they're trying to implement, the WDFW states they will no longer trap or transfer birds, they will not open any new areas for birds, they seem to want to go on this" IF they live , they live" action of no interference[:@] We held a meeting the other night with the State NWTF president and He is going to give them some ideas we had about all of this.
1) On people who feed them then claim damage on them, they will not get any funding for said damage. IF we hit these folks in their wallet maybe they'll quit feeding them then coimplaining about them.
2) Let trap and transfer continue for problem birds, and the NWTF will at least help fund the moves if not totally.
3) Make sure an use the NWTF as a greater tool in helping bare the burden of money and man power in dealing with the turkeys.
We have a lot of volunteers, like myself who got into the NWTF to help expand these birds.
Also by what I've read of the plan, remember we're fairly new to turkeys out here and so is the WDFW, they're learning about them biologically the smae way many of us learned to hunt them...by reading East coast Philosophy.....but I think they need to watch these birds and to see how they'll adapt to WA. They tell me that they will not do anything to help the Central WA flocks anymore, they don't think they'll make it.....well the last three years I've hunted up there I run into more and more every year and in different areas than previously seen. PLus witht the reports for Western WA, someday Merriam's will be in WEstern WA, one a guy up in Squiem, has planted a couple hundred up there and two, the Central and North Central flocks have crested the Cascades and are moving West. I personally think the turkeys in general are doing good and with new flocks growing and adpating I think they'll be alright. But Let the state know how you feel, right now they're taking public input to draft this plan, let's not let them screw this up the way they did every other game animal in this state.