Interesting article on Idaho turkeys..

[MarvB]

By Dave Koehler
Idaho DFG wildlife biologist for the Clearwater Region.
He has worked for IDFG since 1986.

The expansion of wild turkeys across Idaho has been truly remarkable. In 1983, turkey hunting opportunity in the Clearwater consisted of a nine-day general spring season that was only open in four management units. Two lucky hunters each harvested a bird. That's right, two birds were harvested in the entire region. The statewide turkey harvest in 1983 was a meager 14 toms.

Beginning in the early- to mid-1980s, a statewide emphasis was placed on an active trap-and-transplant program to move both in-state and out-of-state birds to areas of suitable habitat for the respective subspecies.

As a result, turkey hunting opportunity has exploded. By 1993, the regional turkey hunting season increased to a 28-day general spring season that was open in nine units. Harvest jumped to a previously unimaginable 509 toms in the Clearwater Region, while the statewide harvest also set a new record of 977. Both of these totals were more than double previous highs.

Still, these numbers pale in comparison to current levels. In 2003, Clearwater Region hunters harvested 2,528 toms out of the 6,491 statewide. The 2003 season increased to a 41-day general spring hunt in 13 management units, followed by 36 days of general fall hunting in some units. Additionally, hunters were allowed to harvest up to two turkeys in 2003, which was increased to three turkeys per year starting in 2004.

For those preparing for the upcoming season, the following are a few regulation changes that will impact regional hunters in 2005.

On April 9 and 10, the second General Spring Youth Hunt was held in Idaho. This hunt was open to all licensed youth 15 years of age or younger on April 9, in all game management units open to general season turkey hunting. All youth hunters had to be accompanied by a licensed adult 18 years of age or older.

 

[Wally Dog]

Marv,
Isn't it a great success story. I was one of the lucky few that actually killed a bird in 1983..........
In my humble opinion the bird numbers are down dramatically in the Clearwater region this year. Not quite sure why.
WD

 

[MarvB]

Yep Wally you and yours should be proud of what you've accomplished hump I only wish that all such introductions could be as successful.
I remember when they were trying to intro more Merri's into our higher elevation turkey territories here in Cali....environmental group put a halt to it for years as they said that the birds were "non-native".

The few pockets that did establish are thriving now but I can only wonder what could have been |oo

 

[JoseCuervo]

Marv,
It has been funny to watch Idaho's turkeys. At first they were "cool" and unique. And then we started hunting them, but it was challenging. Then we got to where there were so many hunters, that access became a problem. And now, they are kind of like antelope to some ranchers, if you get permission they beg you to "gut shoot" a couple more as some of the ranchers are tired of 75 birds in the driveway.

They have truly been a success story in Idaho.

WallyDog,
Do you give the credit to Conley for the introduction? I always thought it was his "southern" roots that got them going....

 

[MarvB]

Gunner they have thrived pretty well in the foothills around Redding also, main problem here is alos a lack of access as most the birds are on private ranches. There is some good BLM grounds but they get hammered pretty hard.

Shasta Lake are is great habitat but hard to hunt...steep and brushy, but there are lots of birds there. I really wish they could/would expand on the merriam population, would be nice to see something besides rio's where I hunt.

Looks like your guys did it right and did it well

 

[Wally Dog]

Jose,
Suffice to say that without Jerry Conley, we'd be years behind our present state.
Fortunately Idaho took a rather aggressive postion on transplanting prior to the Non-Native issue cropping up.
Marv,
I understand that ancient turkey bones have recently been discovered in Oregon.
And they have been conclusively found in CA......Is ID & WA next? Maybe we can put the non-native issue to rest
WD

 

[Ithaca 37]

I shot my first Idaho turkey in the Spring of 1982, having moved here about 8 months earlier. I think there might be an old issue of the ID Chapter of NWTF newsletter around that talks about the hunt. Jerry Conley and I started hunting them together in the Spring of 1983 around Council. Been hunting them with him just about every year since then. There's no doubt he threw the whole weight of the ID Dept. of F&G behind the turkey transplanting program starting in the winter of '82/'83. Without Conley here it probably would have been many more years before anyone else could see the possibilities. In fact, most of the Dept. thought it was a crazy idea and they just laid low for a few years to see how it would go before they jumped on the bandwagon and started trying to take credit for it.