Subject: [Tweeters] RE:Tenino turkey threat to endangered species (Thurston
Date: Oct 31 22:35:35 2004
From: Stewart Wechsler - ecostewart at quidnunc.net


Many of you who were tweeters subscribers last year will remember my vocal
advocacy for the elimination of Wild Turkeys from this state where it's not
native. This (Tenino and the South Sound Prairies) is the worst place
possible in the state or country for these introduced Wild Turkeys (or
"giant Starlings" as I like to call them) to become established. Many of
you know that this whole Garry Oak prairie system in western Washington is
threatened along with all of the species dependent on it. One more
successful alien will probably mean the decline or loss of some natives. If
anyone wants I could again provide a partial list of some species that these
Turkeys seem likely to negatively impact and some reasoning. Thanksgiving
is approaching, but buying turkey tags from the game department that
introduced them might only encourage what was a mistaken decision to
introduce them in the first place. If the game department is still
introducing them I think we would do well to advocate it be stopped.

While some hunters wouldn't be happy with a policy to eliminate the turkeys,
they would be happy with policies allowing them to hunt them more freely
until they're gone in our area. I also believe that over-populations of
deer and the heavy grazing they do have been harmful to much of the rest of
our ecosystem. Hunters are frustrated by excessive deer hunting limits. In
addition to getting more of an open season on turkeys in exchange for a
policy that might possibly wipe them out, they could be given permission to
take more deer in exchange for that wild turkey elimination policy. While
I'm not very comfortable with the gunshots and noise when I'm out in nature,
I believe the benefits of well managed hunting outweighs the costs. Many of
us non-hunting environmentalists might do well to forge a powerful political
alliance and possibly social ties with hunters who are often from very
different backgrounds and different political persuasions.

Stewart Wechsler
West Seattle
mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Hicks [mailto:PHicks at accessgrace.org]
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 4:18 PM
To: , tweeters
Subject: [Tweeters] RE: wild turkey hen in Tenino (Thurston County)


Tweets & Dawn,

Turkeys are hunted atop Blumauer Hill, which borders the (south-)east side
of Rock Prairie [Stewart Wechsler] ... west of Tenino.[Stewart Wechsler] ...
My vague recollection is that the Blumauer population may be transplants
from the Johnson Creek group, "but don't quote me on that."

Good birding!
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