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Wild turkeys are becoming a nuisance to farmers and landowners in some parts of eastern Colorado.
State parks and wildlife commission to consider changes to hunting regulations to reduce conflicts
By Summit Voice
SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado’s turkey restoration program has been so successful that large flocks of the wild birds are becoming a nuisance to farmers and homeowners in parts of the state. As a result, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will consider some changes to turkey hunting regulations at its Sept. 15-16 session in Colorado Springs
Current regulations provide few options to deal with the turkeys during late winter, when limited food resources cause the problems to escalate, so the commission will consider ways to curb their populations.
One recommendation is to create a new late season targeting hen turkeys on private lands in specific eastern Colorado locations that are experiencing conflicts. Another recommendation is to offer unlimited over the counter private land tags for either sex in Game Management Units 101 and 102 in Yuma County during the regular fall season. Wildlife managers are also proposing to increase the existing bag limit of two hen turkeys per year if the new late seasons are approved.
Colorado’s turkey restoration program stands as one of the most successful species conservation programs in state history. Beginning in the early 1980s, wildlife biologists began transplanting turkeys in an effort to restore populations of the small game bird. Since then, wild turkeys have colonized most of the available habitat in the state. They can now be found in 53 of the state’s 63 counties.
Learn more about wild turkeys at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or at the National Wild Turkey Federation.
During the Sept. 15 morning session, the commission will also take final action to establish mountain lion harvest limit quotas for the 2011-2012 season and consider a citizen petition to allow hunters to use electronic calls as an aid in taking mountain lions.
In addition, commissioners are scheduled to receive a presentation on a proposed mineral development project in St. Vrain State Park and an update on the transition of Bonny Reservoir State Park to a state wildlife area following the draining of the impoundment this fall to resolve a dispute with Kansas over the Republican River Compact.
The commissioners will consider whether to rename a portion of the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area for two leaders in the local water community. The Shriver-Wright SWA, which would be named in honor of Doug Shriver and Ray Wright, would be created from the portion of the Rio Grande SWA that lies west of Rio Grande County Road 3. A watchable wildlife trail is planned for the parcel. Commissioners will consider the name change and property regulations Thursday.
Thursday’s Commission meeting will be followed by a workshop on Friday, at which Commissioners will receive updates on the progress of the merger between Colorado State Parks and the Division of Wildlife into Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
The Parks and Wildlife Commission meets monthly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation in its processes. During the remainder of 2011, the Board has scheduled meetings in Steamboat Springs in October, Burlington in November and Fort Collins in December.
The complete agenda for the September Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting can be found on the Commission web page.
Live audio of the commission meetings are also streamed online. Visit this web page and click on the “listen to live audio” link at the bottom of the page.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission is a 14-member board appointed by the governor. The Parks and Wildlife Commission sets regulations and policies for Colorado’s state parks wildlife programs.
Filed under: Colorado, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State Parks, Environment, hunting, wildlife Tagged: | Colorado, Colorado hunting, Colorado Parks and wildlife commission, turkey hunting, wild turkeys, wildlife
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Are humans the only predator that stalks the “Wild Turkey”? It seems that something is amiss here, though I’m sure someone will enlighten me!
I would imagine their natural predators include raptors, who would kill the chicks and maybe adults, as well as mammal omnivores – coyotes and foxes, as well as other smaller animals that would eat the eggs. But you raise an interesting point about ecosystem balance and the role of humans in managing certain species as game. Think about elk – the population levels are totally unnatural because they are managed for hunting and wildlife viewing and because their natural predators – wolves – don’t exist on our landscape. It’s always seemed weird to me …
The issue hear is that these animals are on Private Land and the Land Owners do not allow access to hunt on their property. So when we establish the populations of the animals and then we dont allow poeple to hunt them the balance shifts to over abundance of animals. I’m an avid Turkey Hunter and have spent days trying to do the right thing and “Ask First” only to be told time and time again that “we dont allow hunting”. I understand the Land Owners perspective, but at the same time we have to figure it out.
Bob, I realize this is off topic & rather late, but you comment about the “Wolf” population, the lack of which, along with the role humans play, is timely up in Idaho, where they plan to shoot them from the air, which is another selfish human endeavor.