District 3 Public Hearing Appears To Go Like The Rest of Them

January 30, 2009

Strong opposition to the elimination of youth day and the rest of the proposed changes to turkey season.

The hearing was well-attended yet low-key, and although most proposals were met with varied responses from the crowd, the proposed changes in wild turkey season — replacing Youth Day with Friends and Family Day, opening the season a week earlier and eliminating the winter season — were met with universal criticism.

It may seem odd to the non-hunter that turkey hunters would object to proposals that would get them in the field a week earlier and when the toms would be easier to hunt. But most hunters also are interested in maintaining healthy, sustainable game populations.
More Outdoors

The work done by state chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation to assist the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission with money and labor brought the state’s flock back from about 2,000 in 1970 to around 150,000 today. Turkey hunters have made it clear they favor the viability of the flock over success in the field.

You can read the rest of Mike Zlotnicki’s report in the N&O

For additional information on all the proposals and how to respond to the commission you can read my earlier post.
Remember the deadline for responses is February 1st so it’s coming up fast.