Huron Expositor, 2001-07-25, Page 5News
Wild turkeys begin to thrive
in Huron and Perth Counties
Turkey reintroduction programs almost done
as group shifts focus to conservation projects
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Editor
In -Huron and Perth
Counties, the restoration of
the wild turkey is almost
complete and in the next
couple years, the same will
be done for the rest of the
province in one of the most
successful conservation
programs ever completed,
said Kevin Townsend,
regional director of the
Canadian division of the
National Wild Turkey
Federation.
"This is likely one of the
greatest success stories in the
conservation world," said
Townsend.
The number of wild
turkeys reintroduced to
Ontario now number about
30,000; the total number of
turkeys that could be found
in all of North America in the
1960s when industrialization
and population growth had
all but wiped out the species
of birds.
"We destroyed their habitat
through farming practices,
industrialization and
unregulated hunting," said
Townsend.
In the early 1900s, they are
believed to have been extinct
in the province and most of
North America.
"The last reported sighting
of a wild turkey in Ontario
was in 1907 at the top of
Lake Erie," said Townsend.
They once numbered about
10 million -in North America.
"I don't know if we will
ever get to 10 million again
but, we're working on it,"
said Townsend of the efforts
of the National Wild Turkey
Federation.
Based in South Carolina,
the organization originated
through a group of sportsmen
who wanted to find a way to
help the wild turkey
population survive and grow.
In 1973, the federation was
formed.
"They were just a bunch of
concerned people who
wanted to do something for
the wild turkey," said
Townsend.
In Ontario, the group has
been active since 1984 and
chapters across Ontario have
been successfully
reintroducing the birds into
wooded areas.
The birds were trapped in
states such as Tennessee and
Michigan and traded for
other animals in Ontario like
moose and otters.
Once brought here, they
were released into the wild
and, as their populations
began to grow in different
regions, they were trapped in
one part of the province and
released into another.
During the first three
years, 273 birds were
brought into Ontario.
Now, they can be found
from Chatham to Orillia and
Ottawa as they continue to
reproduce on their own.
The first hunt for the birds
took place in 1987 when 500
people were awarded hunting
tags through lottery.
Townsend won a tag and
has bragging rights to
shooting the first turkey in
Ontario in 1987 as controlled
hunting began.
Now, the population is
strong enough to support a
regular hunting season from
April 25 to May 31 when,
after taking a mandatory one -
day training course and
passing a test through the
Ministry of Natural
Resources, anyone can
receive a turkey hunting
licence.
In Huron County, the
population is strong enough
now that there were no new
releases last year and there
were three done in Perth.
Townsend said there may
Kippen boy attends
South Carolina event
be one more release in Perth
County next year but
otherwise, now, all they have
to do is "infilling" --taking
some turkeys from one area
of the county and relocating
them to other parts of the
county where there are fewer
turkeys.
Townsend said the overall
trapping and transferring
program is expected to wind
down across the province in
the next two years.
But now that wild turkeys
have successfully been
reintroduced to Ontario, that
isn't the end of the work.
"Once we've got those
birds, how do we keep them
alive?" asked Townsend of
the next phase of the Turkey
Federation.
Now, the federation is
looking at building on
habitats to help the birds
survive on their own with no
new reintroductions needed.
Because Ontario is their
northern -most habitat, the
birds can face tough winters.
He said they can go up to
about 14 days without food
after a winter storm buries
their supply but after that,
they need help.
They currently survive on
waste grain left in farm fields
and anything they can find in
the wild from grubs and
crayfish in open areas to
berries and the seeds of
weeds that, in the winter, still
poke through snow.
"A turkey is like a
chicken, it scratches for
food. If it's covered in snow,
they can't get it," said
Townsend.
So the federation is
starting to plant trees and
shrubs that produce fruits
that remain above the snow
so the birds can find
additional food supplies in
winters where the snow gets
deep.
"There is a six week
period they need help to
survive," he said, adding
farmers and people in rural
areas can help by planting a
food supply like
honeysuckle, sumac or wild
grapes.
In addition to helping
build habitats, the Huron and
Perth Chapter hosts a special
day geared toward teaching
and encouraging children and
youth to become interested in
turkey hunting and
conservation.
The first event was held in
May in Lions Park in
Seaforth and Townsend said.
because of this year's
success, they hope to
continue holding it in
Seaforth, a central location to
both Huron and Perth
members.
They also hosted their
annual fundraising banquet
in Seaforth this year and.
provincially, have a women's
► clay coming up in Woodstock
n Aug. 11.
Anyone interested in that
event can contact Townsend
at 1-519-335-6893 or Brenda
Roloson at 519-582-2840.
Anyone interested in the
federation or helping with
habitats can also call
Townsend or the North
American office at I -800-
THE-NWTF.
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, July 23, 2001-5
Church
Services
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ttieseanaaduuches
First Presbyterian
Church
Godench St W. Sealurth
Rev. Vandenney
WORSHIP SUNDAY
11:15 AM
Sunday School during Worship
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
Jarvis St. Seaforth
482-7861
Rev. Tim Connor
Sunday Service
at 9:30 am.
Parish Assistance Call
522-0929 or 345-2023
Catholic Church
Saturday - 5:15.pm
St. James Parish, Seaforth
Saturday - 7:15 pm
St. Joseph's Parish, Clinton
Sunday - 9:00 am
St. Michael's Parish, Blyth
Sunday - 11:00 am
St. James Parish, Seaforth
Father Lance Magdziak
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
Sunday Worship Hour 10 am
Adventure Club for Kids & Youth Groups
Wednesdays 7 p.m.
Egmondville
United Church
Rev. Judith Springett
SUNDAY SCHOOL
During Worship
WORSHIP
10 a.m.
NORTHSIDE - CAVAN
UNITED CHURCHES
Rev. Sheila Macgregor - Minister
9:30 a.m. Cavan 11:00 a.m. Northside
Winthrop 54 Goderich St. W.
527-2635 or 527-1449
Month of July
Northside and Cavan Worship with First Presbyterian
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VVVVVVVVVVVVWL
Daniel Steinman
Kippen youth Daniel
Steinman was one of almost
100 young people who spent
four days in Hickory Knob
State Park in South Carolina
for a special National Wild
Turkey Federation Event.
Steinman attended the
Wild Turkey Centre and park
through the JAKES
Conservation Field Days
event.
JAKES stands for Juniors
Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics
and Sportsmanship.
A jake is a young turkey
and the Jakes Day is held to
promote conservation and
hunting in youth.
At the event. youth took
part in rock climbing, turkey
calling. archery, .fishing and
hiking and learned about
hunting safety and ethics and
conservation from guest
speakers.
Participants also learned
about low -impact camping
and plant and animal sign
detection.
Locally, a Jakes Day was
held at Lions Park in Seaforth
in June with hopes the event
will be held in town annually.
"We offer a chance for the
kids to get off the couch and
away from the computer,"
said Kevin Townsend of the
local chapter of the National
Wild Turkey Federation
which sent Steinman to South
Carolina.
Locally, kids had a chance
to learn more about
conservation, archery and
hunting techniques.
Townsend said it's
important to have kids
involved in conservation so.
they will grow into adults
willing to carry on
conservation programs.
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