TURKEY HUNTERS MIGHT FIND TREKS TO GOBBLERS SLUGGISH.Byline: Brett Pauly Daily News Staff Writer While all the winter precipitation dumped by El Nino will benefit wild turkey populations in the long run, hunters might have a tougher time finding gobblers when the season opens Saturday. ``I expect it's going to be a little on the slow side this year because of the heavy snowfall,'' said Kevin Brennan Kevin Brennan is the name of several notable people:
The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. A wildlife biologist is someone who studies wild animals and their habitats. in Idyllwild who oversees San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. and Riverside counties. ``It's made a lot of the backcountry back·coun·try n. A sparsely inhabited rural region. inaccessible to hunters.'' Shooters who target the San Bernardino Mountains San Bernardino Mountains, part of the Coast Range, S Calif., extending c.60 mi (100 km) NW and SE through San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Notable peaks are San Bernardino Mt. (10,630 ft/3,240 m) and Mt. San Gorgonio (11,485 ft/3,501 m). - the area with the most prolific numbers of local turkeys - might be in for a surprise this year, especially if they haven't yet scouted for tracks, droppings, scratchings and other signs of game. Don't expect those back roads leading to your favorite hunting grounds to be open, meaning you'll have to rely on more legwork leg·work n. Informal Work, such as collecting information or doing research in preparation for a project, that involves much walking or traveling about. than usual to get to spots where the birds are most likely to congregate. ``Normally, you might have to hike a mile or two,'' Brennan said. ``Guys are looking at hikes of three to five miles.'' The good news: Hunters in good shape can expect excellent hunting conditions with little competition . . . along with cold, wet feet. ``Those who are willing and can get in will have better luck because there will be less pressure,'' Brennan noted. While snows might put a damper on turkey hunting in the San Bernardinos, the season offers a rosier outlook around the rest of the state. ``For the most part, the wet winter is having a positive effect on turkeys,'' said Jesse Garcia, the Department of Fish and Game's state turkey coordinator. ``It has created an abundance of watering holes and ideal growing conditions for forage.'' Turkey-hunting guide Kenneth Mitchell of Newport Beach agreed. ``I think it's going to be a great season,'' Mitchell said. ``With all the rain and all the shrubbery that's available, there will be more grass to scratch to look for bugs and worms and the nesting habitat should be excellent.'' Scouting reports indicate that turkeys are showing around Silverwood Lake and Barton Flats in the San Bernardino National Forest San Bernardino National Forest has two main divisions which are the San Bernardino Mountains on the easternmost of the Transverse Range, and the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains on the northernmost of the Peninsular Range. , he said. Turkeys are most frequently found in forests of mixed conifers - pine, cedar, fir and oak - at elevations of 4,000 to 6,000 feet, Brennan said. Their primary food base is acorns that drop from a variety of oaks - black, scrub, live and valley. Brennan predicts hunters will see a banner season for turkeys next year because the moisture expected to provide stellar conditions for vegetation-growth should increase bird populations. Brennan offers a few suggestions to make a turkey hunt more successful: Get a good pair of waterproof boots and gaiters. Understand the nuances of various turkey calls. The notion is to mimic the call of a hen during the hunt to attract a gobbler gobbler male turkey. Called also tom. to the hunter or to make the sound of a gobbler to entice a gobbler in to shoo away what he perceives to be competition - another dominant male. Never use a turkey call when scouting for birds. It makes them call-shy come opening day. Instead, use a locater call, like a crow or owl call, to entice a gobble 1. gobble - To consume, usually used with "up". "The output spy gobbles characters out of a tty output buffer." 2. gobble - To obtain, usually used with "down". "I guess I'll gobble down a copy of the documentation tomorrow." See also snarf. without making the birds wary of a turkey call. And don't overdo it. Mark the spot on your map or GPS (global positioning system Global Positioning System: see navigation satellite. Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise satellite-based navigation and location system originally developed for U.S. military use. ) unit and depart. During the season, don't call birds from the road. It's a waste of time and, again, makes birds call-shy. Turkeys are too smart to be drawn to a road, an open area or anywhere rife with human activity. Never stalk a gobbler; it is just too skittish skit·tish adj. 1. Moving quickly and lightly; lively. 2. Restlessly active or nervous; restive. 3. Undependably variable; mercurial or fickle. 4. Shy; bashful. to be followed. All you'll likely do is get closer to another hunter - a dangerous situation. The best way to bag a spring turkey is to be well camouflaged, sit still and call the game to you. Hunt on weekdays if you can. Turkey is becoming more popular than deer among hunters and weekend warriors are out in throngs. Can't get out for the opener? No worries. Unlike some game species that become more wary as the season progresses, turkeys often become easier to locate later in the season, according to a DFG DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Council) DFG Department of Fish and Game DFG District Factor Group DFG Data Flow Graph DFG Difference Frequency Generation DFG Diode Function Generator DFG Dog Faced Gremlin release. As hens begin to nest in mid-April, toms will have a more difficult time finding a mate and will be more receptive to hen calls. SPRING REGULATIONS Season dates: Saturday through May 3. Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 4 p.m. Limit: One bearded turkey per day; two per season. (A bearded turkey - male or female - has a beard visible through its breast feathers.) Requirements: Current state hunting license ($26.85) and upland game-bird stamp($6.85). Shot: Cannot be T-size steel (a goose-hunting load) or larger than No. 2. Information: For a free regulation booklet, a schedule of special turkey hunts, other turkey-hunting publications and maps of wildlife areas, call (916) 653-4263. - Daily News IN THE BAG Statewide spring wild turkey takes from 1992 to 1996 - the latest year from which statistics are available: Year State bag Number of hunters 1996 6,958 12,230 1995 9,277 13,286 1994 8,998 18,404 1993 14,917 15,285 1992 8,507 18,769 Note: During this period, spring turkey hunters averaged between four and five days in the field. Source: Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Management Division. WHERE TO GO While Sequoia National Forest Sequoia National Forest is located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The national forest is named for the majestic Giant Sequoia trees which populate 38 groves within the boundaries of the forest; the Giant Sequoia National Monument is also located within the might be home to Southern California's premier turkey-hunting grounds, there are closer spots to gun for gobblers - namely the San Bernardino Mountains. Some of the best bets: New territories: Muddy Springs below the town of Skyforest (caution: extremely rough, steep terrain), Miller Canyon south of Silverwood Lake and Cleghorn Ridge west of Silverwood Lake. Old standbys: Mojave River drainage, Willow Creek drainage, Bacon Flats, Rouse Meadows, Crab Flats, Deer Mountain, Shay shay n. Informal A chaise. [Back-formation from chaise (taken as pl. )] Noun 1. Mountain, Deep Creek drainage at the confluence of Holcomb and Coxey creeks, and Santa Ana River The Santa Ana River begins in San Bernardino County, California in the San Bernardino National Forest. Its highest source lakes are Dollar Lake (9220') and Dry Lake (9065'), both on the northern flank of San Gorgonio Mountain (11,502') in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. drainage from Seven Oaks Dam The Seven Oaks Dam is located on the Santa Ana River, 4 miles (6 km) northeast of Redlands, California. It was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a flood control dam. to Onyx Summit - particularly around Sugarloaf Mountain, Sugarloaf Meadows and Staircase Canyon. Information: San Bernardino National Forest, (909) 383-5588. - Daily News CAPTION(S): Photo, 3 Boxes PHOTO (Color) Turkey season opens Saturday, but shooters might find the roads to hunting grounds difficult to pass due to increased snowfall from recent storms. Dale Cotton/Special to the Daily News BOX: (1) SPRING REGULATIONS (see text) (2) IN THE BAG (see text) (3) WHERE TO GO (see text) |
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