Friday, Jan. 7, 2005 | 9:52 a.m.
Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.
Nevada turkey hunters are already beginning to "strut their stuff," as they fill out applications with hopes of drawing a tag in the Nevada Department of Wildlife computerized drawing.
Here in our neck of the woods, applications must be submitted as instructed in the NDOW regulations. Tags are awarded based upon results of a computerized random drawing, and only those tag holders will be allowed to hunt.
Resident tags are $20 and there is a $13 nonrefundable application fee.
Wildlife Administrative Services in Fallon must receive applications by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, to be eligible for the following tag drawings: 60 for Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area, Lyon County; 15 for Moapa Valley, Clark County; 15 for Lahontan State Recreation Area, Lyon County; 25 for Hunt Unit 102, Elko County; 15 for Hunt Unit 103, Elko and White Pine counties; 15 for Lincoln County; 30 for Pershing County
If successful in the draw, these Nevada hunters will gobble up a good time as they practice purrs, clucks or yelps to imitate a hen (female turkey) with hopes of calling in the tom (male turkey) by using a variety of turkey calls that include the slate, box or diaphragm.
According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, wild turkey hunting is one of the fastest growing forms of hunting and has the second-highest number of participants of any type of hunting.
Founded in 1973 in Fredericksburg, Va., the NWTF continues to support scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.
Currently, the NWTF has about 525,000 members and has spent $193 million on conservation.
During the past year, NDOW partnered with the NWTF in the release of 108 Merriam's wild turkeys from Idaho to the Snake Range in White Pine County in Nevada. In addition, another 180 Rio Grande wild turkeys from Texas were released in the Lahontan State Recreation Area and both Lincoln and Lander counties.
A proposed release of 100 Merriam's turkeys into the Bruneau Creek Drainage north of Elko had to be canceled due to heavy snowfall. However, the NWTF hopes that this release will occur early this year.
"Nevada's wild turkey translocation effort remains the most aggressive in recent history as 288 birds were released during the 2003-04 winter trapping season. This follows on the heels of 224 wild turkeys being released into suitable habitat during the 2002-03 season," said Brett Johnson, regional field supervisor for California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
"This excitement has helped energize Nevada NWTF chapters in Elko, Las Vegas, Ely, Wells, and Sparks and been directly responsible for two new chapters forming in Lake Tahoe and Battle Mountain. Chapter volunteers, school groups, 4-H, and FFA Clubs have been involved in a number of Nevada wild turkey releases, providing a 'hands-on' wildlife experience not soon to be forgotten. Local chapters have also been instrumental in providing funding for equipment, guzzlers, habitat projects, scholarships, youth education, Women in the Outdoors events, and Wheelin' Sportsmen activities.
"In recent weeks, many NWTF chapters have also participated in the Turkey Hunters Care program whereby frozen turkeys are provided to families in need during the holiday season."
The Overton Wildlife Management Area offers two seasonal turkey hunts, one in the spring and the other in the fall. This area had been closed for a few days in December due to the recent storms that passed through.
What effect will this have on the spring hunt?
"Recent flooding at Overton Wildlife Management Area should not pose too many problems for turkey hunters during the spring hunts. We hope to have the area back in good operating condition well before the hunts take place," said Geoff Schneider, information officer for NDOW.
For more information on the NWTF Nevada Chapters or for more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation strut over to your computer and go to www.NWTF.org or call 800-THE-NWTF.
For more information on hunting the wild turkey in Nevada, visit www.ndow.org or call NDOW at 486-5127.
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