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Turkey season planned in B.C.
Wild birds moved north from the U.S., experts say

Bob Keating
Special to The Province

Monday, February 28, 2005

NELSON -- The Kootenay region has declared open season on wild turkeys, and the Okanagan may be next.

This spring, a hunter in the Kootenays will be the first in the province to be allowed to shoot a wild turkey without a special licence.

"We're pretty excited," said avid hunter F.J. Hurtak. "There is a tremendous interest in this hunt inside the province and in the States."

Wild turkeys are not believed to be indigenous to B.C., but enough of them have migrated up from the U.S. that the population is thriving. No one has an exact count, but turkey enthusiasts -- and there are plenty of them -- say about 5,000 wild birds call the Kootenays home.

"The population is quite healthy here," said Wayne Stetski of the B.C. Water, Land and Air Protection Ministry. "And it's actually quite amazing the passion some people have for hunting turkeys."

Wild turkeys now range across the southeast part of the province. They stick together in flocks and usually weigh between five and 10 kilograms. They can grow as big as 15 kg.

They are noisy, colourful birds that can barely lift their awkward bodies off the ground to fly. Yet hunters say it's extremely difficult to bag a turkey, which is part of the allure of the hunt.

"They have exceptional eyesight and they are a very smart bird, a bit like a raven," said Rob Bishop, president of the East Kootenays Strutters, an arm of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Bishop said turkey hunting in the U.S. is multimillion-dollar industry and allowing it in the Kootenays is going to bring a lot of money and interest.

"Ontario has a spring hunt and every spring they generate $10 million and it's growing. This is a huge opportunity for rural B.C.," he said.

This spring, the hunt will be open to any hunter who has a licence and wants to shoot a turkey. The season will last from April 20 to May 10. Each hunter will be allowed to shoot one male, "bearded" turkey.

If the hunt is successful, there will be a tag system used next year and the hunt may extended to the Okanagan Valley.
© The Vancouver Province 2005