Overrun by turkeys

The Jan. 2 guest opinion criticizing the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for straying from good science (Claire Loebs Davis: “I agree, Commissioner Thorburn; conservation should not be driven by ideology”) made me recall a disagreement I had with its Commissioner Dr. Kim Thorburn over the department’s practice. I don’t know where my position falls on the spectrum of scientific correctness, but my complaint drew an extremely defensive reaction from her. I expressed frustration with the irresponsible growth of the (“wild”) turkey population in this area.

When I planted my fruit trees four decades ago at my canyon home in Lincoln County, there was not the infestation of these pests that there is now. The WDFW has overstocked them and maintained a hunting regime that makes no dent, year round, in their ever-increasing population.

We have had to deal with turkeys taking or ruining large portions of harvests, and damaging the trees as well. Dr. Thorburn insisted that due to “the hunters’ lobby,” there is nothing that can be done about this problem. If only they were hunted.

WDFW staff told me to build big enclosed cages over each tree!

Why not have a year-round open season on these huge flocks of up to two dozen at a time, instead of on their predator, the coyotes?

I recently witnessed a pair of cougars attack a pair of turkeys near my home. Is the overpopulation drawing the cougars in?

If these fowl are for hunting, why are they wild in Spokane in the same large numbers?

Is all my work for these birds?

Morton Alexander

Davenport