Article published March 06, 2003
Wild turkeys attracted to feeders in Ida, Mich.
Imagine looking out the breakfast-nook window at your bird feeders one morning and seeing 11 wild turkeys, one of them perched atop a feeder pecking at seed.
Dick Boers, of Ida, Mich., is seeing such a sight almost daily this winter. "It's been an interesting experience," said Boers, who retired in 1995 as Toledo commissioner of parks and forestry.
The flock wends its way through the neighboring woodlots into Boers' five acres, and on into the feeding station. "They feed and then march off to the woods." He has shot a series of photographs to prove to friends he is not kidding.
"With the snow on the ground you can see them coming for quite some distance," said Boers, who remains active in arts, gardening, and forestry circles in the area. "When the sun is shining, their colors are just gorgeous."
Most wild-turkey hunters could not agree more. In fact, more often than not hunters who have bagged a gobbler will marvel at the iridescent feather patterns. Turkeys are hardly just big black birds.
Wild turkeys have been reintroduced to Monroe County, with the first stocking five winters ago near Ida by the Monroe County chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. By 1998 turkeys already had re-established themselves in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties to the west.
Wild turkeys also are found in every county in Ohio.
On a related note, some Ohio turkey hunters are questioning why the season is so late this year - April 28 through May 25.
"They are getting concerned that it is going to become a summer season," quipped Mark Lodzinski, an avid turkey hunter and taxidermist from Oregon.
The starting date all is related to the fact that some years ago the Ohio Division of Wildlife stabilized opening dates of most hunting seasons, explained Mike Tonkovich, a biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
"It's a fixed opener - the fourth Monday of April. But that date can fluctuate from April 23 to 28." Similarly, he added, archery-deer hunting is the first Saturday in October and the gun-deer opener is the Monday after Thanksgiving.
wIce fishing report - Western Lake Erie is the place to be for ice fishing these days, when weather conditions permit reasonable access.
Some anglers even were able to use the Cooley Canal channel in Jerusalem Township to gain access to decent walleye action between the mainland and West Sister Island over the weekend and through Tuesday, said Rick Ferguson at Al Szuch Live Bait. The "clipper" storm yesterday, however, made offshore access from the mainland questionable, at least from Toledo to Davis-Besse.
Anglers are advised to be especially cautious of changes in wind direction and intensity, and should seek advice on current conditions from area baitshops and guides, especially when venturing out from mainland sites.
Fishing through mid-week was excellent for anglers leaving the Catawba Island State Park ramp, northeast of Port Clinton, according to Mike Septaric at Rickard's Bait on Catawba Island peninsula. Most anglers leaving the park's launch-ramp were headed about four miles west to the E-Can and F-Can areas.
One crew stopping back at Rickard's Saturday had some bragging-size walleye. Lance Langenderfer, of North Royalton, landed a 31.5-inch walleye. It weighed 15.1 pounds using a digital scale out on the ice, but had dropped to 14 pounds-plus by the time it was weighed at Rickard's, said Bruce Shane, of Delta, his friend. Langenderfer formerly lived in Berkey.
Another angler in the Shane party, Mike Holda, landed an 11-pound, 2-ounce 'eye. "Once we found fish at around 10 a.m. we were limited out by 11:15 a.m.," Shane said. Anglers are reminded that the walleye daily creel limit in March and April is four fish.
At South Bass Island, guides are finding increasingly consistent walleye action, with yellow perch mixed in. The inter-islands area still has 20 inches of ice. "They're turned on now and they should be good to go till ice-out," said guide Pat Chrysler of walleye numbers and action.
On the Michigan side, yellow perch action has perked up at Brest Bay, just north of Monroe, said Matthews Bait shop there. Ice there is about 18 inches.
DATEBOOK
Friday - South Side Sportsmen's Club, annual hen pheasant release, 11 a.m., White Star Park, Sandusky County Road 65 east of State Rt. 300, Gibsonburg, call Bob Simpson, 419-662-9990.
Saturday - Black Swamp Bird Observatory, bird hike, 9 a.m., Buck Creek State Park. C.J. Brown Reservoir, Clark County; meet leader Doug Overacker on the parking lot north of the beach off Buck Creek Lane; call BSBO, 419-898-4070,
Saturday - 22nd annual Charter Captains conference, 7:30 a.m. registration to 3:45 p.m.; Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, Ohio Sea Grant, Ohio Division of Wildlife, at I.A.B. Club, Milan Road just north of Butler Street/Cedar Point ramp, Sandusky; daylong series of seminars and lectures on Lake Erie fishing and related topics; continental breakfast and lunch included; call Fred Snyder, Sea Grant, 419-635-1022.
Saturday - Program on maple syrup-making, 1 to 6 p.m., meet at nature center, Van Buren State Park, State Rt. 613 east of I-75, north of Findlay; call Ron Bowerman, naturalist, 419-299-3807.
Saturday and Sunday - 25th annual Midwest Fly Fishing Exposition, Southfield Civic Center Pavilion, Southfield, Mich., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; featuring Gary Borger, Jack Gartside, John Valk, Bear Andrews; for details visit www.mffc.org.
Sunday - Hawg shoot, Toledo Muzzle Loaders, 11 a.m., Clinton Boothby Memorial Range, 875 Schwamberger Rd., call Al Zielinski, 419-476-5978.
Sunday - North Coast Inland Trail bike-hike, 1 to 3 p.m., Fremont; to register call the Sandusky County Park District, 419-334-4495 or 1-888-200-5577.
Sunday - SKS, AK, and M-1 Carbine shoot, noon, Sandusky County Sportsmen's Club, State Rt. 600 east of Gibsonburg; call Bob Caswall, 419-862-2861.
Sunday - Second annual wild turkey hunting and calling seminar, Putnam County Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation, 1 to 5 p.m., at Leipsic Hunting and Fishing Club, County Road H north of Ottawa, next to golf course; call Jack Fought, 419-523-4566 or Greg Hoyt, 419-523-0086.
Sunday - Bowshoots: Willard Conservation Club, Willard, register 8 a.m. to noon, call Herman Collins, 419-935-3044; also, Adams Conservation Club/Winnetka Bowmen, 240 South King Rd., Holland, register 8:30 a.m. to noon, mixed animal targets, call Doc Merkin, 419-841-9896; also, Maybee Sportsmen's Club, 11490 Hoffman Rd., Maybee Mich., register 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 30 3-D targets, call Kevin Addy, 734-529-3384.
Permanent Link
Wild turkeys attracted to feeders in Ida, Mich.
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STORY:2003103060135
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