And with one final capture our year is done....
GOULD’S
TURKEY RELOCATION
Southeastern Arizona 2014
Southeastern Arizona 2014
Update
Report of Activity
Two more trapping session in the Canelo Hills occurred on February 27th and 28th.
The first day was a watch and wait session. A right mixture of birds positioned in front of the net box did not occur. Success was achieved the next morning! Nine birds were caught with the canon net. Of those, 5 were hens.
Well really, only 8 birds were processed on Friday. One slipped through the butter fingers of the (unidentified) Huachuca Gould’s Chapter photographer. Yikes! That was the only bird this year that performed a successful escape act after being netted.
Hens were the targeted birds for the closing days of trapping in 2014. Even catching 5 was a challenge. The gobblers once again “hogged” the mashed corn bait!
Two birds with tracking collars were released on site on the 28th. Another 2, also with collars, were released on the south side of the Huachuca Mountains the same day. The remaining birds were transported to the eastside of the Rincon Mountains.
Volunteers from The Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation once again assisted Arizona Game and Fish Dept. personnel in the capture. Somehow breakfast burritos and donuts made their way to the trap site as well!
In 4 deployments of the net this year, over 30 birds were caught. The majority went to new homes in New Mexico as part of the Turkeys for Pronghorns exchange program between the 2 state wildlife agencies. The rest were released at different locations in southeastern Arizona. These “local” releases will supplement existing flocks. The collared birds will provide more information on habitat use and breeding periods as well.
Cooperation by private landowners has been crucial to the success of trapping this year.
The following images come from both the Thursday and Friday trapping sessions.
Another update will be posted if more capture sessions are conducted. The trapping season for 2014, though, is drawing to a close.
Two more trapping session in the Canelo Hills occurred on February 27th and 28th.
The first day was a watch and wait session. A right mixture of birds positioned in front of the net box did not occur. Success was achieved the next morning! Nine birds were caught with the canon net. Of those, 5 were hens.
Well really, only 8 birds were processed on Friday. One slipped through the butter fingers of the (unidentified) Huachuca Gould’s Chapter photographer. Yikes! That was the only bird this year that performed a successful escape act after being netted.
Hens were the targeted birds for the closing days of trapping in 2014. Even catching 5 was a challenge. The gobblers once again “hogged” the mashed corn bait!
Two birds with tracking collars were released on site on the 28th. Another 2, also with collars, were released on the south side of the Huachuca Mountains the same day. The remaining birds were transported to the eastside of the Rincon Mountains.
Volunteers from The Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation once again assisted Arizona Game and Fish Dept. personnel in the capture. Somehow breakfast burritos and donuts made their way to the trap site as well!
In 4 deployments of the net this year, over 30 birds were caught. The majority went to new homes in New Mexico as part of the Turkeys for Pronghorns exchange program between the 2 state wildlife agencies. The rest were released at different locations in southeastern Arizona. These “local” releases will supplement existing flocks. The collared birds will provide more information on habitat use and breeding periods as well.
Cooperation by private landowners has been crucial to the success of trapping this year.
The following images come from both the Thursday and Friday trapping sessions.
Another update will be posted if more capture sessions are conducted. The trapping season for 2014, though, is drawing to a close.
001 A Hen Strides in Front of the Canon Net on Thursday. No Big Boom Today!
004 More Birds Come to Bait on Friday Morning
007 Arizona Game and Fish Sprints to Secure the Netted Birds
010 Bird One Takes Flight
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002 Time for Breakfast
005 What Was That Noise?
008 More Help Is on the Way
011 Tom Fuller of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter Carefully Opens Another Box
013 A Quick Exit Left. Good Luck!
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003 A Gobbler Makes His Appearance Known at the Trap Site Thursday
006 Birds React to the Rockets and Net
009 The First of Two Birds is Released by Tom Fuller on the Southside of the Huachuca Mountains
012 Surprise Tom!
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as we always do... thanks so much to Tom Deecken for all of your wonderful stories and photos... can not wait to see the video :)