Virginia Wild Turkey Management Plan
/The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and Virginia Tech's Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation have initiated a process to develop a statewide Wild Turkey Management Plan.
This plan, which will incorporate all wild turkey stakeholders' values, will be similar in scope and purpose to the Virginia Black Bear (under revision) and White-tailed Deer Management Plans. The Virginia Wild Turkey Management Plan will be designed to provide guidance on how to address the complex management challenges and issues related to desirable population levels, recreation (including hunting), human-turkey conflicts, and habitat conservation.
Update as of January 2013
Since the last update, 13 individuals were extended an invitation, and subsequently all have accepted, to participate on the Wild Turkey Management Plan Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC). These individuals represent the spectrum of users and stakes in turkey management, including turkey hunters, other nature enthusiasts, agricultural and/or commodity producers, and representatives of organizations and agencies deemed important to turkey management. This group will work together to develop policy-level draft goals for inclusion in a new statewide management plan for wild turkeys in Virginia. Issues raised during a series of focus group meetings held in April and May 2012 will provide a starting point for discussion. The draft management plan will be available for general public review and comment later this year. Below a link is provided where a summary of issues raised during the focus groups can be viewed. Preparation of an educational document that reviews the history, biology, and management of the wild turkey in Virginia currently is nearing completion and will be used to enhance knowledge and understanding of turkeys and turkey management among the public; when completed, this document will be available via the VDGIF website. In the coming months, the SAC and the VDGIF Wild Turkey Technical Committee will be very busy working to develop a draft plan. Please monitor the VDGIF web site for future updates.
Cully McCurdy, our NWTF Regional Biologist,· our State Chapter representatives on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee.· If you have any issues or concerns that you would like him to carry forward, you can contact·Cully and Richard at:
Patrick "Cully" McCurdy
Regional Biologist -·VA/WV
National Wild Turkey Federation
HC 82 Box 217B
Marlinton WV· 24954
Office: 304-799-4792 Cell: 304-642-4762
Or:
Richard Pauley 540-992-6193