[TN-Bird] Re: Turkeys and Ginseng Berries
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 16:35:11 -0600
TN-Birders:
The Ruffed Grouse vs. Wild Turkey and ginseng comments are worth
consideration. I must have had my head stuck in the mud somewhere because I
had never heard anything about this. I realize that, to our limited
knowledge, this is a North Carolina issue along our border with Tennessee.
But that doesn't mean there hasn't been a more widespread issue in the
mountains of Tennessee that we have not heard about.
Perhaps we should remind ourselves that grouse and ginseng are emotional
issues deep in the culture of mountain and rural folks for generations.
Hunting ginseng is almost a religion, a ritual, and a right of passage to
human roots in these mountains.
I can remember when I first started hunting and birding that there were few
Wild Turkey anywhere. Grouse seemed to be easier for me to find when I was
actually hunting them and more focused and not watching warblers and
woodpeckers in the same hollow.
I also remember in the early 1970's being with a Virginia game warden
(Beecher Perry) in Smyth County in the Jefferson National Forest one winter
when we counted a flock of 100+ Ruffed Grouse casually strolling across the
road in front of his patrol car. We stood in the doorway with binoculars
and counted together. Lots of fun.
Grouse and ginseng usually require skill and knowledge to hunt and take.
Many of our birders have little to no skill or success at seeing a grouse!
Ginseng provides income to rural folks (however little that may be).
With the Wild Turkey populations flourishing in almost every county
everywhere, there is little wonder that local folks frown upon the big birds
as a problem for the more scarce species of interest.
Just ask the Ruffed Grouse Society people if there is a grouse problem and
what causes it. They will probably point at forest management and forest
harvest issues. In other words, "habitat" -- the standard response when
TWRA or anyone else is losing the battle. When they are winning it is
seldom improved habitat but "successful management" by the wildlife folks
and their partners (proably one and the same but worded differently for
different audiances). But we are not stupid. Habitat, while an easy
explanation for politics, is a major problem. That can't be denied. It is
usually a major problem for much of wildlife. It is declining for many
species for which we have an interest.
Ruffed Grouse and ginseng can be seen as the underdogs by the local folks.
They see turkey populations as the result of an effort made for the rich
boys with expensive guns and expensive vehicles and expensive clothes,
supported by a state government agency in North Carolina or anywhere else.
We always need an explanation when we are losing -- even if you are the
Tennessee Vols football team this past season. Someone must be held
accountable.
Let's hold the state guys accountable for a grouse and ginseng problem. And
if there is no problem, hold them accountable anyway. They are spending our
dollars and we don't see many grouse and we aren't selling much ginseng.
That's not my recommendation. That is the way they have done it since
widlife management began in this or any other state and since UT began
playing football at Shields-Watkins field on the banks of the Tennessee
River (God bless General Neyland).
Dig that root! Times hard! Blame the big bird (he is having a winning
season). Blame accipter hawks, starlings, coyotes, blackbirds, foxes,
white-tailed deer, black bears (in Shady Valley, Johnson County) and all of
the others that are having winning seasons. There ain't enough success to
go around.
It's easy to pull for underdogs. We are all vicitims of whatever. Victims
aren't winners. They are underdogs.
Who ate my 'seng berries?
Let's go birding....
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958
=========================================================
Other related posts:
