Shotgunner: Anything anyone says is, in your mind jumping to conclusions and making assumptions, because you have it in your mind that everything you say is correct, and you can't look outside the box. No matter what information you receive. As I've said before you don't want to believe that the GC could have ever done anything wrong.
I disagree with you 100% about your statement that pen raised birds can survive in the wild and become wild. There is no such thing as free food and auto waterers outside a pen. The birds just plain don't have the instincts to survive. There is a guy that lives a stones throw from me that has a considerable size pheasant farm. The birds that get away from the hunters roam around for awhile then they are gone. Not one bird even survives into the winter let alone through the winter. If what you say works don't you think the GC would have made it work by now, and that we would have wild birds roaming around. Yes Turkeys and Pheasants are different and the turkeys were native but they both are birds, and the same things can happen to both by interfering with the wild birds. Mainly by mixing pen raised birds with them.
Roger Latham is not just some newspaper guy, nor does he write for a newspaper. Nor does he get paid to write. He wrote the article to inform the public(hunters) what stupid, idiotic ideas the GC was doing with our wild bird flocks. At the time he wrote it the wild pheasants were about gone and he was warning what would happen to the turkey flock. With his influence he got the turkey stocking stopped. I had mentioned that before. I don't know how you concluded that a newspaper writer had enough influence to stop the ever so powerful GC from doing anything. Of coarse I don't think you have read what I've said in my posts, before your mind starts saying wrong, assumptions, no facts, no proof.
Roger Latham is probably smarter and more knowledgeable about wild pheasants and turkeys, than anyone that has ever worked for the GC. Here is a bit of his bio.
He has worked as a research ecologist, conservation biologist, and environmental planner 36 years. Since earning his Ph.D. in biology at the University of Pa. he has served as Pa Director of Science and stewardship for The Nature Conservancy. Post- doctoral researcher in biogeochemistry and fire excology in the University of Pa.'s Department of Geology; and assistant Professor in the department of biology at Swarthmore college. Since 2000 he has been a full-time consultant conducting applied research and planning for the National Park Service. The Nature Conservancy, Natural Lands Trust, Western Pa. Conservancy, Audubon, Pa, Department of conservation, and natural Resources, and other organizations and services involved in wild land restoration and management.
I would say that this guy knows more about what he is talking about than anyone, when it comes to things like stocking pen raised birds and what they can do to a wild flock. I would bet a paycheck on it. The GC listened to what Latham had to say and they followed his advice on halting the turkey stocking program. I’m guessing he had something to say about the pheasant stocking program, and that it fell on deaf ears. I guess you could say that the GC learned the hard way.
