SALT LAKE CITY — The Division of Wildlife Resources has proposed legalizing crow hunting in the state of Utah and adding fall turkey hunts and they want the public’s input.

The crow and turkey population has been steadily increasing throughout Utah, according to Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman, Mark Hadley. He said that the main focus for the DWR is to grow the wild turkey population throughout Utah. However, Hadley said that some areas throughout the state have such large numbers of turkeys that those regions have reached the carrying capacity that the habitat can sustain.

“In those areas, the turkeys are starting to come into conflict with people a little bit,” Hadley said. “We would like to start holding a fall turkey hunt in those areas where carrying capacity has been reached. The fall hunt is an effective way to help control turkey numbers.”

Hunters would be eligible for the spring and fall turkey hunts if they obtain permits for both.

“It’s an extra opportunity for hunters and at the same time, it gives us an extra way to try and control the turkey population in these areas,” he said.

Hadley said the DWR has also been trapping the turkeys living in overpopulated areas and transporting them to less populated regions around the state as a way to monitor the large numbers.

Legalizing the crow hunt was also proposed due to the large number of crows reported by biologists, Hadley said. The crows have contributed to the damage of fruit crops across the state, and Hadley said a hunt of the corvids would give hunters an equal opportunity that other hunters in surrounding states have.

“(A crow hunt will also) let hunters chip in and help out with some of the problems crows are causing here in the state,” Hadley said. “The Fish and Wildlife Services monitor the populations closely and they said there would be no problem with holding a crow hunt in Utah because there are plenty of crows and it would not hurt the population to do that.”

However, some members of the public are not supportive of the proposal. Dalyn Erickson-Marthaler, the executive director for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, said she was appalled by the idea of crow hunting.

“They are an incredibly intelligent species,” Erickson-Marthaler said. “They have the ability to problem-solve and logic and have very close tight-knit family units. And you can’t eat them. So hunting them is kind of ridiculous in my mind. It’s very disturbing.”

Erickson-Marthaler said the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center rescues over 2,000 animal and bird species each year in Utah. She said 90 percent of the animals that are rescued were injured due to some kind human impact including bullet wounds, glue traps and being hit by vehicles. She said 80 percent of the animals rescued are bird species.

“Mother Nature has a way of regulating herself for the most part,” Erickson-Marthaler said. “You always see these waves and spikes in different animal populations. So this seems kind of normal to see a spike in crow population because we haven’t seen that in a long time. But by us interfering all the time, we create a rippling effect of other problems that arise.”

Hadley said members of the public are welcome to join the public meetings that are being held by the DWR regional advisory councils in each region of Utah. The meetings will begin on May 6 and the final decision about the proposal will be made in June.

“I really encourage people to come out to these public meetings if they would like to learn more and voice their opinions and let us know what you think about these ideas,” Hadley said.

People can also email the representative in their region if they are unable to attend the meetings.

Contributing: Dave Cawley

SALT LAKE CITY — The Division of Wildlife Resources has proposed legalizing crow hunting in the state of Utah and adding fall turkey hunts and they want the public’s input.

The crow and turkey population has been steadily increasing throughout Utah, according to Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman, Mark Hadley. He said that the main focus for the DWR is to grow the wild turkey population throughout Utah. However, Hadley said that some areas throughout the state have such large numbers of turkeys that those regions have reached the carrying capacity that the habitat can sustain.

“In those areas, the turkeys are starting to come into conflict with people a little bit,” Hadley said. “We would like to start holding a fall turkey hunt in those areas where carrying capacity has been reached. The fall hunt is an effective way to help control turkey numbers.”

Hunters would be eligible for the spring and fall turkey hunts if they obtain permits for both.

“It’s an extra opportunity for hunters and at the same time, it gives us an extra way to try and control the turkey population in these areas,” he said.

Hadley said the DWR has also been trapping the turkeys living in overpopulated areas and transporting them to less populated regions around the state as a way to monitor the large numbers.

Legalizing the crow hunt was also proposed due to the large number of crows reported by biologists, Hadley said. The crows have contributed to the damage of fruit crops across the state, and Hadley said a hunt of the corvids would give hunters an equal opportunity that other hunters in surrounding states have.

“(A crow hunt will also) let hunters chip in and help out with some of the problems crows are causing here in the state,” Hadley said. “The Fish and Wildlife Services monitor the populations closely and they said there would be no problem with holding a crow hunt in Utah because there are plenty of crows and it would not hurt the population to do that.”

However, some members of the public are not supportive of the proposal. Dalyn Erickson-Marthaler, the executive director for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, said she was appalled by the idea of crow hunting.

“They are an incredibly intelligent species,” Erickson-Marthaler said. “They have the ability to problem-solve and logic and have very close tight-knit family units. And you can’t eat them. So hunting them is kind of ridiculous in my mind. It’s very disturbing.”

Erickson-Marthaler said the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center rescues over 2,000 animal and bird species each year in Utah. She said 90 percent of the animals that are rescued were injured due to some kind human impact including bullet wounds, glue traps and being hit by vehicles. She said 80 percent of the animals rescued are bird species.

“Mother Nature has a way of regulating herself for the most part,” Erickson-Marthaler said. “You always see these waves and spikes in different animal populations. So this seems kind of normal to see a spike in crow population because we haven’t seen that in a long time. But by us interfering all the time, we create a rippling effect of other problems that arise.”

Hadley said members of the public are welcome to join the public meetings that are being held by the DWR regional advisory councils in each region of Utah. The meetings will begin on May 6 and the final decision about the proposal will be made in June.

“I really encourage people to come out to these public meetings if they would like to learn more and voice their opinions and let us know what you think about these ideas,” Hadley said.

People can also email the representative in their region if they are unable to attend the meetings.

Contributing: Dave Cawley

SALT LAKE CITY — The Division of Wildlife Resources has proposed legalizing crow hunting in the state of Utah and adding fall turkey hunts and they want the public’s input.

The crow and turkey population has been steadily increasing throughout Utah, according to Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman, Mark Hadley. He said that the main focus for the DWR is to grow the wild turkey population throughout Utah. However, Hadley said that some areas throughout the state have such large numbers of turkeys that those regions have reached the carrying capacity that the habitat can sustain.

“In those areas, the turkeys are starting to come into conflict with people a little bit,” Hadley said. “We would like to start holding a fall turkey hunt in those areas where carrying capacity has been reached. The fall hunt is an effective way to help control turkey numbers.”

Hunters would be eligible for the spring and fall turkey hunts if they obtain permits for both.

“It’s an extra opportunity for hunters and at the same time, it gives us an extra way to try and control the turkey population in these areas,” he said.

Hadley said the DWR has also been trapping the turkeys living in overpopulated areas and transporting them to less populated regions around the state as a way to monitor the large numbers.

Legalizing the crow hunt was also proposed due to the large number of crows reported by biologists, Hadley said. The crows have contributed to the damage of fruit crops across the state, and Hadley said a hunt of the corvids would give hunters an equal opportunity that other hunters in surrounding states have.

“(A crow hunt will also) let hunters chip in and help out with some of the problems crows are causing here in the state,” Hadley said. “The Fish and Wildlife Services monitor the populations closely and they said there would be no problem with holding a crow hunt in Utah because there are plenty of crows and it would not hurt the population to do that.”

However, some members of the public are not supportive of the proposal. Dalyn Erickson-Marthaler, the executive director for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, said she was appalled by the idea of crow hunting.

“They are an incredibly intelligent species,” Erickson-Marthaler said. “They have the ability to problem-solve and logic and have very close tight-knit family units. And you can’t eat them. So hunting them is kind of ridiculous in my mind. It’s very disturbing.”

Erickson-Marthaler said the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center rescues over 2,000 animal and bird species each year in Utah. She said 90 percent of the animals that are rescued were injured due to some kind human impact including bullet wounds, glue traps and being hit by vehicles. She said 80 percent of the animals rescued are bird species.

“Mother Nature has a way of regulating herself for the most part,” Erickson-Marthaler said. “You always see these waves and spikes in different animal populations. So this seems kind of normal to see a spike in crow population because we haven’t seen that in a long time. But by us interfering all the time, we create a rippling effect of other problems that arise.”

Hadley said members of the public are welcome to join the public meetings that are being held by the DWR regional advisory councils in each region of Utah. The meetings will begin on May 6 and the final decision about the proposal will be made in June.

“I really encourage people to come out to these public meetings if they would like to learn more and voice their opinions and let us know what you think about these ideas,” Hadley said.

People can also email the representative in their region if they are unable to attend the meetings.

Contributing: Dave Cawley