Thanksgiving Gobblers?

These Eastern Wild Turkey Gobblers seem to be completely oblivious of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, as well they should be. I captured these two birds while on our photo shoot in Shenandoah National Park. Wildlife can be found in most rural areas but wildlife that behaves in a completely natural manner in our presence can only be found where hunting is not allowed. In settings such as these the wildlife views us as an inconvenience instead of a danger.

Regrettably Pennsylvania finds it imperative to allow hunting on virtually all of its public lands, thus to obtain good wildlife photos one must either work very hard or travel out of state. As a hunter I do approve of hunting but some areas should be set aside for non-consumptive uses of wildlife also. Wildlife conservation in Pennsylvania is funded entirely by hunters thus the Pa. Game Commission’s mission is to provide the maximum number of targets for it’s constituents to shoot.

Hopefully the day will soon come when wildlife conservation will be funded by all the people and wildlife can be managed for the good of all instead of for one special interest group.