Daily Dose: Turkey Hunt

Events

- discussion of is expected

More Frost

The National Weather Service predicts a high around 64 on Thursday with the overnight low coming near freezing again, around 35. Expect patchy frost from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., and take necessary precautions.

Friday is expected to be nearly as cold, but no frost advisory has been issued.

"Deck Your House" Patch Contest Launches

I know plenty of Santeeans go crazy with the holiday decorations, especially the lights (I'm talking to you Starlight Cirlce). Why not show off your splendor on Santee Patch and get a chance to win $500 to cover some of that elecricity bill, and a grand prize of $100,000 to Santee public schools!

Read more about the contest here, or just enter your photos here.

Turkey Hunt

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors gave tentative approval Wed. to a two-day, juniors-only wild turkey hunt to be held on a county preserve, despite opposition from animal rights activists and other opponents.

The first reading of ordinance passed 3-2 and will be considered for final approval Jan. 25. It would permit up to 10 supervised youngsters to hunt wild turkeys with a bows and arrows or guns at the Santa Ysabel East Preserve on March 17 and March 18.   "This is about allowing kids the opportunity, the ones that want to, the ones that choose to, an opportunity where we have an overabundance of turkeys under strict supervision to learn the basics about using a weapon and also hunting," Supervisor Dianne Jacob said.

The 3,800-acre preserve includes a turkey habitat and may be closed to the public on the hunt days, county staffers said.

The hunters would need licenses, training and supervision, said Bob Fusco, president of the San Diego chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.     

Supervisor Pam Slater-Price and board Vice-Chairman Ron Roberts cast the dissenting votes, though both said they were not opposed to hunting in general.

"I don't think it's appropriate for county parks or county preserves to be used for hunting purposes," Slater-Price said. "What we should be doing is encouraging those hunting clubs and others who want to pursue hunting, which is a legal activity in the state of California, to do so on state land where hunting is permitted, or on private property can be permitted if the owner agrees."

Some public speakers were concerned about hunting on county land.

"I am a hunter. I taught my son to hunt, but not in a public park," said Patsy Fritz, of Pauma Valley. "We should not have to fear that guns and hunting will ever be a hazard in our parks."

-City News Service

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