Parks and Rec

Turkey Hunt Approved for Santa Ysabel Preserve

The County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday voted to approve an annual two-day youth wild turkey hunt in the Santa Ysabel Preserve.

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The County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday voted to approve an annual two-day youth wild turkey hunt in the Santa Ysabel Preserve.

The Board voted 3-2 to amend County code to allow the hunt. Chairman Bill Horn, Supervisor Dianne Jacob and Supervisor Greg Cox approved the change, with Supervisor Ron Roberts and Supervisor Pam Slater-Price opposing it.

The second reading of the proposed amendment and the final vote is scheduled for January 25.

The two-day hunt for a maximum of 10 youth each day would be organized and supervised by the San Diego Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

On Wednesday, the group told the Board that the hunt would give a group of young people who have already earned their hunting licenses a chance to practice their skills under close supervision in a safe environment.

Other members of the public spoke in opposition to the measure, several arguing that shooting wild animals is inconsistent with the mission of a County preserve.

In February, the Board voted 3-2 to change County code to allow the youth wild turkey hunt in William Heise Park in Julian. It was the first time hunting was allowed on County land, but the measure did not permit firearms or hunting in County parks outside of the two-day youth hunt.

On March 19 and 20, six young people took part in a turkey hunt, taking home four birds. 

At the February hearings, the Board acknowledged that popular Heise Park, with over a hundred campsites and residences not far from its boundaries, was not the hunt’s ideal location. The split Board directed staff to return later with a revised ordinance to hold future mentored youth turkey hunts at 3,800-acre Santa Ysabel Preserve in rural Julian.

Santa Ysabel’s size, developed trails and distance from surrounding properties make it a better site than Heise, a staff report to the Board notes. 

The San Diego Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation would pay the County an estimated $2,500 to cover the cost of two-day hunt and would enter into a formal agreement with the County on the exact details and rules of the hunt. The Preserve would be closed to the public during the two-day hunt.

The youth wild turkey hunt would be subject to annual review by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Watch the agenda item addressed at the Board of Supervisors meeting