Turkeys

[TractorGuy]

Not a very dynamic capture but had 4 turkeys hanging around in the pasture.

 

[oosik]

A note of caution. Wild turkeys were re-introduced here in Ea WA state about eighteen years ago. They have spread and multiplied like the most noxious of weed. Some neighbors, down the road, have fed them. They have ended up with hundreds in their yards - all at the same time.

The turkeys have torn their yards to shreds. They will do the exact same thing to your yard as the wild hogs are doing in Texas and surrounding areas. Rip up the lawn - tear out and dig all plantings of flowers - uproot all shrubs - THEN they will roost and crap on your porch.

Try to get rid of them by not feeding - they become even more damaging. Every time I see turkeys anywhere on/near my property - out goes the Chocolate Lab to chase them off.

They can/will definitely cause serious damage to your property. They DO have a place - just not anywhere near my house or out buildings.

 

[jbrumberg]

JD855Guy- Thanks for sharing. I will not see green grass here for another month. I hope that you get to see the Tom's display and prance about.

We have native turkeys here in western MA. My wife and I have been doing established bird counts for ~30 years. This year we have seen a consistent flock of 24 turkeys and in the past have counted flocks to +70 birds. This is a picture taken this Fall. We do not go out of our way to feed them and our birdseed has limited/no corn in the mixture to minimize attraction by "pest" animals. I agree about not feeding them. We have improved the habitat own our property to increase the # and variety of native food resources for the native wildlife including turkeys. They can do a lot of damage digging, but we have never seen the damage they caused as was described. From what oosik reported which I do believe to be accurate I am assuming there is a serious shortage of natural food resources for those turkeys. Turkeys reproduce rapidly 12 - 13 birds/breeding female annually. From what I understand the States' re-introducton of wild turkeys has had mixed results.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

They have been visiting our yard for the last 25 or so years. They like to scratch under the bird feeder, but other than harassing my little Boston Terrier when she is attending to business, I haven't had much problem with them other than pooping on my driveway and deck. They do like to fight with their reflection in my truck bumper.

 

[jbrumberg]

2LC- Thanks for sharing. Our Saint Bernards love/loved to roll in the poops. Nasty/smelly stuff almost as bad as goose poo. Not that easy to clean less than cooperative hairy, drooling dogs. The Toms can get aggressive, I've never seen them fight themselves

 

[jaxs]

People looking for handouts trouble me far more than turkeys ever have.

 

[TractorGuy]

I have lived here since 1979. We have always had a few wild turkeys but I've never seen more than a dozen at a time and never had any damage from them. Went through a spell with hogs a couple of years back. Turned out my neighbor had a deer feeder spewing corn out twice a day right below my property.

Last year I was putting out pans of corn to attract the deer. I would fill every evening so it didn't get on the ground and sour. That will draw the hogs in quick. In fall I quit feeding them and planted a 6 way seed that was supposed to attract deer. Have seen very few and far between but I don't miss maintaining the feed pans.

I can't keep up with the bird feeders. I am planning to build a large one that contains any spillage to the ground and do away with the store bought ones. Finally had to move them away from the house and watch from a distance. The small birds have taken to building nests in our hanging plants. I just ignor them and keep things watered as usual. They stick it out and hatch the little buggers.

 

[oosik]

I have a "bird feeder" - ha, ha. I got to find some kind of seed that the birds like and the chipmunks don't. The 'monks make a real mess at the feeder. But it all eventually get eaten by something. I've even seen the deer try a little that has been knocked on the ground.

 

[Thomas]

You want some turkeys come on up heck I'll even throw in load of snow.

 

[atsah]

Lots of turkey's around, they don't bother me at all..

 

[2LaneCruzer]

2LC- Thanks for sharing. Our Saint Bernards love/loved to roll in the poops. Nasty/smelly stuff almost as bad as goose poo. Not that easy to clean less than cooperative hairy, drooling dogs. The Toms can get aggressive, I've never seen them fight themselves

I have seen some ferocious fights; and they don't fight fair. Usually 3 or 4 against one poor sucker. The flocks get pretty big; I counted 64 individuals in the front yard one morning. Saw a bunch of hens attack a cat that was stalking them; the cat wanted none of that! He took off like, well, a scalded cat! Had an old tom come into the garage one day; the old bird, it turns out, was blind. I called animal control and they came out and got him and took him to a shelter.

 

[jbrumberg]

2LC- Thank you for saving that old Tom and the turkey-cat story.

 

[deserteagle71]

Had this one move in on me a couple years ago and stay for a week before disappearing. Roosted on the porch handrail...what a mess he made everywhere!

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Had this one move in on me a couple years ago and stay for a week before disappearing. Roosted on the porch handrail...what a mess he made everywhere!
View attachment 594299

He's certainly a bedraggled old bird!

 

[jbrumberg]

DE71- Thanks for sharing your picture. It appears that turkeys like people age rather poorly.

 

[Thomas]

dt71... feeling comfortable hanging around in finally weeks maybe.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

From the looks of his spurs, and his wattle, that's probably a Jake that's had a hard Winter's night. I would expect something more impressive from a mature bird.

 

[jbrumberg]

2LC

Looking closer it probably was a Jake after a long night out.. BTDT a long time ago. 2nd tier males in the turkey world get lonely.

 

[bullbreaker]

Hey JD855guy thanks for sharin vid :Are you far enough in upstate Fla where you only see the easterners or on occasion you get Osceola's also ?

deserteagle71 thanks also for sharin pic , I would have let that turkey hang around also !