Help! I'm Being Invaded by Turkeys

[Skunk]

A bunch of Turkeys (I counted right around 30) came over to my place to visit a few hours ago. The wife got some pictures through the window. She tried to sneak outside to get some better pics, but she scared those darn hens away.



Here's more of a close up shot:



Figured I might as well post a picture of my son-in-law's nice little 6 pointer that he shot during bow season. The legs in the picture are my son-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter:



And what the heck, guess I should throw in a picture of the littlest Turkey that comes to visit Grandma and Grandpa: our granddaughter 

[Graybeard]

Being invaded by turkeys is not a bad thing. Once long ago when our neighbor raised turkeys three wild hens came by and lured his gobbler off with them. That bird was dumb as dirt and no doubt didn't last long as season was open at the time. Our neighbor across the highway puts out corn for them and we often see large flocks feeding around their yard.

From the looks of those tracks in the snow it looks like you might have also tossed out some corn for them.

[Skunk]

Being invaded by turkeys is not a bad thing.

I'm really happy to see turkeys living and prospering in this area. Many of the so called experts claimed the turkeys would never make it up north in Wisconsin when the DNR entered into a trade agreement with the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1974 to bring the turkey back to Wisconsin. Missouri gave Wisconsin 334 Easterns in return for 135 of our Coulee Region ruffed grouse. After the original turkeys were well established in southwestern Wisconsin, the DNR started the turkey trap and transplant program which brought the turkeys a little closer to the north. Just for experimental purposes, the DNR then released turkeys in a number of locations north of the predicted survival line. Low and behold, they survived and seem to be doing well. I've been seeing them throughout the north for a few years now, but never until this year have they come so close to my home. I'm loving it and yes, "being invaded by turkeys is not a bad thing." The other day, around 36 turkeys being led by 2 giant Toms, strutted across my front yard and that really got me excited.

From the looks of those tracks in the snow it looks like you might have also tossed out some corn for them.

Well, maybe just a little. It's actually the wife who puts it out there for "her deer."

[Graybeard]

Prolonged deep snow does present problems for turkeys. I suspect they can take the cold OK but if they can't get to food they won't survive long. Several years back my friend Barry who lives in PA had turkeys by the droves all over his farm and saw big flocks regularly. Then they had a winter that lasted from November into March with the snow never melting and often freezing with a layer of ice over it. The turkeys just couldn't scratch thru to find food. He had a massive die off and even now several years later the flock is not yet back to the numbers they had prior to that hard winter.

If they can find food they will do OK tho late springs or wet springs can really take a toll on their young.

If they'd come here we'd feed the deer and turkeys as well but they don't visit on this side of the highway that often. Deer get hit crossing between the neighbor to my east land and the other side of the highway often. Some times I find deer tracks in the mud out back near my barn and used to see them often in the mud down at my pond along the highway.