Amid wild turkey sightings, Massachusetts town shares tips for fending off 'inti

[Graybeard]

https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/massachusetts-town-safety-tips-wild-turkeys-spike

By Janine Puhak | Fox News

Don't let the turkeys be jerky.

A small town in eastern Massachusetts is warning of a spike in wild turkey sightings, sharing self-defense tips to fend off the fowl.

As of late, wild turkeys have been seen wandering around Pleasant Street in Wenham, and local police say residents should keep their guard up to avoid any ruffled feathers.


"We want our residents to be safe and mindful of the steps they can take to ward off aggressive wild turkeys," said Animal Control Officer Steve Kavanaugh.  (iStock)


"We want our residents to be safe and mindful of the steps they can take to ward off aggressive wild turkeys," said Animal Control Officer Steve Kavanaugh in a Jan. 28 news release circulated by the Wenham Police Department (WPD.)

"Residents should first and foremost do all they can to avoid close interactions with wild turkeys, and keep these safety tips in mind should a turkey approach them or their property."

If the large birds won’t stay away, the WPD suggests following these tips from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to stay safe: Not feeding them, as they may have "wild outbursts" during such feedings; keeping bird seed off the ground and removing bird feeders in the spring; using "a hose or loud noises," or even a leashed dog, to scare away any turkeys who wander into gardens or crops, or may otherwise try to "intimidate" you; and covering windows with "shiny objects" to distract the fowl.


According to Massachusetts’ official count, the Bay State is home to at least 30,000 wild turkeys,

Janine Puhak is an editor for Fox News Lifestyle.

[neckisred]

Oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never knew they were so dangerous, I'll have to be more careful. 

[BUGEYE]

I’ve watched a couple of animal videos where grown men were running from turkeys, geese, swans, etc.
Cowards.

[DDZ]

 Unbelievable! If turkeys have become a nuisance, its because enough of them haven't been getting shot. A shotgun works well on them, and after a few are shot the rest will get the idea right quick.   

[Argent 88]

Unbelievable! If turkeys have become a nuisance, its because enough of them haven't been getting shot. A shotgun works well on them, and after a few are shot the rest will get the idea right quick.

You can eat them.

[DDZ]

Unbelievable! If turkeys have become a nuisance, its because enough of them haven't been getting shot. A shotgun works well on them, and after a few are shot the rest will get the idea right quick.

You can eat them.

You sure can, although not as good as a butterball, but good enough.

[Mule 11]

Unbelievable! If turkeys have become a nuisance, its because enough of them haven't been getting shot. A shotgun works well on them, and after a few are shot the rest will get the idea right quick.

You can eat them.

You sure can, although not as good as a butterball, but good enough.

That’s only because your wife cooks the butterball and you cook the wild turkey...

[DDZ]

Unbelievable! If turkeys have become a nuisance, its because enough of them haven't been getting shot. A shotgun works well on them, and after a few are shot the rest will get the idea right quick.

You can eat them.

You sure can, although not as good as a butterball, but good enough.

That’s only because your wife cooks the butterball and you cook the wild turkey...

There may be some truth to that.

[Dee]

Man killer turkeys. Huh! I had a turkey try to rob me and Linda years ago, but it was in Chicago. Blackest turkey I ever saw. This one didn't gobble as well as he had when I decided to release him back into the wild. Had a bad limp to.
Linda said I shouldn't have tried to wring its neck.

[Ranger99]

Don't know about the domesticated ones,
but I do know a wild turkey can hurt you.
I used to get to hunt places west of here
and shoot some of the many excess deer
and turkeys on those places in the days
before trophy fever overtook everybody.
I had shot a good sized gobbler (Rio
Grande birds) and walked out to pick it
up, and it had a sort of resurrection like
deer get at times. The dadgum thing
spurred my hand pretty bad and opened
up a couple of fingers, one all the way
down to the goods. Unfortunately, I
didn't have anything to tend to it with,
and I  had to wait on them to pick me
up and sat on my stool with my hand
drip drip dripping until they got there .

Yes, wild animals can hurt you

[Mule 11]

There is no they for me being a solitary hunter. I generally walk up to downed game muzzle first and give it a prod or two... usually it’s my boot and muzzle ready...

[Doublebass73]

The turkeys that I hunt in the mountains aren't used to seeing people so they take off immediately if they see you. They would never be aggressive like these city turkeys.

[Dee]

City turkeys are still "bird braines".

[Goldie]

The wild turkey goes down pretty smooth here in Arizona.

[BUGEYE]

While visiting a nearby Monastery, I wandered down to the lake where a swan was sitting on the nest and the Cob immediately attacked.
So, a whack on the side of his head made him reconsider his actions.

[Dee]

While visiting a nearby Monastery, I wandered down to the lake where a swan was sitting on the nest and the Cob immediately attacked.
So, a whack on the side of his head made him reconsider his actions.

Yeah, if you can't whip a turkey you need to send your wife and stay home.

[powderman]

There is no they for me being a solitary hunter. I generally walk up to downed game muzzle first and give it a prod or two... usually it’s my boot and muzzle ready...

ME TOO.  I h usually step on a DEAD animals head before I pick it up. I once had a squirrel get ahold of my boot before I couls step on it's head, other boot took care of it. Shot a deer many years ago and my buddy straddled it to cut it's throat, it ame right up under him and tossed him like a bronco. I shot it in the head. CHARLIE.