Pet Lovers

[eddyandme]

My nextdoor neighbor came over 'cause his little one loves to see Eddy.  While chitchatting, he mentioned how his son also loves to watch the turkeys.  Haven't seen many around past week or so, seems like fewer and fewer have come by. We used to have about two dozen coming around!  Well, he told me they've relocated the turkeys 'cause they thought there were too many around here!  Never heard of relocating turkeys before. Have any of you?

[Kachina624]

Yes, on the TV program about the game wardens in Maine (North Woods Law), they relocated a large flock which had become pests.  It was quite a rodeo. 

[on the bay]

I haven't heard of relocating turkeys (but I guess cause we don't have many around here!) but they did relocate a lot of Canada geese on a lake near here awhile ago. 

I think neighboring homes and restaurants were complaining about them. I miss seeing them.

[gizmogal]

Indeed, I have heard of relocating "free range" turkeys. There were more than two dozen rather aggressive turkeys strutting and pecking on the sidewalk and street adjacent to Staten Island University Hospital's Women's Health Center. It is a facility for mammography and other diagnostics associated with breast health. The beasts were quite aggressive so they interfered with traffic and went after folks walking along. Women using the breast center were rather terrified, and some got trapped in their cars unable to get out to their appointments when a turkey or two stubbornly confronted them! Humiliating.

Mental image of this is perhaps laughable, but not if you were the one terrified of being pecked or harassed. This was all part of NYC property and complaints rose as the hospital center was finding business slacking off. Gals getting mammograms anywhere but that place. The turkeys were eventually rounded up,   nearly the whole flock of them, and brought to a farm by city animal control bureau. Might be the same "farm" my goldfish went to, and my little parakeet, once upon a time in my childhood? Or maybe these birds celebrated thanksgiving in a special way?  Well, they were mostly removed. 

When I was at the place for my annual mammogram a couple of years ago, there were barely 3-4 quiet, passive  turkeys. A pleasant surprise. Problem solved? Nope. Two years later, just a month ago, there were over a dozen, and the screams and dodging resumed.  About now, Animal Control will have to return for more relocation. Cute factor around the hospital lost its charm long ago.  Turkeys lurking on city streets are not welcome. I'm sure they will get a new home. I'm only facetious about a sad end; they were relocated humanely. I checked through the Mayor's office and through a hospital administrator. They wouldn't lie, right?

[Gram W]

I live in central NY.  The conservation department has been relocating turkeys for years in our area.  They relocated beavers and destroyed their dams.  This dried up wetlands that migrating ducks used yearly.   The ducks passing by decreased greatly.   The beavers came back a few years ago and the water level is slowly rising.  This benefits both ends of the very old swamp.   I hope some wandering ducks find the area again and that their offspring will return in future years.  My husband taught me to love and respect the critters who lived in the swamp.  We spent many hours walking, listening and watching nature at her best there and in other forested areas here.  Lessons learned and wonderful memories made and not forgotten.

 In my immediate neighborhood our flocks have been destroyed by foxes.   I have seen no rabbits, pheasants or turkeys for over 5 years.  This spring I saw 1 mother with a few little ones cross the road about a mile away.  I have not seen them since.  I hope they are still there.   For 30+ years we had an abundance of these critters as well as deer.  Planting our garden each year we had to plant for them and us and hope they would share.  I have a small collection of turkey feathers I collected in my yard.  I use them especially for fall decorating.  I shared many over the years thinking I would always find more.  Sadly that did not happen.

[Gram W]

@gizmogal. The conservation department in NYS does relocate turkeys and other animals to state forests, etc where the population has declined.  We are in a rural area and our turkeys were never a problem but our state lands had flocks of hundreds.  People drove here to see them.  They were a beautiful sight to see as they came down the hillside to eat the leftovers after the farmers had harvested their corn.  They were taken to help replenish areas who had lost their populations.   I live next to a state park and no hunting is allowed on their property.  We lost ours to foxes and other predators.

I understand the fear the ladies had of the turkeys.   Turkeys, geese, etc are very protective of the young and both parents will attack when their brood is threatened.    I was visiting a secured estate here years ago.  They had 2 peacocks as "quarddogs".    When anything came down the long driveway and passed the gate they let out their piercing screech and chased your car.   The gardener would come get them so we could go further.   A local farm had a "guard goose".    He protected the lady of the house.   It was a standing joke that service men had to sit in their  vehicle until she came out and got the goose.  If she approved the goose would let you out but he followed you around on guard.  He never hurt anyone but he was intimidating and the men didn't push their luck.  My visit was expected and I waited for her to come out so all was well.

[eddyandme]

@Gram W, I think the turkeys used to protect me!  It all began one really bad winter.  I was concerned for the wildlife so would throw out cheerios. That winter the turkeys came twice a day and had I forgot to put more cereal out around 4:30 each afternoon, one would walk up and stand at the back gate. Eddy has been trained not to mess with them, but slips up once in awhile, at which time I go out and tell Eddy and the turkeys to stop, then all goes well. They became sort of pets in a strange way.

There are still a few around with their babies, so there's hope for next year!

[eddyandme]

@gizmogal

These turkeys were friendly - a little watchful of someone new, but weren't afraid of humans and appreciated the food me and the neighbor across the street would leave for them when their food source was buried in snow.

[eddyandme]

@Kachina624

Well, they must have done it rather quickly, as I missed the whole thing! Would have loved to have seen that program. Thanks for the info.

[Shanus]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

Yes, on the TV program about the game wardens in Maine (North Woods Law), they relocated a large flock which had become pests.  It was quite a rodeo. 

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@Kachina624   Do you think I can find some group interested in relocating the deer who are making Thanksgiving Dinner out of my gardens?