Wild Turkeys

[Bilge_Rat]

so, I was driving home from the cottage yesterday. As I turned on to the on ramp to the highway, I saw something in the road. At first I thought it was a heron, but as I got closer I saw it was a wild Turkey.

These things are huge! when it stood up it was over 4 feet tall.

Seems it got lost and was not sure what to do. I got out of the car and managed to shoo it off the highway. Poor thing seemed scared out of its wits.

After a little digging, turns out there are lots of these birds in my area, but this is the first time I saw one.

[GT182]

Good thing you didn't hit it. They will do an unbelievable amount of damage to a vehicle. And if you've ever had wild turkey for a meal, you will never go back to store bought turkey again. Same for goose.

We had lots of them up in Northern NY on the Canadian border with NY, and we'd often see them in our backyard. I would walk thru the pines to go out to my deer stand and they'd be sitting on branches in the pine trees watching me. If you didn't do anything to scare them they'd sit right there and not move a muscle. Be careful tho as they can and will attack you, and beat you half to death with their wings. Especially if you're hunting them and happen to wound one, then try to pick it up. I've seen it happen. It was funny as all hell, but I felt sorry for my buddy I hunted with. He didn't make out too good for a bit. Until one of the other guys with us put the bird out of it's and everyone else's misery.

[Jimbuna]

Are you sure you only 'shood' it and didn't 'shoot' it? :)

[Aktungbby]

Be careful tho as they can and will attack you, and beat you half to death with their wings....
Until one of the other guys with us put the bird out of it's and everyone else's misery.
:Kaleun_Cheers: I'll drink to that! https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/WildTurkeyBottle_no1.jpg/100px-WildTurkeyBottle_no1.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WildTurkeyBottle_no1.jpg) Ol' ben franklins first choice for the 'national bird' Given this year election: I couldn't agree more: Franklin's Letter to His Daughter (excerpt)
"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.
"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country... "I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WildTurkeyBottle_no1.jpg) They inhabit the hills around NAPA and every morning at 07:20 they cross a mountain roadway at the same time in a column of about 60 or so; on of my techs, a mighty hunter never has any luck during turkey season so I piss him off with a text photo of the great “crop”, “dole”, “gang”, “posse”, and/or “raffle" of turkeys depending on where U hail from...:know:

[fireftr18]

Aktung, you beat me to my favorite Wild Turkey. You know it is a fine Kentucky Bourbon. Other than the liquid kind, Kentucky has wild turkeys everywhere.

[Aktungbby]

MY wife would disagree: Buffalo Trace Ken. Bourbon & Devil's Cut (as depicted on my sig) also hold their own! 2.5. 0z bourbon; Angostura bitters; two sugar cubes; Two maraschino cherries with some of the syrup; and a slice of orange- all properly muddled; add a giant ice cube and topped up with filted water makes her Old Fashioned. the barman at a London hotel didn't know how to make an Old Fashioned; it's on the menu now! pssst the ladies luv em'!:yeah:

[Schroeder]

Now this is a wild Turkey I don't want to meet:
http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/54/1012554/3365353736653064.jpg


:O:

[Commander Wallace]

so, I was driving home from the cottage yesterday. As I turned on to the on ramp to the highway, I saw something in the road. At first I thought it was a heron, but as I got closer I saw it was a wild Turkey.

These things are huge! when it stood up it was over 4 feet tall.

Seems it got lost and was not sure what to do. I got out of the car and managed to shoo it off the highway. Poor thing seemed scared out of its wits.

After a little digging, turns out there are lots of these birds in my area, but this is the first time I saw one.

I was going to make a flippant remark about a case or 2 of " Wild Turkey " bourbon whiskey but Aktung beat me to it. :D

I'm betting they hide or become scarce during the Thanksgiving period.

Glad you didn't hit it and risk damage to your vehicle.

[Aktungbby]

Are you sure you only 'shood' it and didn't 'shoot' it? :)

Aktung, you beat me to my favorite

I was going to make a flippant remark about a case or 2 of " Wild Turkey " bourbon whiskey but Aktung beat me to it. :D

WELL! next time I go on a wild turkey hunt, Fireftr and Cmdr Wallace can B my beaters and 'shoo' the critters into the open...Dress colorfully so I don't make mistakes:o.... OH SHOOT! I 'shooda' aimed lower! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCpRfB5aUU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCpRfB5aUU) http://cdn0.wideopenspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/featured.jpg

[Commander Wallace]

WELL! next time I go on a wild turkey hunt, Fireftr and Cmdr Wallace can B my beaters and 'shoo' the critters into the open...Dress colorfully so I don't make mistakes:o.... OH SHOOT! I 'shooda' aimed lower! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCpRfB5aUU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCpRfB5aUU) http://cdn0.wideopenspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/featured.jpg




If by " shooing " the critters into the open, you mean the case or 2 of wild turkey, I'm in. :D

If you mean the actual bird, well, what's hunting without a few shots, of Jack Daniels that is but " Wild Turkey " works just as well. But I draw the line at dressing like a colorful Pinata :)