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People urged to keep away from any wild turkeys
Johnson City (TN) Press ^ | September 14, 2012 | Jennifer Sprouse

Posted on 09/17/2012 4:38:29 PM PDT by don-o

After months of zero turkey activity, the feathered holiday animals have re-emerged and residents are urged to steer clear.

City Commissioner Clayton Stout said he’s already responded to a wild turkey sighting in the Regions Bank parking lot, near the Towne Acres community and as wildlife commissioner, he’s already made contact with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency.

On Nov. 28, TWRA Officer Jeff Prater authorized the termination of two wild turkeys in the same Regions Bank location, which sparked a mixed debate on the fate of the birds.

This time around, Stout hopes to avoid that scenario altogether.

“We didn’t get into a lot of specifics as far as what (TWRA was) going to do, but bottom line is they were not going to do what they did in the past. There was going to be more of a concerted effort to relocate (the birds),” he said. “For me personally, I don’t want to see what happened last time and I’m just trying to work with the public and work with the wildlife agency as far as making sure that we’re in cooperation together.”

snip

“They usually hang together,” he said. “When I’ve seen a turkey, there’s usually about six together.”

“As they become more visible, more people will probably start to call,” he said. “It’s important that we don’t feed them because that was the problem initially, was that the turkeys became way too comfortable with people. Right now, from what I’m being told is these birds are ... wary of people. They try to stay away from people.”

He suggests that nearby residents and citizens spotting the birds pay them the same courtesy.

“One way the public can help is to keep us informed and also not to feed them,” Stout said.

(Excerpt) Read more at johnsoncitypress.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Local News; Outdoors; Weird Stuff
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To: don-o
You've got to be kidding. I've got a flock of over 30 around here that are totally at ease with people- you can get within 5 feet of them- and I have yet to see them chase down and beat a liberal yet, going on 8 or 9 yrs. incident-free.

Of course, that might be because there are no liberals here.

Oh wait... maybe that's because of the attack turkeys.

21 posted on 09/17/2012 5:20:33 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: don-o

This area of the Florida Panhandle Had just about all the wild turkeys hunted out for the last 30 years or so. I do remember my Father killing a big tom the day before Christmas around 1960.

The state game dept. reintroduced them a few years ago and they have made a remarkable comeback. Twice in the last month or so, I have seen somewhere around 15 to maybe 25 in a group.

They all appeared to be hens to me but there must be toms around.


22 posted on 09/17/2012 5:22:35 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: piasa
The wild ones, however tame and bold, have been no problem. The only time I've seen a turkey get aggressive to people, isn't because it was domestic, and not because of getting fed, it was because someone hand raised a male chick fromits hatch day and the darn thing imprinted on humans, so when it got old enough to mate it didn't look for a female turkey, it tried to woo people. It thought it was people. And then because it got no cooperation, it got frustrated, and started trying to mate with anything that was blue- bucket, blanket, garden gnome, you name it.

Didn't matter what it was so long as it was blue, and if you tried to pick up or touch his blue "object of affection" he would attack.

23 posted on 09/17/2012 5:30:56 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: hadaclueonce

did a wild turkey bite your sister


24 posted on 09/17/2012 5:34:04 PM PDT by mt tom
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To: COBOL2Java

I prefer Wild Turkey Rare Breed.


25 posted on 09/17/2012 5:36:35 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
One of them did $1000 damage to the front grill of my car (husband driving) a year or so ago when he ran out into the road on a suicide mission.

Luckily, I was able to duck under one (I was riding my Ducati at the time) who decided to take off from one side of the road for their roosting trees on the other side near dusk a couple of years ago. Scared the heck out of me. It missed me by a couple of feet, but I have no doubt that hitting it (either with my bike or body) would have been a very bad thing.

Mark

26 posted on 09/17/2012 5:40:28 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: don-o

27 posted on 09/17/2012 5:41:42 PM PDT by Brandonmark (2012: Our Hope IS Change!)
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To: Brandonmark

I like your turkey!!!!


28 posted on 09/17/2012 5:47:47 PM PDT by Ab Alius Domitor ("In the end; the winner")
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To: piasa
Of course, that might be because there are no liberals here.

Oh wait... maybe that's because of the attack turkeys.

Mark

29 posted on 09/17/2012 5:48:53 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: COBOL2Java
My thought exactly.

In the words of Groucho Marx, "Your blended friend."

30 posted on 09/17/2012 6:06:04 PM PDT by Northern Yankee (Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country. - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: don-o

Last spring, my dog, Dubbers, found a nest of turkey eggs out in the woods somewhere. - She kept showing up at the house with her big old mouth just full of turkey eggs, which she took off and ate before I could stop her. - Nature, I guess.


31 posted on 09/17/2012 6:37:30 PM PDT by Twinkie (In whose eyes a vile person is contemned. Ps. 15:4a)
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To: don-o

wild turkeys are delicious!!!(God made them out of turkey meat!!!


32 posted on 09/17/2012 6:37:38 PM PDT by terycarl
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To: piasa
if you tried to pick up or touch his blue "object of affection" he would attack.

OMG the obama jokes just write themselves don't they? Bad taste...must walk away.

33 posted on 09/17/2012 6:39:28 PM PDT by lovesdogs (Nevermind what I post...I have clothespins handy and will vote for Mitt.)
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To: COBOL2Java

ya....I spent all weekend trying to kill one of these things....

Monday morning....

I agree....

Stay Away!


34 posted on 09/17/2012 7:36:49 PM PDT by G Larry (Progressives are Regressive because their objectives devolve to the lowest common denominator.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I live in central, rural Kentucky. Here we shoot and eat them. Lots of quality protein and VERY tasty.

I have the benefit of living on a small farm in a patch of about 9 acres of grass where nobody can see us. I can shoot turkey, deer, you name it, whenever I want.


35 posted on 09/17/2012 7:51:22 PM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: cripplecreek

I was driving back from band practice about an hour ago in the rain and hit a bunny the same time I saw a huge turkey just standing on the side of the road.


36 posted on 09/17/2012 7:52:36 PM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: piasa

When we cut the hay here we sometimes come up on turkey nests. Apparently it is illegal to grab the eggs and have your chickens brood them.

Maybe you nailed why.


37 posted on 09/17/2012 7:55:35 PM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: arkady_renko

That’s a nice picture of Obama and Patrick Ewing!


38 posted on 09/17/2012 7:59:24 PM PDT by Batman11 (We came for the chicken sandwiches and a Sweet Tea Party broke out!)
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To: don-o

Wild turkeys are part of our life in northern California. Some years ago we were showing Lake Tahoe to some friends from Chicago. We stopped at a table on the lake’s shore. Four turkeys saw us having lunch and decided to join us. As they came up to the table a large van loaded with people looking for a lunch spot pulled in and asked if we were about to leave. I said yes but they would have to give our friends something to eat. A lady in the group I think wanted to pull my/our leg(s) so she asked ‘Oh what are your friends names’. The question took me off guard for a couple of seconds. Then I responded by pointing at the geese in succession ‘that is Number One, that is Number Two, that is Number Three and that is Number Four.’ The entire bunch had a big laugh and I do believe the other group was feeding the birds by the numbers.


39 posted on 09/17/2012 9:16:33 PM PDT by noinfringers2
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To: noinfringers2

40 posted on 09/17/2012 9:38:38 PM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
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