"working" wild turkeys...no lie...

/pine · Mar 3, 2014

We started feeding a pair of mallards close to 45 years ago...wild but very tame...they often walk up from the river to sit in the birdbath in the yard and look for hand-outs...
Over the years the number of ducks has multiplied (not necessarily from the original pair)...thus requiring more feed...

...I am aware of all the reasons to not feed wildlife but it is really no different than feeding the birds or planting food plots etc...

...At any rate...over the years the wild turkey population has proliferated and now besides the ducks we have (for the last several years) a flock of turkeys that seem to think they're ducks...they are even more persistent when it comes to coming into the yard whenever they see one of us out there (chuck wagon)...

There is currently a little better than a dozen hens and three big gobblers and a jake or two...all quite tame and always looking for a hand-out...

...Now to the good part...I have learned that I can virtually have the turkeys rake the yard by judiciously and strategically throwing cracked corn where I want the the turkeys to "rake"...it is unbelievable how efficiently they will move accumulated leaves etc. from an area to a pile down-grade...I find it truly amazing...I could not do a better job if I tried...

I will try to get some pictures or a video if I can...

LJH · Mar 3, 2014

Yup, turkey tractor. Chicken tractors are a pretty common gardening method for clearing (and simultaneously fertilizing) an area for planting. Turkeys work as well or better and I've been doing the same thing with the wild flock here in our canyon. They're sure fun to watch too.

crash325 · Mar 3, 2014

Wild critters can be a trip.
Some of the doves come & look me in the eye, sometimes its where is the food. Other times it seems like a thank you for the seeds.
At a neighbors today. Several days ago I spotted a nest for an Inca dove. Today she was still there, hope to take a picture tomorrow.
Should be seeing a couple of little head real soon. The babies can fly at about the 2nd or 3rd day & may leave the nest.
Inca doves are far braver than the big doves. The nesting girl let me get as close as 3 feet & other than watching me never moved.
Before I had dogs, Cotton tail rabbits they were almost tame. Had one step on my foot 1 day as he was going around the garden fence.Talking to them at times the would get closer as if trying to hear better
Splitting fire wood 1 day that had some worms in it. Doug out a few & put them on top of the pile. Cactus wren came & ate the offering. Then went through the pile. stepped on my foot going to the wood that had been stacked.
Then there are the humming birds, they will get inches from your face an fuss like the devil if you disturb their bottle.

Love the critters, lot more fun than most people.

.

2LaneCruzer · Mar 4, 2014

crash325 said:
Wild critters can be a trip.
Some of the doves come & look me in the eye, sometimes its where is the food. Other times it seems like a thank you for the seeds.
At a neighbors today. Several days ago I spotted a nest for an Inca dove. Today she was still there, hope to take a picture tomorrow.
Should be seeing a couple of little head real soon. The babies can fly at about the 2nd or 3rd day & may leave the nest.
Inca doves are far braver than the big doves. The nesting girl let me get as close as 3 feet & other than watching me never moved.
Before I had dogs, Cotton tail rabbits they were almost tame. Had one step on my foot 1 day as he was going around the garden fence.Talking to them at times the would get closer as if trying to hear better
Splitting fire wood 1 day that had some worms in it. Doug out a few & put them on top of the pile. Cactus wren came & ate the offering. Then went through the pile. stepped on my foot going to the wood that had been stacked.
Then there are the humming birds, they will get inches from your face an fuss like the devil if you disturb their bottle.

Love the critters, lot more fun than most people.
.

Turkeys are really getting plentiful. We have a couple flocks that come through our yard sometimes twice a day. One morning I counted 64 in our front yard. For the most part, they are not a problem; they like to clean up under the bird feeder and pretty much keep the grasshoppers under control. They do make a mess on the drive from time to time, and they are a huge temptation for our Boston Terrier, but they pretty much make themselves at home. Traffic on the main street has to stop from time to time to let them cross, but I think most folks consider them pets instead of pests.

Ridgewalker · Mar 4, 2014

Great thread! I work from home on 7 acres in the middle of a big wooded area, over 500 acres, in
a office that looks out over it all from the top of a ridge. It's a big distraction!!!

I keep sunflower going year round and corn from a timed feeder going most of the year.
I have 4 big toms that show up every day, they leave and then 10-12 hens show up. We have a fox
that tries without success (as far as I can tell) to harvest the turkeys or a dove every day or so.

The squirrels and I have a daily battle, they have learned to fear my Red Ryder and go into panic mode when I shake the bb's in it. I shoot 'em in the butt when I get a chance but they come right back. If only I ate squirrel...

So far I am up to 31 different types of birds seen from my window. It's a blessing and way more entertaining than TV could ever be.

Western · Mar 4, 2014

"Brudda" in some areas of Texas, the turkey are so numerous they can be a headache for deer hunters using automatic feeders:laughing: They can eat ALLOT in short time. I only have a few nearby on adjacent properties, but try to call in a tom or 2 during the Spring hunting season. I do see them during the fall season on occasion, but wont harvest one with a rifle, just isn't fun unless you're calling them in.

DFB · Mar 4, 2014

Cripes all they do in winter here is gather around bird feeders...like clockwork they run their turkey trot single line right to the feeders twice a day mornings and late afternoon. For years I had them walking thru my garden rows eating just bugs grasshoppers, beetles etc. Never harmed any of the plants.

s219 · Mar 4, 2014

After they come through our wooded backyard, it looks like someone was out there with a rake fluffing all the leaves up. I love seeing them work -- it must help keep the ticks under control. Maybe instead of tick spray, this year I will throw out some cracked corn!

At our old house, I used to put down cracked corn on the lawn, as it was supposed to help ward off fungus in humid summer months. Never saw turkeys there, but ducks often combed that lawn looking for every last piece of corn....

2LaneCruzer · Mar 4, 2014

Ridgewalker said:
Great thread! I work from home on 7 acres in the middle of a big wooded area, over 500 acres, in
a office that looks out over it all from the top of a ridge. It's a big distraction!!!

I keep sunflower going year round and corn from a timed feeder going most of the year.
I have 4 big toms that show up every day, they leave and then 10-12 hens show up.

We have a fox
that tries without success (as far as I can tell) to harvest the turkeys or a dove every day or so.

Click to expand...

The squirrels and I have a daily battle, they have learned to fear my Red Ryder and go into panic mode when I shake the bb's in it. I shoot 'em in the butt when I get a chance but they come right back. If only I ate squirrel...

So far I am up to 31 different types of birds seen from my window. It's a blessing and way more entertaining than TV could ever be.

Hah. I have noticed the neighborhood feral cat stalking them from time to time, but he got too close one time and the turkeys attacked him...and boy did he skedaddle! Now they will fly if a dog chases them, but they are not particularly fearful. I have seen them get within a couple feet of our Boston when she was taking care of business.

grsthegreat · Mar 4, 2014

/pine said:
We started feeding a pair of mallards close to 45 years ago...wild but very tame...they often walk up from the river to sit in the birdbath in the yard and look for hand-outs...
Over the years the number of ducks has multiplied (not necessarily from the original pair)...thus requiring more feed...

...I am aware of all the reasons to not feed wildlife but it is really no different than feeding the birds or planting food plots etc...

...At any rate...over the years the wild turkey population has proliferated and now besides the ducks we have (for the last several years) a flock of turkeys that seem to think they're ducks...they are even more persistent when it comes to coming into the yard whenever they see one of us out there (chuck wagon)...

There is currently a little better than a dozen hens and three big gobblers and a jake or two...all quite tame and always looking for a hand-out...

...Now to the good part...I have learned that I can virtually have the turkeys rake the yard by judiciously and strategically throwing cracked corn where I want the the turkeys to "rake"...it is unbelievable how efficiently they will move accumulated leaves etc. from an area to a pile down-grade...I find it truly amazing...I could not do a better job if I tried...

I will try to get some pictures or a video if I can...