New Hazard: turkeys!

In abouts 2006 I was in the Grand Canyon and we heard rumors of a duo of antagonistic turkeys. We ran into them at Bright Angel campground. They were aggressive in seeking food.

Blue grouse chased every cross country ski racer, 1000 in all as they raced passed her burrow in the Great Ski Race at Tahoe, CA
a few years ago. Funniest thing, it was near the end of a race and on the uphill, so she egged on quite a few of the later skiers to faster times.

I don't think that a blue grouse lives in a burrow. It tends to be a nest underneath some sagebrush.

Blue grouse probably taste better than wild turkeys.

–B.G.–

If you have an hour, listen to this year's poultry slam on This American Life and the story they shared about a turkey that terrorized a neighborhood. It didn't end well for the turkey but I was in tears laughing as they described his shenanigans. I run by geese on a fairly regular basis and think it's just a matter of time before one of those mean bastards takes a bite out of me.

> I run by geese on a fairly regular basis
Domestic geese or wild geese?

Cheers

Wild ones. The Canadian geese are no problem but there are a couple big oil' ugly SOBs that capture my undivided attention when they start hissing at me and start posturing for a fight.

Ah – wild ones.
Maybe a rag soaked in 'essence de bear'?

I had problems with some domestic geese coming on my place and hassling my birds. The owner was not inclined to do anything about it – until I casually mentioned that Xmas was coming up.

Cheers

No sh*t … they can knock down people caught unaware and male wild turkeys have large sharp spurs on the back of their lower legs that can cut you up pretty bad.

Best to steer clear of them during mating season. Fun to watch from a distance though.

It's not just Richmond. I live in Berkeley, the next town to the south. We've had a massive turkey influx into our neighborhoods over the last few years. Oakland too. (cue the obvious jokes.) They're coming down from the very large regional park that runs through the hills just to the east of all three of these towns. For me, the strangest thing is seeing a large flock walking across very traffic-heavy streets just under the BART tracks near San Pablo Ave., about a quarter mile from REI. This is a flat out urban area–but I've seen them there several times over the years as I drive to work. Hard to know what they're eating and where they're roosting.

About a year ago I was walking up towards Wildcat Park on residential streets. A big Tom was standing in a yard, along with a single cat frozen in place, one paw up, in a posture of attack. I watched the cat and the indifferent turkey for about three minutes. It was clear that this was the cat's Moby Dick moment, but it just couldn't bring itself to actually carry out its intention. Wisely so.

Deer, skunk and racoon, along with many raptors, visit my neighborhood all the time. Now turkeys too. I love it! (Well, not always the skunks.)

"I live in Berkeley, the next town to the south. We've had a massive turkey influx into our neighborhoods over the last few years….. Hard to know what they're eating and where they're roosting."

That explains the general impression of tough turkeys. If you're going to be a successful dumpster diver in Berserkly ya gotta have sharp elbows and an attitude to match. ;0)

Bob, they have their babies under the snow. Unlike other animals that travel to lower elevations for winter the grouse head up, have their chicks under the snow and they feed them on fir needles.

Wild Grouse and Wild Turkeys both taste great.

My wife staples bacon on the outside of them with toothpicks before baking.

"It's not just Richmond. I live in Berkeley, the next town to the south. We've had a massive turkey influx into our neighborhoods over the last few years. Oakland too. (cue the obvious jokes.) They're coming down from the very large regional park that runs through the hills just to the east of all three of these towns. For me, the strangest thing is seeing a large flock walking across very traffic-heavy streets just under the BART tracks near San Pablo Ave., about a quarter mile from REI. This is a flat out urban area–but I've seen them there several times over the years as I drive to work. Hard to know what they're eating and where they're roosting."

Hey, me too! They may be living at the Gilman tract (agricultural research/farm owned by the University, squatted on by hippies). At least that's where I've seen them when making the REI trip. There and loitering at a nearby bus stop.

They don't hassle me up at Wildcat, but I tend to bring a sizable dog with me.

n.m.

In the East Bay parks where we regularly see turkeys, they always are a bit skittish and keep their distance from us…they probably know I would love to cook a wild turkey!

I guess you wouldn't need a personal trainer when jogging in Richmond. There would be plenty of motivation to go fast with them suckas behind ya.

This reminds me an early morning hike in Cuyamaca, CA. some 15-20 years ago. It had rained the night before but was sunny that morning making steam come off the ground like low clouds. My buddies and I happened to be eating mushrooms for this particular experience when a flock of dinosaur looking turkeys came running up the hill. We all just stood there for a few minutes as the clan gracefully ran up a 45 degree grade like nothing, all gobling and tooting their horns.

It was a long time ago.

Trained our dog to chase them out of the yard. One time he tried to chase a hen with poults, but she chased him right back spurs first. Now he barks first to let them know he is coming out in hopes they run before he has to get close. He stops at the edge of the yard, having done his job. He is a very skinny little fellow and tho he likes a good chase is not interested in contact sports.

In order:

-Mule deer or elk backstrap
-Mule deer or elk blade roast
-Blue grouse
-Wild Turkey
-Whitetail backstrap

etc.

My local state park is swarmed with them.
It would help if they had a few designated hunting days with an unlimited limit. They would be extremely easy to shoot.
But that will never happen.

"-Mule deer or elk backstrap
-Mule deer or elk blade roast
-Blue grouse
-Wild Turkey
-Whitetail backstrap"

I thought you're supposed to wash it down with Wild Turkey.

"He is a very skinny little fellow and tho he likes a good chase is not interested in contact sports."

Get a Jack Russell and you'll never again have to worry about what's for Thanksgiving dinner.

"My buddies and I happened to be eating mushrooms for this particular experience when a flock of dinosaur looking turkeys came running up the hill."

Must have been some bad a$$ mushrooms if you thought those Orcs were dinosaur looking turkeys.

Wash it down with Famous Grouse on the Glorious 12th.

I can't say "wabbit" right, but turkey? No pwobwem!

Just let the local asian immigrant population know where they are and they will dissapear.

At least thats what happened to all the domestic ducks in the neighborhood lakes where I grew up. Made quite a few folks upset.

We had a big influx of vietnamese refugees, and a startling decline in duck population.

Where they came from catching easy food was just something acceptable.