A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[R2elk]

I had a wild turkey hen wander into my yard today/ I got the phone and took pictures as she wandered all over. Finally I noticed something wasn't quite right and then I saw she was running into things. She was blind. One rodeo and flyiing feathers and some blind flying that ended by smacking into a tree I had caught her and put her in the dog kennel. Man they are strong! Stronger than my geese. I didn't know they had spurs.

So her eyes are large and dark and moist. No lesions or bubble or any thing weird. Her feathers are rich in color and shine. No injury seems to be done to the eyes. But she is blind.

Follow the advice of @Finnie

From what I gather the State of Tennessee prohibits the capture of a wild turkey without first obtaining the proper permits. The proper thing for you to have done would have been to notify your local game warden and let that person deal with the turkey.

On a side note, if the turkey has spurs, it is not a hen. Toms have spurs, hens do not have spurs.

 

[gander007]

I had a wild turkey hen wander into my yard today/ I got the phone and took pictures as she wandered all over. Finally I noticed something wasn't quite right and then I saw she was running into things. She was blind. One rodeo and flyiing feathers and some blind flying that ended by smacking into a tree I had caught her and put her in the dog kennel. Man they are strong! Stronger than my geese. I didn't know they had spurs.

So her eyes are large and dark and moist. No lesions or bubble or any thing weird. Her feathers are rich in color and shine. No injury seems to be done to the eyes. But she is blind.

Oh poor thing

did she have any other injuries that were noticeable

If you could post some photos please

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I had a wild turkey hen wander into my yard today/ I got the phone and took pictures as she wandered all over. Finally I noticed something wasn't quite right and then I saw she was running into things. She was blind. One rodeo and flyiing feathers and some blind flying that ended by smacking into a tree I had caught her and put her in the dog kennel. Man they are strong! Stronger than my geese. I didn't know they had spurs.

So her eyes are large and dark and moist. No lesions or bubble or any thing weird. Her feathers are rich in color and shine. No injury seems to be done to the eyes. But she is blind.

Aww, poor thing!

Wow.

You probably should contact your local DNR and find out what you are legally required to do in that situation.  They would probably require you to turn her over to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.  I think those people can keep them in captivity if it is impossible for them to be released into the wild. 

Follow the advice of @Finnie


From what I gather the State of Tennessee prohibits the capture of a wild turkey without first obtaining the proper permits.  The proper thing for you to have done would have been to notify your local game warden and let that person deal with the turkey.

On a side note, if the turkey has spurs, it is not a hen.  Toms have spurs, hens do not have spurs.

From what I was told, the game commission and wildlife rescues will only help species who are threatened or endangered. If it's an animal that has no hope in the error buy threw are plenty of them out there, they just put them down. This is just what I've heard.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Ralph-unfortunately I woke up this morning and found one of the CCL from you dead. Of course it was one of the girls :/ I'm not surprised though. She didn't look too good yesterday.

 

[memphis]

Aurora...sorry you lost a chick, a girl at that.

I'm still curious about the blind wild turkey. Based on the description it seems to be in decent health...just blind.

 

[duluthralphie]

I had a wild turkey hen wander into my yard today/ I got the phone and took pictures as she wandered all over. Finally I noticed something wasn't quite right and then I saw she was running into things. She was blind. One rodeo and flyiing feathers and some blind flying that ended by smacking into a tree I had caught her and put her in the dog kennel. Man they are strong! Stronger than my geese. I didn't know they had spurs.

So her eyes are large and dark and moist. No lesions or bubble or any thing weird. Her feathers are rich in color and shine. No injury seems to be done to the eyes. But she is blind.

Ok. at the risk of sounding cruel mean and like a wet blanket, and while I personally think what you have done is a great humane thing, you might be in big doo-doo.

You need to contact you game warden. Hopefully, you know him or someone you know, know him/her, personal knowledge of a warden can help in this case. The warden will most likely come and look at the bird. He may give you a temporary permit to keep it he may not. To keep it a game farm licenses would be needed in Minnesota, I assume TN has a similar license.

There is a bigger issue here, how and why did a turkey suddenly go blind. Had it been blind from birth it would be dead now. Something faster and with a better nose than you would have eaten it. The state will want to know this, you will want to know this. I hope you have the bird somewhere none of your birds can get to, and have washed and disinfected any and all clothes you had on when catching it, before seeing your birds. Bleach your shoes!

If the warden says he is taking the bird and destroying it, impress upon him that you have birds and are worried as to the cause of the turkeys blindness and whether it is a disease you need to be aware of. Make him get the state animal health board Vets get involved. Good luck.

Your kindness is remarkable turkey wrestling is never easy a wild one would be worse, I would guess.

Please contact someone "official" or this could end up being "no good deed, goes unpunished."












edited to add.... as always I should have read to the end of the thread before typing...When will I ever learn?

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralph-unfortunately I woke up this morning and found one of the CCL from you dead. Of course it was one of the girls

I'm not surprised though. She didn't look too good yesterday.

Bummer! Sorry, are the rest doing ok?


Any game "hunted" animal every state will get involved in I think. They may not go to an extra ordinary lengths to save it like they would an "endangered" animal, but they do not want people owning game animals. Even with a game farm license you cannot capture an animal from the wild. They have to be "legally" obtained. I had a game farm license 35 years ago so I know that is the case here in MN.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Bummer!  Sorry, are the rest doing ok? 


Any game "hunted" animal every state will get involved in I think. They may not go to an extra ordinary lengths to save it like they would an "endangered" animal, but they do not want people owning game animals. Even with a game farm license you cannot capture an animal from the wild. They have to be "legally" obtained.  I had a game farm license 35 years ago so I know that is the case here in MN. 

The rest look fine so far. I just think she failed to thrive but if course, a girl.

 

[memphis]

Issues of capturing a wild turkey aside. ....what would cause an apparently healthy bird to go blind.

 

[memphis]

Admittedly. ...I would have probably done the same thing.....