catching wild baby turkeys?

[bock]

My 9 year old sister is determined to catch some baby turkeys at my grandma's house this summer. For 20 miles around her house they are WAY overpopulated with wild turkeys, I mean whole families will sit in your yard for weeks, they even sleep on her roof! I am not sure how she plans to catch them, but my parents want to know if there are any reasons she shouldn't trap them. By the way, we live on 5 acres on the country and she is planning on releasing the adults on our property with some of the wild turkeys out here. We also have a heat lamp, a brooder,bedding, and food for baby chickens, ducks, and geese. Thanks!

 

[Southernbelle]

Better check with Wildlife services in your area to make sure that's legal.

 

[bock]

Hmm, I guess we didn't think about that. I am pretty much against the whole thing myself. It just seems mean and well just plain stupid to me. Unfortunatlly she gets anything she wants.....unless I can find a real negative to all this.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

If you have to have a permit to hunt them.
I figure you will have to have a permit to keep them.

I bet you can get fined for catching them
Thats a good enough reason not to catch them.

 

[brewmiss96]

Don't know what state you are in but you usually need a license to partake in hunting (usually defined as the act of taking, pursuing, capturing, harassing, and/or killing, or the intent to take, pursue, capture, harass, and/or kill. Note this covers pursuit to just take pictures too). There are usually hunting seasons defined for each animal that minimize the effect of pressure during the breeding season (nesting and brooding in the spring for birds). Since most states recognize turkeys as a viable game species, a very popular one in most states, the wildlife law enforcement in your area would most likely frown on this idea.

So, to sum up, depending on your state, it's most likely illegal for your sister to try to catch wild baby turkeys. Also take into consideration how big a hen turkey is, and realize that a hen is not just going to let a 9 year old chase and catch one of her babies without trying to defend it. Plus, wild-caught babies are going to have already imprinted on their mother and will most likely not take food, and will die in captivity as a result of separating them from their mother who was in the process of teaching them how to forage for food on their own. Also, transporting live wild animals requires special permitting, and doing so with an intent on transplanting them to an area where they are not found currently is only allowed by permit or only done by your state's wildlife management department.

I know this because I've worked in wildlife management for 10 years and have specialized in upland birds.

I would recommend getting some domestic poults, and a lesson in disappointment for your sister, as it is easier to teach this fact of life when she's younger and still spankable.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

love the above post!
and yes,
everything you mentioned about that plan is illegal. period doesnt matter what state you are in.
Catching any species of wild animal is illegal, and the release or transport of wild animals to another location is illegal, so DONT DO IT!
If you want more wild turkeys on your property, buy some, many breeders have wild strain turkeys legally now a days, myself included. However, it is still illegal to release these into the wild as well. They are ment to be penned only. Also even with captive bred ones, your state still may require a permit for them, or they may not be legal at all, you would have to check with your state DNR for that.

 

[bock]

I showed my parents this, and they looked it up. It is illegal, so they told my sister she can't do it.

Thanks for finding all the cons to their plan.

 

[byoung14ever]

Quote:
I think the lesson here should be not to do it because it is illegal and you are helping keep your sister out of trouble..not just to be mean to her.

 

[bock]

Quote:
I think the lesson here should be not to do it because it is illegal and you are helping keep your sister out of trouble..not just to be mean to her.

I am not trying to be mean to her. I think it would be fun to get baby turkeys too, IF they were from a hatchery or a breeder. She tends to get these wild ideas, and someone needs to tell her it is not the right thing to do, or it is OK. I am sorry if I sounded like a mean big sister, I am usually very nice to her.

 

[byoung14ever]

Well I apologize then and do understand what little sisters are like as I have five of them!!! You are doing the right thing to find out before the law informs you!!! Brad