"Jakers" The Wild Eastern Turkey

[SterlingAcres]

Ran down to Jody and Charlie's to pick up our Thanksgiving bird. As soon as we got it into the car, my SIL named it "Jakers"... I'm hoping it actually ends up dinner and not as a pet.

The kids are in love with him. Thanks guys, he's awesome. I heard him calling out this morning, so maybe he's feeling a bit more relaxed. I'm sure once his 'quarantine' is over, he'll have a blast in the bigger run. He's very much interested in the chickens.

 

[hinkjc]

I'm glad to see he's settling in for you. He's probably wondering why you didn't bring his harem of girls along for the ride.

I hope you fall in love with him.

Jody

 

[texaschickmama]

Pretty bird, we have them wild here. My DH loves to go hunting for them.

 

[ChanceRider]

Oooh, he's beautiful! We do have wild turkeys here but they haven't been on our property in a year or two... probably due to the neighbors who let their dog(s) run wild. I've thought about trying to raise a couple for T'day dinner, but I'm not sure I'd be able to let them be butchered as I have a tendancy to get too attached.

Gotta toughen up sometime and give it a shot... I'll never make it "livin' off the land"

.

 

[wilds of pa]

Thanks for sharing his pic...Elmer is his daddy

Yup each to there own...
as for me i couldnt eat the wild turkeys i keep 20+ birds, just bond to much with most of them..They are very friendly for the most part..The hens are real lovable in there own way..

However we got a Young gobbler 20lbs (3"beard) Jody took in the spring, i wasnt as lucky as Jody was..no turkey for me..

Ive sold others in the past, some where used for T-DAY and some are still on farms where they went to for pets or breeding..

Charlie

 

[bluebirdfarm]

we have about twenty four wild turkeys at our place .
a few of them have been "visiting " the chickens .


what a hoot , the girls do kinda run away from them!
they are funny to watch.

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
LOL! Who knows if he'll even make it to the table. My father called here tonight and was like "OMG a WILD one? Surely you're not going to KILL it, are you?!" And he's a hunter.

 

[wilds of pa]

He may like to have him, if you get a hen to one day,
you can learn to call them in like a pro in the wild..Because you can here other sounds that most turkey hunters never here them make..

Got hunting buddies of mine that stop up just to hear them make calls..

Charlie

 

[monarc23]

when we had a trio of turkeys (they were wild colored but they were the large double breasted type) the tom called in the wild turkeys here all the time...and who were MUCH prettier than my moms trio.


Heres actually a few pictures of the flock of turkeys in our yard a few months ago (not called in by domestic turkeys, just walking through):

Turkeys near my moms chickens:

Hens...look at the hen on the far right, very light in color why is this? My dad suggested older age???

 

[sweetshoplady]

He's gorgeous! What does he weigh and how old is he?

How cool to have them running wild through your back yard!