Protecting turkeys from unsafe and amateur hunters

[farmgirlie1031]

I'd think you could just keep them penned up. Hunters can be crazy. I've heard of dun and buckskin horses being shot during deer season because they are the same color as a deer. Someone around here even shot some cattle before just cause they were big and colored like deer. Orange non-toxic paint may work also but I'm not sure. I knew of a person sadly who would just shoot it because it was a turkey no matter what if it was in the woods as it was free for the taking in their eyes.

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

My dad's neighbor had pet turkeys and some idiot shot them right in their front yard. I really want a turkey but I'm scared it'll get shot even if I dye it pink.

 

[SueNH]

Get a small bottle of child safe latex paint in an obnoxious, unnatural color. Arts and crafts dept at walmart has them for about 89 cents. I don't have a big problem in the spring toms only season here but in the fall I have idiots because of the pheasant release sight next door to me. My bronze birds are sport bright yellow legs and yellow stripes on their wings because of it each fall. It lasts about 2 months and flakes off.

I had one guy stop one year and talk to me while the turkeys were milling around me. The man pointed to one of my bronze toms and told me he was going to get that guy. I told him it was a pet. Bird was standing right next to me looking at the fool in the truck. Man asked me if I could touch him if it really was a pet. I reached down and patted the tom. He then said if it's really a pet I had to prove it. I picked up the tom with little reaction from the bird. Did finally satisfy the idiot.

One year I had an old goat shot during bird season. She was ancient and arthritic and rarely wandered far from the barn. Nice graze across her hip.

Another year I was just outside the back door and heard gunshots in my horse pasture. My horses went by at full panic speed. I called my husband saying somebody was shooting in the pasture. As he came out he grumbled that nobody was that stupid. As he got to the door more shots rang out and the horse flew in the other direction. I could hear bells on a hunting dog at this point but couldn't see anybody. Good portions of the horse area are still brush covered from non use from an old relative who had the farm before us. My husband put on a orange vest and went out there. The hunters told my husband that they knew what they were doing and that they thought they saw some woodcocks. They also thought it was funny that their dogs got electrocuted by the fence. My husband nicely sent them away. Apparently too nice, they came back for a bit the next day, again panicked the horses. I called fish and game but they are spread too thin to be effective.
Next morning my old mare was down, her age and vitals told me she was done for. I called the vet.

Few hours later while I was waiting for the backhoe to arrive the idiot showed up at my door and said he was sorry for scaring me and attempted to hand me a freshly shot pheasant. I closed the door and vomited.

Didn't see him last season. If I see him again....

I really hate stupid people. I really hate stupid people. I really hate stupid people.

 

[cgjsmith]

My neighbors boy asked the other day if we had turkeys. My turkeys arn't allowed in the woods just in front of the barn. still might pant them pink... C

 

[brewmiss96]

I'd just like to point out, as a hunter and a hunter safety instructor that there's a word for people that shoot game they can't identify, shoot out of season or shoot time, shoot out of their cars and not off the road...

It's called poaching, they are poachers and law-breakers, not hunters. A hunter would never do any of those things. Not saying that a hunter would know your turkeys are special though; I would because I'm an upland game bird nut and on this forum, but most hunters would see a different colored turkey with a beard and think "Woot, my lucky day!".

Also, not sure about PA but it's illegal to shoot a turkey roosting, it's unsportsmanlike to boot. In CA turkey shoot time ends at 4pm so the birds have time to settle down and roost for the night.

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Brewmiss,

It is illegal to shoot turkeys off a roost here.


The one thing about my birds guys is that if someone shot them, they'd be on my property. There are so many people that come from the city to hunt this area, and they don't give a hoot whose property they're on. When I first got turkeys I was of the opinion, "What idiot would shoot these colored turkeys? They are just not natural colored!" Now I have truly opened my eyes about it and I have thought to myself, people from the city area that are unfamiliar with the many breeds of turkeys would just think they were oddballs and they would think they would be the first hunters to get something spectacular.

Everyone that lives in my area knows about my turkeys and knows they are pets. Its just the out of town folk I worry about. So many out of town "hunters" have trespassed onto our property, it's not funny. And I wouldn't be surprised if someone pulled over on the road and shot my tom from the roadside.


CGJSmith, mine arent allowed in the wood either. I'm afraid of bears and coyotes going after them. They usually just stick around the barn... but that first day of opening gobbler season was the first time they headed for the woods. I think they heard someone calling, and with all the gobbling from the wild turkeys, that could've been something that drew my tom down to the woods.

SueNH, I am truly sorry to hear about your losses. People can truly be disgusting, in the matter uncaring. They just get a kick out of things getting hurt. Those people you speak of are truly imature. Have you considered have game wardens watch some of those areas around you? Maybe catch some of those people doing things they shouldn't be doing.


Haley

 

[ams3651]

if hes out in the woods off your property I may not matter to that hunter if hes painted purple with yellow spots let alone a little orange paint. Meat is meat and if hes off your property hes fair game. This is comming from someone who grew up in a family of hunters, my son got his turkey already. But we all know there are hunters out there who dont care. We had an albino Doe around here for a long time, nobody would shoot it. Its considered bad luck and well, its beautiful to see. Dont you know, someone from out of the area shot it. If I were you I would just keep him pened up till the end of season, I think its only a few days?

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Turkey season just started last saturday Ams. It goes for a month (?) because I was for sure it was 4 weeks.

Like I said, they stay on my property. I own the woods down far around the house. But like a said before, people that come from different towns to hunt here dont care. They'll trespass. If I catch them though...

 

[SueNH]

Taking domestic livestock is illegal here. Turkeys included.

If a hunter were to take a minute and observe his target...

Reminds me of the jerk who was in a restaurant once bragging about shooting a bear so small he was going to make a table lamp. That man disgusts me and most hunters. He is also potentially dangerous to the game officers. He has beaten the daylights out of his wife. Nice guy! I believe his hunting privileges are suspended right now but he doesn't care. He does hunt this area.

I do know the game officers have sat hidden in the woods while some fool has called my turkeys. I don't know if they would have let them go as far as shooting my birds or not. The turkeys have eventually figured out something wasn't right and returned to the immediate backyard.

Fish and game does make sure my property line is peppered with signs that say CAUTION HORSES.

I would think a bright yellow electric fence that is on during hunting season would be a bit of a clue.

NH Fish and Game is in serious budget crisis. They are looking at serious shortfalls. The officers are spread very thin. The young man assigned to this area is an awesome game officer but his territory is huge. Because of this we are often left to handle minor problems ourselves. The pat answer is generally , "Sue, you have a gun, do what you need to do."

If Mr. Ishootbabybears were to be spotted then they would be here in droves probably with state police. Only the human predators provokes much of response anymore.


Eek! can you tell it's a sore spot?

 

[Betsy]

Hmm...after reading all these posts I wonder if it would be a good idea to call animal control or police on "hunters" who shoot domesticated animals instead of the game wardens. All you would have to do is complain that someone was out shooting at your horses, goats, turkeys etc. That goes into the realm of animal abuse. If you can't tell the difference between a goat, horse, or cow and a deer you should NOT be considered a hunter. And if you shoot a turkey that's in someone's yard or is in a pasture...once again, animal abuse, destruction of someone's property, NOT hunting! Knowing our animal control and sheriff's department, that's what I would do. Thankfully there are fields between us and the woods in my area, so if someone would come shooting at my poultry, I would NOT consider them hunters!!