Should I worry? Turkeys gone with wild ones...

[NYREDS]

Quote:
You're absolutely right. Ask the Australians how they like rabbits!

 

[chickn]

i think the question was should i worry>? turkeys gone with wild ones, and after many many posts of yes you should worry, she has asked that if hunters in her area happen on the birds to kill them,
solved. i would ask for this to be locked so you dont have to deal with it anymore!

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Sorry didnt mean to put the blame on you, but so many let theirs free range, and dont care the harm they do to the wild flocks.

Sure you didnt mean to let them out. and you are right guess should be another thread started on that subject.

 

[SledNH]

She would have to have fish & game shoot the animals. I know if I shot a domestic turkey in NH even in the wild and fish & game found out. I would loose my liscense and be fined.

 

[spook]

Wrong, domestic animals can be shot in and out of season. I gave open permission to shoot MY birds, so if the fish and game wants to give crap, all they need to do is pass them the leg bands, period.

 

[deerman]

Yes each state have their own laws, about wildlife. Also what animals that can free range.

 

[firedove]

Spook, we know you didn't do it purposely and obviously some of these posters did not read your entire thread. I apologize now but I really do want to respond to some of this.

Tons of people own turkeys in New England, tons of them free range their turkeys. We have a very strong and huge population of wild turkeys in Southern NH. I don't know what it is like in Maine. None of us have any desire to see wild turkeys changed into feral turkeys but that doesn't mean that no one should own turkeys either. That statement of only certain people should be allowed to own turkeys sounds awfully AR to me. Do we then start agreeing with PETA when they say that there should be nothing but wild turkeys allowed? People we are talking a very slippery slope.

People who are new to owning any kind of animal make mistakes. I've seen people bring home a new horse and have it escape and be gone for weeks or months because they didn't expect that it could jump so high or run through electric wire. When I first brought home my new goats they escaped and were gone for 5 days before animal control was able to round the pair up. We didn't realize that they could crawl under things so low as our gate and raised barn. Nor did I realize that kid collars don't keep kids on the collar if they fight too much. In these instances there are no wild populations to be harmed but they are domestic animals and they do escape.

Wild Turkeys are everywhere these days. The NWTF has done an awesome job in concert with others to restore wild populations all over the country. We love to see wild turkeys and we enjoy hunting wild turkeys. But I for one would be pretty upset if I was told that I couldn't own a turkey because wild turkeys happen to inhabit our town. Is it right to say that my turkeys have to be in a pen all the time and miss out on their right to forage because there are wild turkeys in the area.

It's fine to recommend to new people that they keep their domestic turkeys penned up during the wild turkey mating season, but do it to help, not to chastise. Lets face it, in lots of places people are on their own when it comes to learning about raising animals. More older people are getting into farming and animal keeping who did not come from farming families. So if you want to give helpful advise and do it in a way that teaches those of us who may not know it all already, by all means go ahead, but don't be jumping on people who make innocent mistakes and treat them like they should have known better right from the start.

I'd assume someone taught you to use the toilet in your life. I should hope they didn't beat you down when you made a mistake.

Teach the new people, don't beat on them!!!

 

[deerman]

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Noway was i meaning to beat on spook for the turkey getting loose.

The reason there are fence laws is so people dont let their animals run free. Dogs,cats, and others do so much harm when running loose, same for turkey. not as bad as dogs.

Know here in Ohio free range turkey is ilegal, for a good reason.

We also have problem with feral hogs.

Didnt mean to beat on anyone just letting people know alot of time free ranging turkey is ilegal in most State

 

[spook]

Thank you firedove.
Now as far as wild turkeys, I actually knew a man (passed away) that caught and transplanted some of the wild turkeys here in Maine and parts of NH with a group of others. I am aware of this.

But, not saying I'm right, but I once watched a flock of both, ducks and geese, wild, fly in, mix the breeds, and yet the hybrids flew south in the winter, returning home to the spot they came from, breeding with wild, that season, no ducks had white on them, Geese did have some white, less, and the next year no color of white left on them.

When we speak of genetics, these wild turkeys - 50-100 strong are inbreeding each year, what happens when you keep any blood line pure? Inbreeding which causes illness, virus, general weakness.

Now mind you, don't attack me when I say that, even dog owners ship studs/grump and frozen you know whats for new, fresh bloodlines to improve their stock.

But here in Geese/ducks, it is a matter of the next generation probably being stronger due to inheriting other genes.

I am very conscious of wildlife, laws and have hunted, yet for some reason I feel like I need to keep defending myself. Its like having a heifer standing in a field, in "season" and a bull moose wanders through. The cow needs to be put down. Is it the farmers fault that his bovine was in its pasture?

These turks were in their domaine when the wild turkeys came down and enticed them into the flock.
Either way, this is getting old.

Please feel free to lock this subject down. It has had me in tears more times then recieving useful infromation.

Please, I beg of you, do not jump on anyone else's hind ends again. NEVER . Not only did I feel guilt, but I have regretted sharing any truths with you.
Respectfully,
Spooks

 

[SledNH]

Spook, it dosn't bother me that your turkey's got loose with the wild ones. But if you have a hunter shoot them in or out of season they are breaking the law in Maine according to Maine Fish & Game. The owner on the other hand can shoot them if they are loose anytime. I just didn't want you to have one of your friends shoot one then get into any trouble with Fish&Game.