Wild Turkeys Bothering my Mixed Flock!

[Ted_Harrell]

Since others in your state have already been through this I would try your low power pellet gun. Once you get the point across to them, maybe they will leave. Good luck mam..

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

There are pellet guns that can be deadly that do not cost thousands of dollars. Any pellet gun that is weak enough to not be harmful to a turkey will also not bother them because the pellet will just bounce off of the feathers. Noise will bother them. Chasing them will bother them.

Your assumption of where I live is totally wrong. Every state has its own rules. You live in Texas while the OP lives in Florida. What you can do in Texas is not necessarily what she can do in Florida. Her first course of action should be to contact her local game warden or DNR agent. They may help her or they may not help her but they will let her know what her legal options are.

Wait, are you the OP or are you referring to yourself in both the 1st and 3rd person? I don't know Florida at all. Don't know why my ignorance about your state might anger you, only trying to help you. We are certainly quite free of burdensome laws in TX. We can hunts hogs year-round, for example, with no tag or license.

Regarding cheap pellet guns, perhaps you're right. But when it comes to tires, brakes or weapons, I never consider cheap. Yesterday a friend showed me his 30cal pellet gun that cost him almost $3k including a scuba air tank (!) So I guess I had that on my mind.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Actually I live in the country. With different neighbors farms size from 5 acres to up to hundred acres. Thank you for all your help. I do have a pellet rifle, low power, but as soon as they saw me approaching with it they took off. Which tells me they’ve been hunted before. I will call the government and see what they suggest. I was told that if wild animals harass or cause damage to farmers they can kill them. I also though to use salt cartridges shotgun. Just so they feel the pain and scare them. Just to make sure. What government office I need to check with? Thank you again one and all.

While salt shotgun shells is a colorful image from days of yore, if it breaks the skin the animal will probably go off and die. They don't have sophisticated immune systems. You're also likely to put their eye out with any shotgun. FYI

 

[R2elk]

Why not quarantine them then add them to your flock? Maybe they want in...

Totally illegal.

 

[R2elk]

I have talked to a wildlife officer and was told that you can shoot if the predator is endangering your flock.

The key word here is predator. I don't know of any state that considers wild turkeys predators.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Totally illegal.

that’s illegal? Oof okay don’t keep the turkeys, ignore what I said and don’t break the laws

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Shooting them with a pellet gun is called wildlife harassment and is illegal and can be deadly depending on the pellet gun.

Totally illegal.

Wow, what state is that, Wyoming?

 

[cmom]

The key word here is predator. I don't know of any state that considers wild turkeys predators.

When I was talking to the wildlife officer originally, it was about skunks that were being relocated into my area. We are rural on a dead end road where all of the properties are several acres and also gray squirrels that were doing some damage like chewing on my cable TV wire on the pole next to the house. We have had to have it replace several times over the years. The officer told me I could shoot them because they aren't endangered. In about a 2 week period I caught over a dozen skunks and one night I caught 2 in one trap.

 

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

When I was talking to the wildlife officer originally, it was about skunks that were being relocated into my area. We are rural on a dead end road where all of the properties are several acres and also gray squirrels that were doing some damage like chewing on my cable TV wire on the pole next to the house. We have had to have it replace several times over the years. The officer told me I could shoot them because they aren't endangered. In about a 2 week period I caught over a dozen skunks and one night I caught 2 in one trap.

The trick is too put hot pepper on the wires. First taste they get they'll start running away and learn their lesson.

 

[cmom]

The trick is too put hot pepper on the wires. First taste they get they'll start running away and learn their lesson.

How do I get to the top of the telephone pole where the wire comes in? That is where the squirrels chewed on the wire. I don't have a ladder tall enough and I'm old and don't climb very well anymore.