Last evening, about 5 o'clock a herd of 8 deer ran all the way across the field in front of our house on the way into the woods.  Just a long line like one of those children's shooting galleries.

Then, this morning a flock of wild turkeys (at least I think they are turkeys).  First time seeing turkeys on our land.  And a little red fox running around in the fields.  Maybe the cold brings out the wildlife!

Picture came out better then I though for 300 yards..

Bentley shoot them they are trespassing, and then smoke them 

Yep, they're turkeys.  They've become the executioners of Nebraska's pheasant and quail populations.  They eat the eggs and chicks.  Upland birds are scarce now.  You don't have to look very closely to see that they are just miniature dinosaurs.  They walk around and eat anything they can get in their mouths.

I'm not particularly fond of eating wild turkey.  A rancher I know shoots them by the garbage can full and takes the carcasses to the dump.  He's trying to drive them off because they defecate in his cattle feeding bunks and give his cattle a disease.

I sat in a blind and shot 16 with a zippy little rimfire rifle before they scattered.

Yep, they're turkeys.  They've become the executioners of Nebraska's pheasant and quail populations.  They eat the eggs and chicks.  Upland birds are scarce now.  You don't have to look very closely to see that they are just miniature dinosaurs.  They walk around and eat anything they can get in their mouths.

Must be why there are hardly any grouse in northern MN.  I see quite a few turkeys from time to time when I am up there.  And have had a whole herd of them come thru my front yard at the cabin several times.  I imagine they have had an effect on the pheasants in MN as well.

Generally speaking there seems to be more wildlife in northern MN than when i was a kid.  Hardly, if ever, saw a bear.  Now they are more common and seen close by to my cabin.  Also talk of people seeing wolf and mountain lion.  Never any when I was a kid.

They started multiplying like rabbits as soon as they were stocked by the Nebraska Game and Fish Department.  I asked why they did it and destroyed the upland bird hunting.  The Dept. said that turkeys are indigenous to Nebraska and the pheasants and chukars aren't so they put less priority on them.

Businesses in the western part of the state that used to rely on hunter revenue—motels, restaurants, gas stations...—are not at all pleased with the turkey program.

1 word...Claymore's!

And have had a whole herd of them come thru my front yard at the cabin several times.

1 word...Claymore's!

And have had a whole herd of them come thru my front yard at the cabin several times.

That would make the feathers fly!LOL

1 word...Claymore's!

And have had a whole herd of them come thru my front yard at the cabin several times.

They come in handy.

In my part of Nebraska we see a health population of pheasants, quail, and turkey. The places we see a reduction of quail and pheasant populations seem to corolate with the explosion of center pivits.

Make sure they stay away from your house and garden... If they start that way best to get early start training them to stay away or they will destroy that yard of yours...We have some folks in a Eugene OR subdivision that moved in from down south that thought they were cutie and started feeding them. Now all the other home owners are paying for it..Cant shoot them in town.


I did have a friend that had some on his property. He had some reindeer so ODFW had to come out and inspect his fences to renew his permit. When they got there they ask if he had a permit for the 30 turkeys that were locked up in his chicken coop. He said no because they were not his. They were ODFW's turkeys that went in to eat the food so he just locked the door. Had to let them go.


Mudflap

They broadcast on the local news tonight that turkey hunting season opens on Thursday and closes on Sat, so any of you folks who are interested -- come on over!

Yep, they're turkeys.  They've become the executioners of Nebraska's pheasant and quail populations.  They eat the eggs and chicks.  Upland birds are scarce now.  You don't have to look very closely to see that they are just miniature dinosaurs.  They walk around and eat anything they can get in their mouths.

First I have ever heard of this. Never have heard of turkeys being predators with the exception of insects.
I would look closer at the coyote, bobcat, fox, populations. Since a pelt is worth ZIP the true predators are running rampant.
People are not trapping them anymore. A few like myself will hunt coyote when were bored.

Yep Turkeys or Flying bowling balls. Had a few of these fly into the Mail Truck (25 ft straight truck) over my 12 years of driving. That's what they sounded like when they would fly into the side of the truck. One hit half on my windshield & the top of the cab. looked like a bowling ball hit it.