Hazzard of Polishing during Mating Season

[Bubba L]

We are in the polishing stage of a 1966 Safari renovation. Rain prevented us from working yesterday; however, a guest at our house heard loud thumping noises coming from the vicinity of the trailer. When he peaked around to the curbside of the trailer, he spotted a wild turkey tom pecking at its reflection in our newly polished door panel. We just laughed at our guest thinking he was joking. But lo and behold, I went out later and spotted the same (see attached). The tom was so "riveted" by his reflection, it was hard to persuade him to leave.

At this time of the year it is mating season for Rio Grande Turkeys in the Texas Hill Country. Apparently, they see reflections of themselves and think it's a competing tom. No damage to the trailer but another polishing lesson learned.

[idroba]

They re introduced turkeys to our area about 20 years ago. The first one was fun to watch, and I didn't get too upset with the turkey poop on my car when they decided to land there. Then the flocks grew. They roam the yard, making more mess than wild geese, which we also have. Throw rocks at them, they scatter for a few minutes, but not long enough. Be sure to blow your horn at them when they are in the main road and you are going 55. Otherwise they will just sit there until the last moment, which is too late, and you wind up with a broken grill or windshield. When hunting season comes, they mostly disappear, only to come back the day it ends.

I have gotten to hate wild turkeys....lol.

[rmkrum]

But, properly prepared, they are delicious😄


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[mimiandrews]

Good one, Bubba!

[PKI]

Had never seen a wild turkey until traveling the back roads of a local commute short cut about 10 years back. Two years ago we had three in the back yard on Thanksgiving day. Now we have them visit the front yard on occasion. Not a serious problem yet, but other folks get quite frustrated with their ongoing presence. If they leave during hunting season, do you suppose they might think twice if turkey was served regularly? Just how do you cook them, anyway? Understand the feathers are great material for tying flys as well. Approach with caution. Pat

[rmkrum]

My favorite Alabama story:

Showed the good ol' boys at work a picture of a flock of turkeys in my city back yard. Their first reaction was, "Dayam, them are too close to the houses to git a clean shot at 'em".

Typically they brine and marinate the birds and cook them slow. They are a bit tough and gamey otherwise. I much prefer smoked venison, but that's another story.

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[cavitycop]

Amazing.....All this timeI've been stalking them in the woods and I could have just stayed in the AS and drank coffee and waited for them. That's an awesome picture...Thanks for sharing

[Koheleth]

Years ago, on our first trip with the 310, (our first Airstream) a wild turkey flew up out of the road and took out the passenger side windshield. I had slowed to 20 or 30, but it flew straight up just as I got to it. Was an expensive trip.

[Minno]

When the coyotes move in, the turkeys will disappear (along with cats and small dogs). Then the coyotes move out when they run out of food, and the turkeys come back. Ah, nature!

Kay

[MelGoddard]

I had never seen a wild turkey, until backpacking the Bruce Trail in the Caledon Section; and they ran right by me.
Since then it's common to see them in Southern Ontario. ��

[Wabbiteer]

This same hen came around while the gasoline engine pressure washer was hammering the shell interior and showed zero fear. In this picture we'd just finished bolting the floor down and backed the floor/frame under the shell for the first time...



Our neighborhood Postal Carrier was a plump and short redhead - I swear the flock of Hens wanted to join up so they could protect her but as usual the message was misunderstood. In the 'I wish I would've had a camera' department we saw her running while tooting a stadium canned-air horn while the turkeys were trying to corral her... and shortly afterward we received this letter in our Mail...

[mocus]

I was driving down a gravel road in the country and saw about 10 wild turkey's through the hedgerow, across a broken down fence, about 50 feet from the road. I stopped got out of the car, crossed the fence and went into the field about 20 feet and sat down. In a very short time I had all of them around me pecking my watch, ring, and anything shiney. If I hadn't got up to leave in roughly 20 minutes later, I'd probably still been there and that was 28 years ago in northern Virginia, Fauquier county.

[SteveSueMac]

Great story! You should enter that pic in this month's photo contest 😃

We lived once near some woods and the flocks came through daily. They're fun the first hundred times 😃

[Airtandem]

I thought that "Wild Turkey" was a brown zliquid in a bottle tha was best served in a glass over ice.
Yes, they are also fun to hunt and eat.