Wild Turkey(s)

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
OK now that I have your attention I am not talking about bourbon here but rather those ugly disgusting wild turkeys that run rampant this time of year in the hills around where I live.

Living in the hills surrounding Mt Diablo where I live brings with a spring barrage of wild turkeys who manage to fly over my fence and wreak havoc in my yard. Several weeks ago I came home to find 3 adult turkeys in my back yard with 14 recently hatched turkeys. What an absolute mess they created crapping everywhere and leaving feathers everywhere. Now the coyotes seem to have picked most of them off and we are left with 7 adults, the males of which must stand at least 4 feet tall and weigh at least 25 lbs. Now they have taken to drinking from the shallow end of my pool by standing on the top step. As thanks for drinking the water they crap on the top step and let me tell you that wild turkey poop is not the same as that from our pet parakeets. These are big, disgusting and almost impossible to get out of the pool.

here is the problem...these birds are protected by law and there is nothing you can do. You can't trap them, shoot them or blow them up. If they become a huge problem you can petition the county for a permit for their removal but this ends up costing a fortune

I have tried everything from loud noises to throwing cans at them to spraying them with my garden hose to get them out of the yard but they still find a way back. What is amazing is that these huge birds (unlike domestic turkeys) can fly and there is nothing funnier than running after these birds and watching them fly all of 50 feet over my fence into the back hills.

My question is whether anyone else has problems with these disgusting birds and what solution did you take. I finally had to resort to placing those floor carpet tack strips around the shallow end of my pool as well as a wall of patio furniture around the steps. My gardner laughs when he sees this around my pool. I told him the next thing I am going to do is buy an air gun. We have tried the windmills on the top of the fence and other things which cause reflections of light but they still find a way in

Help :(

Suggestions welcome
 

mdabb

Member
Jul 10, 2010
54
0
6
N.E. Ohio
Actually, when you reflect light toward a wild turkey it will go after it as if it were being challenged. Go into your backyard with a mirror and reflect sunlight toward a male.... watch what happens.

You say this happens every year? Do you have a pool cover? I understand the pool cover might be an inconvenience, but not as much of an inconvenience as you have to deal with otherwise. The pool cover would eliminate a water source. What about food sources? what kind of garden do you have?

It may seem like a funny idea, but maybe you could do predator "call blasts" of sorts to see if that has any effect. Perhaps they will flee the area if they hear a coyote. How might they react to a coyote decoy &/or scents ???

You might not be able to get rid of the problem entirely, but you might be able to make your place a little less welcoming and they will move on much quicker.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
well they show up this time every year and either they move on and/or get picked off by coyotes but as I sit typing this there are 2 hens picking around the outside of my back fence. I do have a cover and yes it is an inconvenience. I am looking into automated covers
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
15,813
37
0
Seattle, WA
You may want to try this unit which I just ordered to scare deer: http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO10...1NUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335977999&sr=8-1

It is a motion activated sprinkler:



BTW, we have your problem here at times multiplied by 1000: Canadian Geese! Just like you turkeys, they poop like a large animal. Maybe what you are getting is payback for the problem we have from your home country! :D :D :D
 

mojave

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2010
251
0
321
Elkhorn, NE
here is the problem...these birds are protected by law and there is nothing you can do. You can't trap them, shoot them or blow them up. If they become a huge problem you can petition the county for a permit for their removal but this ends up costing a fortune.
Why is it illegal to hunt them there? It is turkey season right now in California for both firearm and bow. I just read on another forum about people hunting turkey on and around Mt. Diablo.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Yes, Canadian geese also arrive in droves by the water sometimes and can be a pest. Because they 'often' come in from the water, farmers will put up small electric fences (12" tall) that at least make it a bit more painful for them to walk across...but when you can fly, i am not sure how much that's gonna help in your case, Steve.

I am also told that certain sprays can be annoying to animals...deer often eat flowers, but if you spray them they stop eating them because they dont' like the taste...if you can find something similar, spray the pool deck (if its safe for humans), and maybe the turkeys wont come near the area?
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Why is it illegal to hunt them there? It is turkey season right now in California for both firearm and bow. I just read on another forum about people hunting turkey on and around Mt. Diablo.

Well AFAIK they are doing it illegally
 

cjfrbw

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
3,325
1,316
1,730
Pleasanton, CA
Back yard dog, but then you would have the dog and maybe neighbors mad about noise.

Something akin to a random movement device, like those battery powered carpet sweepers, but it would have to keep moving and not fall into the pool. Maybe flapping sheets or streamers blown by a fan.

Wild turkeys and feral pigs, two of the fastest growing animal populations in the country. I never remember seeing them years ago, now everywhere.

I kind of like them, they look like herds of dinosaurs, but bird crap and defoliation never made any friends.

Sorry for getting some amusement from your misery, the opening post gave me a chuckle.

I sometimes see them roosting high in trees around here, so they really can fly.
 
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Soundproof

New Member
Jan 13, 2012
429
1
0
Oslo, Norway

Soundproof

New Member
Jan 13, 2012
429
1
0
Oslo, Norway
Soundproof

thanks so much. I am going to order that 3D coyote and let you know how it goes

Move it around two or three times a week, so they don't get used to it being in the same place. Pretty soon, they'll stop coming around.
 

Jay_S

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
309
5
16
San Francisco - East Bay
We're got wild turkeys all over the place near my house. They're dumb, fearless, and noisy, and they hang out in the streets. I'm surprised that more haven't been run down by vehicles.
 

cjfrbw

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
3,325
1,316
1,730
Pleasanton, CA
Don't think they are that dumb, wiley beasties by reputation. It will be interesting if a statue is enough to scare them away. The coyote statue scares me.
 

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