Louise's Utopia: Turkey Hunting Season

A flock of turkeys made there way down the driveway of Coteau Valley Farm, Sunday. They were tall, fat birds. I was really excited as I stared out my window, seeing so many in a flock! I went to grab my camera to take some pictures and ended up with the phone instead. I shot a video. Sadly, when I opened the front door, my guard dog Compass also heard the gobblers. Compass began barking. The turkeys in turn heard Compass. They mobilized and made their retreat just as quickly as they had come forth. It was disheartening, in a way. I wanted to see them up close and watch their behaviors. I am not sure why I was let down, seeing them leave the property. I don't even know why I wanted them to come up-close to my house. I know they are a nuisance bird. True mess makers or better yet, they destroy gardens. They dig and scratch and generally rip up yards with their long talons. I have observed them dig like a half a foot down into my garden. I kind of don't like them for that reason, jerks. They can also be very aggressive and dangerous. I did tell Compass she was a bad dog, but she was just doing her job. I did not really mean she was bad. I did not want the Turkeys to stay, anyway. In my mind having an army of turkeys invade my yard and take over is really fun and exciting. I like their reputation. But in reality, I would have been mad at the turkeys. They probably would have stuck around and bullied me around in my own backyard. Turkeys are large birds. The male birds can be upwards of twenty-five pounds and fifty inches tall. The females are smaller but they are still large, weighing about twelve pounds and standing around thirty six inches tall. Turkeys are covered in literally thousands of feathers and both the male and female gobble loudly. It is spring and they probably are mating. This makes them even more aggressive. I've heard they are able to pick out individual people and identify who they are. I mean they recognize different people if they are in captivity. They are also able to do this as wild birds. If they live close to a home. They do this as a way of creating a pecking order. If you are seen as a lesser then they will be put in that order. If you think you are going to pick a fight with a turkey, think again. They are not afraid to meet you in the chip pit for a duel. I mean one on one. Obviously if you have a bow or shotgun things will be different. Just walk away from the fight, if you do not have something to back you up. Benjamin Franklin had good reason to want the turkey as the national bird. He knew they were extremely intelligent and outrageously courageous. He felt they more represented the true American citizen, vastly over the bald eagle. He found the eagle to be a thug like bird of low morals. Perhaps the eagle would have sufficed at this present time, or the vulture. I don't know myself. I am not Benjamin Franklin. He admired the brains and tenacity of the turkey and his willingness to fight. Back to the subject of the turkey, they do have long powerful legs with nails on their feet. Big tough bodies, so they can fight hard. Turkeys can fly up to fifty-five miles an hour too. The females prefer to fly if they feel threatened. Not the males, they run and it may just be toward you. If you want to identify if the bird is a male or female, its done by looking at the bird poo. The beard is not an indicator of male. As female turkeys develop thin, kinked beards at times. Do not let that fool your conclusion. The droppings of the male bird are shaped like a J. The females are spiral shaped. If it is a large dropping the bird is probably older, and smaller sized, it's a younger bird. By older, I mean no more than six years old. That is about how old they live in the wild. It is hunting season for turkeys in South Dakota, soon. Perhaps that is why they made their unexpected appearance at Coteau Valley Farm. I am surprised they came as close as they did to my home. Turkeys are able to see three times more clearly than twenty-twenty vision. So they could see me inside my house, no doubt. They also see in color. Add that to a two hundred and seventy degree field of vision and you know they are sharp sighted. This means they see much better than man! Getting back to South Dakota hunting. I am not sure if it is archery season or shotgun season. I feel like the turkeys know! Laugh if you will, turkeys are extremely intelligent birds. They are very aware of their surroundings and the time of the year! They may even recognize you! If you are in the game for hunting a wild turkey- be prepared. This bird is no dummy and they are prepared to fight. They sleep in the trees too, so look out above your heads while you are walking! They may just jump onto your head at fifty-five miles an hour. Happy hunting to you! Maybe just happy bird watching. Don't forget to wear that camouflage for your edge. Your going to need the help to hide from them. They will see you very easily in any colored clothing you may have in mind to wear. Let me know your thoughts on this monster bird. The one with the smart brains and the courage to back it up! Would you meet one in the woods alone? A fair duel or camouflaged and packing? Share the blog and leave a comment, please!