Turkey Question

My favorite is Coconut Cream pie.

Usually have that on thanksgiving

After the Turkey.

I suspect domestic turkeys were bred from wild originally. Today, there are big differences between the two. True domestic turkeys cannot survive on their own. But there are breeds close to wild that might. However, many states have laws prohibiting releasing any animals into the wild. If you plan to do so, just do it and don't reveal your plans ahead of time to the authorities. OTOH, turkeys are very nomadic, you may never see them again after release. We get turkeys around my house (my flintlock shotgun is loaded ready for next appearance) but they come and go at unpredictable times, no set pattern or season. Other birds can be clipped to prevent flying so you can watch them but they are not likely to last long as animals such as racoons, dogs, hawks, neighbors and such will kill them in short order. I would just put out feed and hope for visitors.

Well, for now I have decided against it. The mention so them pecking pheasant and quail eggs was the plan breaker. The pheasants and quail are depleted enough by the magpies.

thanks all for the input. Including the pie, wine and other ideas~

Paul Douglass said:

Never heard of Mulberry/Rhubarb pie. I love strawberry/rhubarb pie. All we get from the Mulberries is purple, you know what from the birds! I have a big Gooseberry bush I started. It has a purple berry that almost tastes like a grape. Can't get my wife to make jam, pie or anything with them. I wonder how Gooseberry wine would be??

Never thought about the turkey bothering the pheasant and quail eggs. That is not good. We have enough Magpies that do that.

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Don't know from anything about gooseberries, but have heard of mulberry wine...

Paul get hold of the NTWF National Turkey Wildlife Federation and ask them about raising polts for them.

Well many years ago a good friend of mine and a friend of his who owned 480 acres of awesome woods and stream bottom bought 17 turkeys from Tennessee. I do believe these were adult wild birds. To my knowledge these were the first birds released in Michigan. At least it was the better part of 10 years before the DNR released wild turkey's in Michigan. That flock did well and I would guess that some of their offspring have found their way to my dinner table. he cool thing was that those birds had the recessive gene that produced smokey gray versions of the wild turkey. The old guy who paid to introduce those birds would not let anyone shoot the smokey gray tom that lived in his woods. Don't know what the DNR would think of all this but I don't figure to admit to any real knowledge of the affair.