how to repel wild turkeys

[yoderjac]

Oh yes, I see. Understood. I was going off the OP's hypothesis in his first statement that the turkey's are indeed eating his seed...thus his failed plots. I assumed he ruled out deer. Pretty easy to tell if deer are wiping out seedlings or if turkeys are wiping out seed. I was just suggesting that a good way to support or disprove the "turkeys eating seed hypothesis" would be to set up and exclusion cage, then go from there based on those results. I agree other things could be at play...I was thinking those things could be abiotic factors, and again, assumed he had ruled out deer.

One thing for sure...I don't like his idea of winching a dead deer up into a tree to attract coyotes which would then keep turkeys away that were eating all the seed he planted to attract deer.

Yes, I was trying to get the OP to step back and consider if that assumption that turkey are the problem is really true. I don't dispute that he is seeing turkey eating seed in the field, just whether they eat enough to have the impact he is seeing. We, as humans, tend to connect the dots whether the connections are there or not. Plant, see turkey eat seed, poor results => turkey are the problem. It is certainly possible, but with all the turkey we have, and my experience with seeing them in my plots eating seed and still getting good results, I would think it would need to be a pretty tiny plot for turkey to be the issue. On the other hand, even in multi-acre plots, with some crops, deer have reeked havoc. I've confirmed this with a Gallagher-style e-fence that keeps deer out but not turkey.

I know it is possible for turkey to be the problem. I would just want to confirm that turkey are really the problem before proceeding with much effort. There are lots of factors that can cause bad results. Certainly exclusion cages would be a good diagnostic step in that it eliminates a lot of factors. It just doesn't differentiate between turkey eating seed and deer eating new shoots. If turkey predating seed is really the problem, I think it is time to step back and look at the big picture. Turkey have such a wide diet, why are they focusing on his plot? Is thatch management a problem where the seed is just laying on open dirt? Is the field so tiny that it doesn't take many birds to predate it? Are there other birds (crows, doves, etc. ) along with deer eating young shoots that a re a combination problem? What is the habitat like in the area that turkey are focusing on this seed?

I've got more questions than answers. I have heard some guys complain that turkey predation of seed is a problem, but I have not seen it even with good turkey populations. I just wonder if turkey being a problem is true in some regions or if it is more of a perception than a reality.

 

[jsasker007]

Maybe I missed it but I didn't see what type of seed you are broadcasting?

 

[cjm580]

I give anything to have your problem. Used to be lots of turkeys here but now hard see any at all. I miss this spring morning hearing 3-4 longbeards gobbling on a hardwood holler

 

[Persimman]

Well team, thanks for all the responses. It sounds like not much hope overall but a scarecrow might be an idea. I went ahead and got the Bird-X coyote decoy and a roll of the sparkly streamers. I was rushing to get something to try when I re-plant, but there hasn't been any rain so I'm going to give up for this year. Thanks to Cuddecell (the first time I ever tried one), I can see that the turkeys stopped coming daily after 2 weeks, I see a little green coming up (probably fescue seeded from nearby lawns), and a few does are now coming in every day. There is a good amount of clover from when I started the plot 2 yrs ago, so that will improve during the fall. (Cuddecell is awesome. Almost, but not quite, as fun as my cultipacker.)
Bird-X has a very knowledgeable person who thinks the ultimate answer is the variable color flashing laser beam which annoys their sensitive eyes and the 8-different-sounds stratocaster including turkey in distress, coyote calls, gun shots, etc. $500 plus for the stratocaster and I"d have to figure out a 110v source. Sounds useful for a golf course or a runway, but too much for me to use 2 weeks each fall.
Yes, there are always turkeys on this farm. I used to finish ML season every year with a turkey to take home and stew on the woodstove. But the real turkey hunters lobbied DWR to reduce the kill rate from us incidental hunters, so now I'm not allowed to shoot them during deer season. They are lots of fun to watch, and you watch them a lot more if you don't shoot them.

 

[Persimman]

Maybe I missed it but I didn't see what type of seed you are broadcasting?

winter rye, ladino clover, ecotill radish

 

[Persimman]

It would be pretty easy for the OP to test your hypothesis with an exclusion cage of some kind put up after planting.

The exclusion cage is a good idea. I've only used them after a plot is established, but yeah they would be great from the start to see germination rates.

 

[jsasker007]

winter rye, ladino clover, ecotill radish

That is surprising they are getting those seeds. I was half expecting to hear you were throwing peas and beans or some other larger and easier to find seeds.

 

[Troubles Trees]

This would surely do it, lots of motion to it if you watch the video. Doubles as a Halloween Decoration too lol

50% OFF-Halloween Special Offer - Halloween Special Offer-Scream Scare

PREPARE FOR A SCARY HALLOWEEN Scarecrow was made to scare away birds and small animals but for this Halloween season let s just say they lean more towards spooky decor and scaring the neighbors With the same scary mask from the classic film complete with the long black coat this scarecrow will...

www.wersth.com

 

[Persimman]

TT, I like the way you're thinking, but let's not be too ethnocentric. That beast might be scary to us, but not to turkeys. Perhaps an 8' inflatable Pilgrim from the Thanksgiving aisle? That's what started the turkey-for-thanksgiving-dinner thing, right? So what could be scarier than a Pilgrim with an assault rifle?

 

[Persimman]

https://www.qbesttayo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=721154

scary!