Bush Turkeys

[colbra]

Hi all I have what could be the start of a big problem in my veggie patch and its bush turkeys native I think there only small now but I can see them getting bigger each day and on my bloody vegetables no less.
Any clues on how to get rid of them other than the obvious and it may come to that yet; thought you forum members may have some clues on things
I may as well ask can you eat them and if so maybe a recipe or two
Colbra

[jmk89]

My parents in law are "blessed" with these ugly blighters and there is no known way to get rid of them except a predator (often a fox or a feral cat - not really very nice solutions). They go in for a "protective" approach, using chicken wire fences to keep the turkeys away from the most precious of the plants.
As for eating them - apparently it was done in the Depression (but people even tried to eat galahs then - you know the one about cookking a galah, I'm sure).

[artme]

They are a protected species, so harming or eating is out of the question. You are not even allowed to destroy their mounds.

Fence off the veges as jmk suggests,


Actually I find them fascinating creatures, buut that is easy to say since they are not in my garden'!

[Scott]

Pardon my ignorance Col, but being a Mexican, I have no idea what bush turkey is. I guess it's some sort of wild Turkey, am I right?

[jmk89]

bush turkey

[Scott]

There you go, thanks Jeremy, never knew they existed. Thanks

[Ironwood]

I am plagued by the rotten things as well. SWMBO used to feed them, but they got totally out of hand, they would take vengeance on the orchids and shrubs if they didnt get their handouts.

I chase them when they come into our yard, but they still come back.
We have some dingoes around lately, I havent noticed the turkeys around as much since they have turned up.
The dingoes are worse as they have attacked my chooks.

[colbra]

They are a protected species, so harming or eating is out of the question. You are not even allowed to destroy their mounds.

Fence off the veges as jmk suggests,


Actually I find them fascinating creatures, buut that is easy to say since they are not in my garden'!

Actually I could relocate them as our assisters did with us it’s about time we sent something back to them LOL

Colbra

[colbra]

There you go, thanks Jeremy, never knew they existed. Thanks

Hi Scott
If I talk to you from the shed and it’s still daylight I will give you a personal introduction Col

[colbra]

I am plagued by the rotten things as well. SWMBO used to feed them, but they got totally out of hand, they would take vengeance on the orchids and shrubs if they didnt get their handouts.

I chase them when they come into our yard, but they still come back.
We have some dingoes around lately, I havent noticed the turkeys around as much since they have turned up.
The dingoes are worse as they have attacked my chooks.

Hi Ironwood could I swap you a couple of black swans for a couple of dingoes the swans are great to look at and don’t eat much. lol
colbra

PS Artme This A Joke.... col

[Ironwood]

Hi Ironwood could I swap you a couple of black swans for a couple of dingoes the swans are great to look at and don’t eat much. lol
colbra

Sounds like a done deal Col.

The dingoes are pretty quite, so they wont annoy your neighbours, they just have a taste for my Sussex hens .

[Poppa]

My mum and dad have brush turkeys near their place. They've placed mirrors around the plants that they don't want the birds to dig around. Apparently the brush turkeys don't like to see their reflection (they think it is another bird obviously) and leave them alone.

[mic-d]

The neighbours have had one with a huge mound right at our back gate fence and he endeavours to scrape our garden clean and push it onto his pile. Needless to say he doesn't think of the retaining wall and fence that stop him. I purchased two of these and my problems are solved. No affiliation with the company.
I have a grudging respect for them now having witnessed the trials of the chicks, they fend for themselves immediately and fly ok very young, but they don't survive the surrounding neighbour's dogs very well.

If you have been battling them for a while beware, if you solve the problem, life almost becomes boring!

Cheers
Michael

[Scott]

Hi Scott
If I talk to you from the shed and it’s still daylight I will give you a personal introduction Col

Be my pleasure Col! By the way, do they 'Gobble'?

[chambezio]

With capture and training they could make excellent substitutes for grey hound racing enthusiasts.
When driving on forestry tracks they shoot out onto the roads and run hell for leather for 50 metres then ....shoot off into the bush. Reminds me of the road runner (Bugs Bunny style)