Managing Wild Turkeys

Turkeys are not only a common site in rural areas but are also frequent visitors to urban and suburban neighborhoods. Some people enjoy watching them while others find them a nuisance.

Since turkeys are very aware of their surroundings, scare tactics can be quite effective. Try hanging CD’s, strips of Mylar or colorful plastic ribbons on sticks or posts. Position them so the wind blows them around to scare the turkeys.

Increase success by using a variety of scare tactics that you frequently move and change. Consider fencing off the garden or area where they tend to dig.

On a positive note, turkeys do eat Japanese beetles, grasshoppers, slugs and other garden pests.

Keep in mind that turkeys are often blamed for damage done by squirrels, raccoons, groundhogs and other critters. Excluding them may not solve the problem in your garden.

A bit more information: If these methods don’t work, you may want to stop feeding the birds until the turkeys move to a new location. Birdseed attracts turkeys as well as the songbirds you want to feed.