Wild Turkeys

[gammer]

Went for a ride on my lunch break today to get some letters for the ABC Game.
On my way back through the country roads, I'm cruising at about 65 MPH and I see 3 wild turkeys crossing the road. 2 of the 3 have made it across. The last one (white in color) is in my lane and is having second thoughts. The oncoming traffic has already stopped...I am on the brakes hard and down shifting.
I'm getting closer and I know I am not going to stop in time and that darn turkey is still darting back and forth, in my lane. At this point, I think I might actually hit the wild turkey. So I made up my mind...I aimed strait for the turkey, in the middle of my lane, and I cruise on through. And I'm glad I did. Because as soon as I got close to it, it darted across the road to be with the other turkeys. If I had tried to swerve to miss it, I would have hit it.

Also, I don't know if you have seen wild turkey's before, but they are BIG. The one I almost hit was taller then my front tire. I'm sure if I hit it, I would have dropped the bike.

[geaux]

I am new riding but have made 2 trips through the north georgia hilly countryside. Saw turkeys both times on the side of the road. I was always taught they were shy and reclusive and smart animals but these just watched me go by as if they didn't have a care or fear in the world. My wife saw one last month in the middle of town.   

[tomb raider]

Eastern Washington is Thick with them. They have been planted all over our state for hunting.. And yes, there big..  Glad you didn't meet it Gammer.

[happycommuter]

I was always taught they were shy and reclusive ...

A few months ago wild turkeys were literally attacking cars in Newark.  I heard it was mating season, and they were really worked up.

Anyway, with game wildlife in general, I've heard that aiming at their tail is usually the safest option as they rarely walk backwards.

[gammer]

Anyway, with game wildlife in general, I've heard that aiming at their tail is usually the safest option as they rarely walk backwards.

Good point. This guy was darting back and forth pretty good though.

My theory was the same that you should use with Deer: aim strait for 'em and hold steady. These particular animals are hunted by some pretty fierce predators, so their instinct is to dart away from you as soon as you get close. So, aim the bike for it and hold your line.

[Munkey]

At this point, I think I might actually hit the wild turkey.

I mentioned turkeys in a road hazards thread a while ago and you made fun of me. Now you know the truth, they are killer birds from hell.

[luckylindy]

Anyway, with game wildlife in general, I've heard that aiming at their tail is usually the safest option as they rarely walk backwards.

Good point. This guy was darting back and forth pretty good though.

My theory was the same that you should use with Deer: aim strait for 'em and hold steady. These particular animals are hunted by some pretty fierce predators, so their instinct is to dart away from you as soon as you get close. So, aim the bike for it and hold your line.

Good points happy & gammer.  No wild turkeys here, just big turkey vultures.  They have 6' wingspans and when I come up on a group feeding one will fly right across my path instead of away from me like his smarter friends.  I would hate to get tangled up with one. 

[Burgi]

 Looks very impressive. I hope I hope I never see that from my bike. 

[ariwhiteboy]

Wild turkeys can be dangerous! Luckily they are easier to handle if you mix them with some Dr. Pepper...delicious!

 

[Hangster]

Gammer that shot of the Turkey is really impressive (perfect snapshot timing) ...I see them here in Illinois too but i never see them during Hunting Season (they're not stupid)

[bajakirch]

20 years ago, wild turkeys were as rare around here as hen's teeth. Now, thank to an aggressive reintroduction effort by the Department of Natural Resources, we're lousy with them.

I hit one with my car in June. Thankfully, no damage to the car, as it just glanced off the front corner. But man, there were feathers everywhere.

And as to this:

Luckily they are easier to handle if you mix them with some Dr. Pepper...delicious!

for shame! A fine whiskey is meant to be enjoyed straight up, maaaaaaybe over ice if you're a bit spineless. Mixing with a soda, why that's just...just...alcohol abuse.

[popo303]

They are all over down here in the hill country of Texas and they are like deer- its not the ones you can see that are the scariest but the nine others you dont see lurking at the fenceline ready to bolt...

[bajakirch]

They are all over down here in the hill country of Texas and they are like deer- its not the ones you can see that are the scariest but the nine others you dont see lurking at the fenceline ready to bolt...

You remind me of a tale from my youth.

After my college graduation I spent a little time in England. A few months after I returned, an English friend came over to visit me for a week.

One evening we drove from my apartment in one city to the city where my wife-to-be was still attending college so we could all go out to dinner. After the meal, he and I headed back to my residence in the dark.

Now, it should be noted that this friend grew up in a particularly 'wild' area of Great Britain. Yet, when I asked him what the was the largest animal he'd seen in the woods he said...a fox.

So we were driving down this darkened, county road and suddenly, I saw a couple of deer in the road. I was able to stop in time and he sat there mesmerized by the GIANT wildlife in front of  him.

The deer quickly came to their senses and bounded off into the woods. But I didn't move. He asked what I was waiting for. I told him that it wasn't uncommon for a few more deer to pop out after the leaders. I don't know where this particular piece of wildlife knowledge came from -- or even if it was true -- but it sounded good. And, right on cue, 2 more deer jumped out from the woods and bounded across the road in front of us.

He turned and looked at me like I was Bwana, the Great White Hunter.

Truth be told, in the 20+ years since this happened, I've never seen deer exhibit this particular behavior. But the important thing was that they did it when it counted.

[popo303]

Well Baja after almost 17 years on patrol in the hill country and growing up in the country you learn all about those deer and their suicidal tendencies. I am lucky in that all those years I only struck two with a patrol car, never in my POV, and I only saw one deer vs MC accident which did not end well for either party involved, deer was deceased and the MC rider had fractured both femurs when his legs slammed into the handlebars at 60mph... ouch!

[Soupskin]

20 years ago, wild turkeys were as rare around here as hen's teeth. Now, thank to an aggressive reintroduction effort by the Department of Natural Resources, we're lousy with them.

I hit one with my car in June. Thankfully, no damage to the car, as it just glanced off the front corner. But man, there were feathers everywhere.

And as to this:

Luckily they are easier to handle if you mix them with some Dr. Pepper...delicious!

for shame! A fine whiskey is meant to be enjoyed straight up, maaaaaaybe over ice if you're a bit spineless. Mixing with a soda, why that's just...just...alcohol abuse.

Straight up with a Bud chaser if needed.

[ariwhiteboy]

I've enjoyed plenty of whiskey straight up and I just noticed that I put up a pic of Wild Turkey Rare Breed, which I would NEVER mix with Dr. Pepper. That being said if you get the cheap Wild Turkey it's flavor plays nicely with Dr. Pepper.  Believe it or not there are certain "magical combinations" when it comes to mixing drinks. The aforementioned is definitely one of these in my book.

As for the real turkeys, they scare the $h!t out of me too, very smart birds and very unpredictable.  The aiming for the tail thing seems like a good strategy though, kind of like racers who drive directly into a crash since by the time they reach it, odds are it will be somewhere else.

[bajakirch]

I notice you mentioned a white turkey. Around here, that would be a domestic turkey and not a wild turkey. I've never seen a domestic turkey go feral, but I suppose it's possible.

There use to be a farmer around where I grew up that would 'free range' his turkeys. One day my dad was driving past the farm and the whole flock was out on the road. He slowly approached them, expecting them to scatter. Instead, they stayed put, even after he used his horn. He eventually came to a dead stop. The turkeys they surrounded his car and started pecking at the sides.

With pictures of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds in his head, he figured he'd given them fair warning and accelerated out of there. He said he didn't hit any, but there WERE white feathers on the car.

[gammer]

At this point, I think I might actually hit the wild turkey.

I mentioned turkeys in a road hazards thread a while ago and you made fun of me. Now you know the truth, they are killer birds from hell.

I remember...I am sorry for making fun of you 

Gammer that shot of the Turkey is really impressive (perfect snapshot timing) ...I see them here in Illinois too but i never see them during Hunting Season (they're not stupid)

That is a stock photo...I did not take that pic. I wanted to use it to demonstrate how big they are.

[Munkey]

At this point, I think I might actually hit the wild turkey.

I mentioned turkeys in a road hazards thread a while ago and you made fun of me. Now you know the truth, they are killer birds from hell.

I remember...I am sorry for making fun of you 

I know. I was just yanking your chain. 

[LOKi]

I have seen turkeys off to the side of the road before. The ones I saw I don't know if I would try to miss them. If they would just stand a little closer to the side of the road I might be able to get one with a good kick. Free turkey dinner! Hmmmm turkey.  Even though they are big would hitting one really cause that much damage? I find all birds to be not as dense as other things. Like any mammal. 

[luckylindy]

Much smaller than a turkey...

[Snoopy]

Much smaller than a turkey...

With that bike, im sure speed was a factor involved.

[gammer]

Much smaller than a turkey...

I don't know why, but that makes me feel sad for the owl. Maybe because they look cute or something?

With that bike, im sure speed was a factor involved.

The way I look at it...it doesn't matter what you hit, if its bigger then a bug, then its going to do damage of some kind. Even small birds could crack plastic, or take a chunk out of your paint job. Their beaks are too hard not to do some kind of damage.

And just ask Brumbie13 what a simple water balloon did to his front cowl...

What's the surface tension of a water balloon thrown at you as you ride by at 70mph?

I don't know, but my front cowl did. 







7 miles from home on a 350 mile trip. 

[geaux]

I was driving about 45 and a pigeon miscalculated and clipped my radio antennae. I saw him flip over the truck and hit the pavement. It bent the antennae at like a 35 degree angle and the antennae is a pretty stout gauge of wire too. Its called kinetic energy, anything moving fast enough packs a wallop.

[LOKi]

OK OK.....slow down first.