Turkey Wars: Farmers vs. Wild Turkeys

Published in Modern Farmer | June 2013

Depending on who you ask, the birds are either marauding, wily animals that ruin crops and contaminate cattle feed as they roam across farmland in huge packs.

Or they’re gorgeous, sensitive birds that are a delight to hunt and unfairly blamed for crop damage inflicted by deer and raccoons.

Everyone does agree on one thing: numbers of wild turkeys are increasing in many parts of North America, from Ontario, where they’ve gobbled grapes off entire vineyards, to Staten Island, NY.

And it’s making farmers nervous.