Considering that domestic turkeys are infamous for their lack of hardiness it is surprising that the introduction of their wild cousins in Manitoba has been a success.
From the first seven birds introduced near Miami in 1957, the population has grown to at least 10,000, according to John Krupinski, chapter president of the National Wild Turkey Federation and secretary-treasurer of its Manitoba counterpart, the Wild Gobblers Association.
Even in the harsh climate, flocks have spread all over the province from the Pembina Valley. There are spring and fall hunting seasons in place to tap excess population growth.
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Aside from hunting, the population is controlled by trapping birds where they are thick enough to cause problems, and then releasing them in areas where they did not exist.
“You might get flocks in excess of 200 birds, which start causing issues for farmers. So they’ll trap these birds and relocate them based on demand in different areas,” Krupinski said.
Wild turkeys that are attracted to farmyards or feedlots in winter by spilled grain may quickly lose their fear of humans. However, flocks in remote areas are difficult to get close to and can be challenging for a hunter looking to bag a meal.
In spring, turkeys usually disperse to build nests and hatch their young.
“Birds that are truly wild are very, very skittish. They survive quite well. The mortality rate within the first two weeks after hatching is about 70 percent due to predators such as coyotes and foxes,” he said.
“But once the birds can lift off and get into a tree, it becomes about a 90 percent survival rate,” said Krupinski.
On the ground, the birds can hit 50 km-h and fly at up to 80 km-h. Their fleet feet are also equipped with pointy spurs, and their large wings can raise quite a flap in the face of an attacking coyote, he added.
“They put up a pretty good fight. They can beat off a coyote pretty good.”
Owls are their worst enemy, he said, because they attack at night when the turkeys are roosting in trees.
Not an indigenous species in Manitoba, the effort to introduce the birds began after a wildlife group near Plum Coulee brought in a speaker from North Dakota.
“He came and did a presentation and it caught their interest. That group then pooled some funds and worked with Manitoba Conservation to get permission to bring some birds in to see how they would fare,” said Krupinski.
