Do you think the Wainwright area could support a healthy wild turkey population?

[ganderblaster]

Instead of spending time and resources on turkey's near Wainwright why not focus on Bighorn sheep in the Drumheller badlands where sheep have been a proven native species? Got lots of bird hunting as it is. Just my $.05.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Don K

Not quite. All F. horses should be shot on site...

The bait has been dangling for some time. You took it and set the hook hook yourself

[CNP]

Originally Posted by ganderblaster

Instead of spending time and resources on turkey's near Wainwright why not focus on Bighorn sheep in the Drumheller badlands where sheep have been a proven native species? Got lots of bird hunting as it is. Just my $.05.

Start another poll. This is a good poll all by itself.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Elk Chaser

funny thing is, they are here

If the turkeys are already at or near wainwright why ask in a poll if a person would like to see them there? A better poll question would be "Should there be a draw or season around Wainwright?"

Pictures please. Wonder if anybody in the area was able to get pics of Wainwright turkeys on trailcams?

Interesting if they are around there. I would love to hunt the bearded bird. Even with a camera if not a gun.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by sparky660

20 years ago there wasn't a moose or elk to be seen around wainwright, now we have hunting seasons......

I guided one season near Edgerton 25 years ago and I saw 6 different moose in the last week of November. I never expected to see them there either.

[shedcrazy]

The Wainwright area for the most part lack roosting trees. Without their preferred type of roosting trees (pines, oaks, cottonwood, etc...) they would be easy prey for predators. Sometimes there are reasons some sps aren't in an area.

[fatboyz]

Fish Gunner give it a break. Non Native doesn't mean feral! Turkeys, Huns, and pheasants are all wildlife, just not native to Alberta. That doesn't make them Feral. Feral are escaped domestics that have established.

[fish gunner]

Originally Posted by fatboyz

Fish Gunner give it a break. Non Native doesn't mean feral! Turkeys, Huns, and pheasants are all wildlife, just not native to Alberta. That doesn't make them Feral. Feral are escaped domestics that have established.

Im sugesting its hypocritical to release non native for sport ,then suggest eradication of an other non native . Apples and apples look up oxfords definitions, wierd they use horse as the desriptor for wild ??

[TikkaT3-7mm]

I would have to say that Wild Turkey's most definitely can survive, but I think that they do require a form of escape from predators. I grew up around Meadow Lake, SK and there were some Wild Turkey's that escaped from a farmer's coop/enclosure and we would see them around with their young year after year. It is a combination of bush and farmland around there so they did quite well. Some guys would go after them in the fall, I always thought it was neat to see them out in the fields. I'm not sure if they are still around or not, this is 15-18 years ago now. That's my two cents.

[Springer]

Great Thread. I always thought Wainwright area would be a definite starting point for Wild Turkey !! Base land, Community pasture , farmland....
I do know that some will get used to hanging around farms and can be a nuisance where they roost.
I raised some with a friend years ago and they toughed the winters out no problem..