You turkeys

[Spudman]

I've been seeing this group on my bike rides about 15 miles from my house. They seem to have about a 20 mile radius range because I've seen them in many different locations. Often they are close to the roadway and I've not had a camera with me until today. These are wild turkeys. Pretty cool to see. Last night I talked with a guy that saw a black bear on the other side of the road from where these pictures were taken.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/IMGP2225.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/IMGP2223.jpg

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Thanksgiving dinner on the hoof.

[Tig]

It's amazing what you see and hear from a bike. No engine noise or glass between you and the surroundings. Every slight temperature drop is felt when you pass into a grove of trees.

No turkeys here, but we have a growing parrot population in the area. I first saw a small group of them about 10 years ago, and not they are in the thousands! They fly fast, in groups of 5-10, and squawk the whole time.

[ZMAN]

I've been seeing this group on my bike rides about 15 miles from my house. They seem to have about a 20 mile radius range because I've seen them in many different locations. Often they are close to the roadway and I've not had a camera with me until today. These are wild turkeys. Pretty cool to see. Last night I talked with a guy that saw a black bear on the other side of the road from where these pictures were taken.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/IMGP2225.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/IMGP2223.jpg
I have been up close and personal with a Turkey. They are big birds and very stupid. The big expense wasn't the windshield and an overnight stay at a hotel, it was cleaning my shorts! If you look closely you can still see a tell tale feather!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/P4110003.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/P4110002.jpg

[ZMAN]

This happened on I 90 just past the Hudson river bridge. I had to drive all the way to Springfield Mass to get it fixed. In the background you can see the Basketball hall of fame. I got to park in the basement over night because of inclement rain. Really nice people at the Hilton arranged it. I saw the turkey walking up the side of the road after the hit, but I bet he didn't make it. As far as Onstar calling me. It would have been pretty hard because the mirror was in the back seat.

[marnold]

We've got a lot of wild turkeys in this area. Not that brightest creatures in the good Lord's menagerie. A couple of years ago one tried to fly in front of me (wild turkeys can actually fly, somewhat). It hit where my windshield and roof meet. Thankfully I had zero damage to my car. I glanced in the rear-view mirror afterwards and it looked like someone had thrown a hand grenade in a feather pillow.

[Spudman]

it looked like someone had thrown a hand grenade in a feather pillow.

That is one heck of a visual.

[ZMAN]

Turkey Trivia: When the white man first settled North America they found the abundant Turkeys a great food supply.
The native Indians did not eat the Turkeys. They though they were such a stupid bird if you ate them you would become stupid as well.
When I travel by car now, we are on constant Turkey watch.
About 25 years ago they reintroduced them into our area. They brought 25 mated pairs from Upstate New York. They were pretty well all gone from Ontario. Now there are literally hundreds of thousands of them and like the Canada geese are becoming a problem.

[Spudman]

Now there are literally hundreds of thousands of them and like the Canada geese are becoming a problem.

Looks like I'll be headed your way when armageddon comes. Plenty of good eating in them turkeys. All you have to do is go fast and smack into one....I can do that!

[ZMAN]

It takes some skill to be a true "SUV" Hunter. You have to be very stealthy at about 70 mph. Sneak over a rise in the highway and center a turkey. You have to let it get two pumps of it's wings so it doesn't get lodged in the grille. Timing is everything.