Dead Hen Turkey

This morning I found one of our hen turkeys dead. She looked remarkably like a hunter may have assisted in her demise. All the turkeys were fussing (more than usual) this morning by the fence. When I checked on them, she was lying on her side with a single hole under her wing. It did not look like any predator's attack. The other turkeys just milled around staring at her. They would not leave her to go on their usual morning foraging rounds. I took her away and they continued to fuss where her feathers were left behind. That was a couple of hours ago and they are just now going to the other side of the property.

I'm not at all opposed to hunting and I fully support the second amendment to the constitution. When the meat is used for food it serves a dual purpose: it thins the wild populations keeping disease minimized and it feeds a family. I think a fitting punishment for irresponsible hunters would be to shoot them with their own gun and leave their body where it falls. The annual coyote calling contest is in town this weekend. No one was home at Prairie House most of yesterday as I was delivering mail and Evelyne was working at the church.

It is a good thing Wilma Wildbird decided to join our flock. We only have two hens now out of eight turkeys. We may be having turkey for Easter because of the great preponderance of Toms, but I can guarantee you we won't shoot our birds and just leave them.