Turkey popula-
tions can reach
large numbers in
small areas be-
cause of their
ability to forage
for different types
of food. Eastern
Wild Turkeys eat
a wide variety of
wild foods, in-
cluding acorns, seeds, grapes, raspberries, green vegetation, insects
and snails. Much to the chagrin of some farmers who claim Wild
Turkeys are hazards to their crop, biologists assent that in areas where
their natural habitats have been replaced by agriculture, Wild Turkeys
do not jeopardize a crop harvest because they scavenge on the
ground, usually after harvest has taken place. Eastern Wild Turkeys
have been known to visit back yard bird feeders for the same reason.
Nevertheless some farmers want special permits to harvest annoying
flocks of Turkeys and financial compensation for crops they say the
Turkeys are eating.
In Ontario Turkey hunting is split between two seasons, a hugely pop-
ular spring and a smaller fall season, that was introduced just four years
ago, when turkey numbers in the province reached unanticipated
heights. The species has held up well under the shotgun fire thanks to
the gobblers' libidinous breeding habits and the Turkey’s hypersensitiv-
ity to predators. A Turkey’s eyesight is eight times superior to a human's
and they can hear a branch snap a mile away; many hunters never get
close enough to kill. According to the Ontario Federation of Anglers
and Hunters, in any given season only one in three turkey hunters actu-
ally bag a bird. Because Turkeys nest in the trees and come down in
the morning to feed, the hunter must be `dug in’ to his spot well before
they wake. The secret to a successful harvest lies in a variety of mouth
and hand operated calls intended to imitate the disjointed cluck of a
willing hen or the panicked "kee-kee" of a lost young poult. Even though
the hunt carries a relatively low success rate, hunters find it oddly ad-
dictive. Over 100,000 people have signed up for the hunt since the
reintroduction began in 1984.
Some argue that the growth in Turkey population and the increase in
Turkey hunters have provided a substantial economic boost to local
economies. Recreational hunting in Ontario represents over $1.5 billion
in economic activity. It employs approximately 20,000 people.
The reintroduction
of Wild Turkeys in
the 1980's has pro-
duced 130 full-time
jobs (2003), $5
million in wages,
$9 million annual
GDI, and con-
tributed $390,000
in license revenue.
Ontario hunting regulations control the season timing and length, the
bag limit and types of firearms allowed and provide protection against
overharvest. Limited access to private land in Ontario means fewer
hunters in some areas and can lower the harvest rate.
Wild Turkey hunters must report their harvested Turkey by calling toll-
free 1-800-288-1155. They must provide the requested information no
later than 12:00 noon the day after the bird was harvested.
|E|
Ontario's Wild Turkey hunting regulations are published in the an-
nual Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary found at
www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/Publication/MNR_E001275P.html
110
Escarpment Magazine Fall 2012
•
Reintroduction of Eastern Wild Turkeys began in the 1960s after unregu-
lated hunting and the loss of native forests nearly extirpated the species
from Ontario.
•
In one of the most successful wildlife restocking programs in Canadian
history, approximately 4,400 Eastern Wild Turkeys were released across On-
tario in the 1980s. Some 100,000 Wild Turkeys inhabit southern Ontario
today.
•
Turkeys possess a biological phenomenon known as imprinting, which
refers to a critical period of time early in an animal’s life when it forms at-
tachments and develops a concept of its own identity.
•
Males are called gobblers or toms, females are called hens and young
turkeys are called poults.
•
Wild Turkeys live in flocks organized by "pecking order." This order is a
social ranking in which each bird is dominant over birds of lesser social sta-
tus.
•
A turkey’s eyesight is eight times superior to a human's and they can hear
a branch snap a mile away.
•
Only one in three turkey hunters actually harvests a bird.
•
Some farmers want special permits to harvest annoying flocks of Turkeys
and financial compensation for crops they say the Turkeys are eating, how-
ever biologists with the Ministry of Natural Resources say the birds only eat
what has already fallen to the ground.
Quick Wild Turkey Facts...
ESCARPMENT NATURE
|
pecking order
Ontario hunting license fees are
directed back to wildlife management
and conservation — for game and
nongame wildlife species.