| Author | Message | ||
| Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
|
Seems that some farmers are cutting hay a little earlier this year and yesterday was a bad day in our neighborhood. They ran 2 hens through the mowing machine and flushed another hen off the nest hadn't come back as of last night. That's 3 nest destroyed and 2 hens killed within 300 yards of our house  I wish I could talk them into cutting later but they have to cut the hay when it's ready... | ||
| GN |
This is very upsetting but inevitable, as you say.I know some friends who actually walk the fields where they know there are nests and they stake out the nests with flagged poles and the farmers just leave a block of grass in there around the nests that are 30 feet long...predators may key in on these though, so who knows what will happen even if you leave the grass around them. | ||
| shopson |
That's just the way it is when wildlife is plentiful. If they wait til later, they will be mowing up fawns. Unfortunately this happens too. | ||
| Rick Layser
|
Freddie maybe the NWTF Superfund could pay for flushing bars to put on farmer's harvesters/tractors like DU does in duck nesting areas. It would not save the nests but it might save the hens. Gary Norman would know whether they are effective for turkeys. | ||
| shopson |
Friend of mine mowed up three fawns this week in one hayfield. One single and two together. Sad, but in agricultural areas, unavoidable. | ||
| turkey576 |
My uncle mowed up a nest in the hay field and called me because they think I am a "turkey expert" which I am not. I found 9 eggs one was busted so make it a even 8. The busted egg was opened enough for me to see the poult. It was formed alll the way and looked like it would hatch in about 2 to 3 days. Now I have a dilema, my aunt kept the eggs warm and if they hatch what to do. I have raised turkey before but I know all of the laws and such. I guess if they hatch and die they would have died in the field anyway. I do not think that I am a criminal in doing this but I feel that I should help them all I can. If they make it they will be tame and unhuntable and probably will not be released. Or should I take the other side and forget parenting instinct and let them go. In all honesty what would all of you do. It is awful hard to let something die that you know is living. Thanks Jon | ||
| GN |
check with a game warden or check state law before you do much with the eggs/...... |