Turkeys are the biggest upland bird that inhabits British Columbia forests and is an attractive target for hunters. The combination of their size, long legs and neck, bald head and rich colouring makes them unmistakable from other birds. A full-sized tom might break 10 kilograms on the scale. And turkey is delicious on the table.
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Merriam’s turkeys were first introduced to BC in 1910. In 1960, there were turkeys introduced to US states neighbouring BC and it is quite possible that some of those turkeys wandered across the border to make their home in the Kootenays. In the 1970s, there were more turkeys introduced to southern BC. Turkeys prefer to make their home in mature forests. There is good evidence that both the East Kootenays and the West Kootenays are supporting growing populations of Merriam’s turkeys.
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Tale Of Two Turkeys: Kootenays & Vancouver Island
The Merriam’s turkey populations in the East and West Kootenays support seasons for both spring and fall hunts, which include a general season and limited entry hunts with both shotgun and bow only. It is possible to combine spring and fall seasons to take a total of three birds each year. While there are reports from time to time of wild turkeys on Vancouver Island around Shawnigan Lake and near Cook Creek and some Gulf Islands, The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said, “Any ‘wild’ turkeys on Vancouver Island are the result of escape from nearby farms.”
The ministry provided this additional information:
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- The hunting season for turkeys on Vancouver Island is aimed at ensuring these escaped turkeys do not establish a large wild presence on the island.
- This hunting season is year-round (no closed season) and has no bag limits, with this goal in mind.
- Currently, we are aware of turkeys on some Gulf Islands, around Shawnigan Lake and near Cook Creek.
- Removal of species would be preferable as they cause considerable damage to private property and are a hazard to drivers.
- These turkeys are non-native to the region and exist almost exclusively on private land throughout southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. No reports of any sightings north of Union Bay.
- Permission of private landowners is required to hunt these turkeys, as the majority of the population is on private land.
Whatever turkeys may or may not be making their homes in the islands of BC, it is the clear intent of the Ministry of Forests to remove these birds as soon as possible. The long-range plan is to have no wild turkeys on the islands. The hunting regulations for Vancouver Island are clear: turkeys can be hunted all year long, with no daily bag limit. A hunter just needs to find the turkeys and gain access to hunt.
Kootenay Turkey Population Is Expanding
While biologists don’t count turkey populations like mountain sheep or moose, harvest data, turkeys spotted and an uptick in reported turkey conflicts do indicate the Kootenay population is expanding in both numbers and geography.
Emily Chow, a biologist with the Ministry of Forests, said, “We now have quite a few urban turkeys that are residing in different communities and towns. Complaints range from turkeys in people’s gardens, turkeys on cars, turkeys on people’s roofs and turkeys eating bird food. There is a range of potential sources of conflict, including issues with turkeys causing depredation of agricultural fields or damage to trees and shrubs.”
Adult hens can lay a dozen or more eggs and may nest more than once a season. This means in years of good weather and good health, turkey populations can expand significantly. At the same time, turkeys are targeted by multiple predators. There is a long list of animals that love to eat turkey eggs, poults and full-grown turkeys. Despite pressure from predators and increased interest in turkey hunting, populations appear to be stable or growing.
Managing Turkey Conflict
Chow takes calls from people complaining about the turkeys and reports of conflicts with people and pets. She said, “I think it’s all about managing attractants. Turkeys are coming into town and going to new places for a reason – generally, the reason is food. The best way to deal with the conflict is to ask, ‘what are they attracted to?’ And how can you remove that attractant to reduce part of the reason why they’re coming onto people’s properties? I think the message to the people in communities that are dealing with the difficulty of having urban turkeys running around town is to reduce the attractants.”
We work to keep bears out of communities by managing attractants. The same concept applies to reducing turkey conflicts – reduce attractants. The challenge is that some residents love to see the turkeys in the neighbourhood and don’t mind turkeys eating seed from wild bird feeders or kitchen scraps composting in the garden.
Hunters have an important role in managing turkey populations and, in particular, reducing turkey numbers in the areas where conflicts occur. But turkeys are smart. They respond to hunting pressure by moving. Consistent hunting pressure in a particular area may well force the expansion of turkeys into new areas. The limited entry hunts for turkey focus on reducing some of these turkeys.
Hunting Turkeys
Hunting turkeys is simple. Find the turkeys, gain access to the land and go hunting. The difficult part is tagging one. Turkey hunting has developed into somewhat of a hunting subculture. Turkey-specific hunting camouflage, turkey-specific calls, shotshells designed for performance on turkeys, precision shotgun chokes and shotguns designed for turkey hunting are all part of what potential turkey hunters face when tackling a turkey hunt.
Turkey tracks are easy to spot in the snow while scouting before snowmelt. Turkey droppings are uniquely identifiable by their peculiar shape, often with a turned-up end and commonly laid out on a downed tree trunk or stump in the forest. Turkeys are vocal and territorial. They consistently respond with an aggressive gobble to game calls that mimic crows, owls and coyotes. Before daylight and early in the day, you’ll likely find them roosting in trees and, with any luck, they will respond to your call. Good scouting can determine where birds have been. Hearing turkeys gobble indicates where they are. What’s left is to lure one in close enough for a shot.
Once hunting season gets underway, and you have found a likely spot with turkeys in the neighbourhood, a wood box turkey call or a mouth call can bring turkeys into shotgun or bow range. Camouflage helps you hide in plain sight and ups your chances of tagging a gobbler.
The future of turkeys and turkey hunting in BC’s Kootenays looks promising, while the fate of turkeys on Vancouver Island is not so bright.
