I thought I would start a new thread on East Tx turkeys. This is absolutely hard to believe this happened. After stocking the turkeys in the Angelina Forest yesterday I spent the night at my place in Barnum right off of 287. At about nine this morning the turkey researcher who was conducting the release yesterday texted me and said he was on his way to pick up a turkey that got hit on 287 near Barnum last night. I've heard of some reports of people saying there are turkey in the area but I've never seen them on my land. Since he was coming from Angelina Forest area I jumped in my truck and went out to 287 to see if I can find the turkey. Sure enough about 2 miles north of Barnum going towards Corrigan there it was dead on the road...radio transmitter still attached.
When he got there he told me a lady hit it last night with a Mustang! Saw the transmitter on it and the leg band and called him. This was a pretty amazing hen Eastern Turkey! She started her life in Iowa, was trapped last February (2016) and released in the Angelina Forest (same spot where we released the birds yesterday). She and two other turkeys went as far as 87 miles away from the stocking site during her one year living in East Texas. He told me she spent a lot of time on 256 (which if I remember correctly someone on my thread last night mentioned they had turkeys over there?). Regardless it's fascinating to see how far these birds can roam!
Although we all agreed it was a bummer that she died he was able to gather information ( as she was no longer showing up on the radio transmissions). Plus on this part of 287 it's not exactly prime turkey habitat so it does suggest a turkey can roam into some less than perfect habitats and not be killed. Why she decided to stand in the middle of 287 last night will never know.
I told him about the enthusiastic folks on the site. He asked me to pass on his information. He would like to hear from anybody who is seeing Turkey. This is important because once they go out of range it's tough for them to find them again on the radio transmissions. That's why he did not know where this turkey was and considered her lost. Some folks asked how they could help out and this is how you could help out.
His name is Daniel Sullivan and his number is 706-614-5001. He is a graduate student with the University of Georgia working on as PhD . Give him a call or text if you want to talk turkey or tell him about sightings.... just please do not embarrass me and ask him if he could stock turkeys on your lease. He is a research analyst and has absolutely no input on deciding where birds get put. He is a cool dude and a turkey hunter. If you're calling him to complain about all the Rio Grande turkeys eating your deer corn he will suggest that you let him come hunting.
When he got there he told me a lady hit it last night with a Mustang! Saw the transmitter on it and the leg band and called him. This was a pretty amazing hen Eastern Turkey! She started her life in Iowa, was trapped last February (2016) and released in the Angelina Forest (same spot where we released the birds yesterday). She and two other turkeys went as far as 87 miles away from the stocking site during her one year living in East Texas. He told me she spent a lot of time on 256 (which if I remember correctly someone on my thread last night mentioned they had turkeys over there?). Regardless it's fascinating to see how far these birds can roam!
Although we all agreed it was a bummer that she died he was able to gather information ( as she was no longer showing up on the radio transmissions). Plus on this part of 287 it's not exactly prime turkey habitat so it does suggest a turkey can roam into some less than perfect habitats and not be killed. Why she decided to stand in the middle of 287 last night will never know.
I told him about the enthusiastic folks on the site. He asked me to pass on his information. He would like to hear from anybody who is seeing Turkey. This is important because once they go out of range it's tough for them to find them again on the radio transmissions. That's why he did not know where this turkey was and considered her lost. Some folks asked how they could help out and this is how you could help out.
His name is Daniel Sullivan and his number is 706-614-5001. He is a graduate student with the University of Georgia working on as PhD . Give him a call or text if you want to talk turkey or tell him about sightings.... just please do not embarrass me and ask him if he could stock turkeys on your lease. He is a research analyst and has absolutely no input on deciding where birds get put. He is a cool dude and a turkey hunter. If you're calling him to complain about all the Rio Grande turkeys eating your deer corn he will suggest that you let him come hunting.
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