Gobbling around through the neighborhoods around Utah State University, this group of wild turkeys might be in your yard but they probably won’t be on anyone’s Thanksgiving table this year.
They’re part of a flock that people like Stewart Brown have been seeing around Cache Valley this fall.
“They’re clearly comfortable enough in the neighborhoods to stay there, but, I mean, they’re obviously not leashed up; they’re no one’s pet,” Brown said.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said there are as many as 30,000 wild turkeys in Utah. Jim Christensen with the DWR said there are as many as 5,000 in Utah’s northern region.
“In Cache Valley, we’re about a third of that number, so we’re into that 2,000 range,” he said.
He said while the turkeys can be fun to look at, they can also be dangerous. "You want to enjoy them from a distance but also let them move on so they don’t become habituated. If they’re coming into your backyard, there’s a reason.”
He said they can be a nuisance, but that nuisance tastes pretty good with some gravy and stuffing.
If you want to hunt a wild turkey using a gun, Christensen said, you’ll have to comply with all local ordinances and be at least 600 feet away from any buildings. Plus, you’ll need a hunting license and a turkey permit.
“People still continue to go and hunt for them because they do make good table fare. They’re not a butterball turkey that you’re going to buy from the store. They are wild birds, they’re a lot leaner. They don’t have as much meat on them,” Christensen said.
And, he said, if you aren’t eating the turkeys, don’t feed them either.
