I would like to introduce wild turkeys onto our farm in Oregon. We live on a heavily wooded area that I believe would be great for turkeys. We currently have a few pheasant, some grouse, geese and ducks. Does anyone know if there are grants available to help fund the purchase of chicks or eggs and raising them until they are ready to release?

-- Pam Burbank (pamalimabean@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002

Answers

Contact which ever state agency is responsible for wildlife and ask them first if it's legal for you to do that and if so where you go from there.

Game birds don't necessarily stay where they're released.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), January 23, 2002.

Pam, I don't know about Ore. When we first moved to our farm (PA.) a game comm. man came and offerred to release pheasants on out property (we have lots of great habitat and fencerows). The catch was we had to sign over hunting rights, could not post (which we don't anyway but we didn't want to have to let anybody hunt who wanted to). The pheasants come here anyway although several usually get run over on the state rt. in front of our house. I don't think they're as smart as the wild

-- K.Grable (grable@penn.com), January 23, 2002.

Contact your state wildlife department. They can help you out though I think you have to have a large tract of land. If not, maybe you and your neighbors can join together and sign up for the management.

As far as the intelligents of the species: The wildlife department captures the wild species from their natural habitat and transfers them to yours. They are not pen raised.

Also, if you plant food plotts and keep them going, sometimes the critters will naturally find your land and decide to stay.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), January 23, 2002.

Your better off talking to sportsman clubs or hunting clubs for the money!!! I know a few people here in the east who do it!!The money is better and no goverment strings atached!!!

-- Grizz (southerneagle@yahoo.com), January 23, 2002.

Try contacting the Kentucky State Game Dept. Wild turkeys are very abundant here in southcentral KY...literally flocks everywhere. Norma

-- Norma Lucas (trooper806@webtv.net), January 23, 2002.

Hi Pam, where in Oregon are you? We are at the southern tip of the Willamette Valley and have wild turkeys all over the place. They were released many years ago in most of Oregon or so the F&W told us. If they did not stay in your area perhaps it is a problem with a good food source? They have a regular route here covering roughly about four miles. That brings them to our place about once a week or so depending on the season. We are on the border of heavy timber and farm and ranchland where many crops are raised and livestock pastured. Is it the same where you are? Hope you do get some in your area, they are droll, silly birds and very entertaining. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), January 23, 2002.