Got back mid afternoon Tuesday after scouting spots on the Fox for a potential waterfowl hunting trip. I've been living on the same street in Yorkville for 5 years. The two houses we've rented are on the edge of a wooded ravine that gets visited by turkey and deer. The house we're in now is about 100 feet from the ravine, the first one was right on the edge.

We've always kept the wildlife well fed. Corn and a variety of seeds kept the turkey and deer coming back on a daily basis when we were in the other house. Since we moved, it's been a little more difficult to coax the turkey out into the open. The deer we hardly see anymore.

Persistence pays off and the turkey have been venturing out into the neighborhood. Every year they bring their new brood to an area where they know they are safe and well fed, we see them each spring, then they hang around for most of the year. I wish I could have them tagged, would be interesting to know if they are the same ones returning year after year.



As I pulled into my driveway I had to wait for them to get out of the way.



There are only 4 this year, in the past we've had up to 14. When they see me they don't seem to be in any hurry to get away. The one big male looks me over, then goes about pecking for food like I'm not there. Makes you wonder if they recognize you. Today they sauntered over to peck the ground beneath the bird feeder just outside my front window. It's interesting how they'll peck a few times, then look up, then back to feeding. This time they kept looking in the windows.







I have a couple of cats that are very interested in these oversized birds and the young one likes to scratch at the window trying to get to them. She's ignored. The old claw-less one is allowed to go outside. The turkey are so used to him that they ignore him when he starts walking around between them while they're feeding.





At night they roost in the trees along the edge of the ravine. At sunset you can see them trying to get as high up into the trees as possible. Not a graceful undertaking and numerous times a branch will snap under their weight and the process starts all over again. Later, when it's dark, you can see their black silhouettes high up in the trees standing out against the night sky.

No, none of them can be taken for dinner. They've become the neighborhood pets and no one is allowed to touch them. Negotiations with respective wives around here have broken down and the wives have won, for now.



No wonder I don't go fishing much. Wasted a perfectly good fishing afternoon looking for ducks and geese, then playing with turkey in my front yard. Being unemployed has it's benefits I guess. I won't miss being broke, but I'll sure miss my play time.

C'mon Ken, you could be having fresh local turkey tomorrow! Serve it with sides of fried smallmouth. Think of the possibilities!!

I actually have a couple of smallies in the freezer. It's been considered. Fox River ones, if you recall.

I have to behave, even though I've offered my air gun to neighbors so they can get the grief from their wives. For the first 100 feet or so, the gun has the same fps as a .22.

They'd never hear it coming.

Haha, awesome stuff Ken!

Hey Ken I know this is kind of a late response, however since turkey is the subject I might as well tell you I saw about 12 of them off of Orchard across from the Citgo in the corn field ,just North of Rt. 30 and South of Jerrihco. Blackberry creek runs through there. Through out the years I have seen turkeys' over there anytime from fall to spring. I took some pictures from the shoulder, I look and try and post the clearer ones. I have learned Those are not always geese you see off in the distance in the fields. There are guys I work with that are from the city and are not into the outdoors , that are supprised when I tell them we have turkeys' out here. I also saw an American bald eagle picking away at some kind of carcus this week at about 7 a.m in a field off of Bristol ridge rd. just North of Kennedy and once again by Blackberry creek. As I was looking through the view finder and zooming in he was flying away........"son of a BITCH" I'll get him sooner or later! I'm sure he is hanging around the river, probably by the Orchard bridge area by Saw Wee, where I had seen them before. I'll try and use this section more often. It's a great place to share wild life sightings.

John,
I'm seeing the eagles almost every day now. Luckily for me I can just stand out in front of my house and eventually one will come drifting down the river.

Near the Plano WalMart is a field. I thought they were geese off in the distance. Winds up being almost 30 turkey. They're out there every winter. I think I've been seeing them for 4 or 5 years now.

I haven't looked it up yet, but we seem to have some kind of falcon terrorizing the little birds in the neighborhood. The thing won't sit still long enough for me to get a good look.About the size of a crow. Faster than shit.

Every year it seems more and more eagles are coming down. There is plenty of water here with all of the creeks and the Fox. Go further West and they have the Rock River and the Miss. I think our eagles are cruising down to the Illinois River and back......maybe, kinda guessing on that one. It also seems like we pick up more permanent residents each year. Yeah, I'm making it a habit to look closer at the geese because I'm sure there have been times they were turkeys. I notice the shade of color of course, but also it seems geese tend to stand more perpendicular to the ground while turkeys , the way they hold their body and especially neck seem to always be on an angle to the ground. That's what I notice from far away. Those falcons are stealthy, saw one last spring pick apart a little bird on my fence.