Town Birds (?)

[shaman]

I'm speaking out of complete ignorance here. I just read the term "town birds" on another  forum. This is only the second time I've experienced it. The only other time was speaking to a guide down in Georgia. He was comparing the birds on his leases to town birds and telling me his were somehow wilder.

Can someone clue me in on the differences between town birds and whatever their opposite is? 

My reason for interest beyond curiosity is that the turkeys are closing in on my in-town residence. I sighted them about a mile from the house about 6 years ago, and every year I try calling them from out my back door. There are woods close by. There is an abandoned golf course and two county parks within walking range. Last month, #2 son took a pick of a jake strutting with hens in a front yard less than a mile away. Once they show up, what will be different from the ones I encounter elsewhere?

[fallhnt]

Town birds...take over town. Can't  hunt them in city limits. PITA

There opposite...hard hunted public land birds. Can be hunted but PITA

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[Tom007]

My thoughts on "Town Birds" would be that these are birds that are living close to or even in residential areas. These birds are very used to people, you can walk right up to them, they show little fear. People even feed them regularly. They have a sixth sense and realize they are not being hunted. I equate these birds to local geese. I live on a large lake in NJ where there are an abundance of these local, Non-migrating birds. They live in our neighborhood, grazing on everyone's lawns.They have gotten used to people. They too know that they are not being hunted. On the contrary, if these "Town Birds" or local geese all the sudden where back in an area where they see people in camo, and once the first shot is fired, they quickly revert back to the tough quarry we are all used to pursuing. Just my thoughts on this. Be safe...

[Bowguy]

Tom hit the nail on the head. Absolutely, the very first bird will be easy and stupid. Than they vanish. I'll give you two examples. Years back I'd feed the deer, turkey started coming too. Got to the point they'd almost come to my feet as I spread cracked corn out for them like chickens. On my deck grilling they'd come up and look at me as if yo say "what's up w the food"? Freaking libs!!!! You couldn't get near them in woods though. Couple friends of mine tried unsuccessfully.
The state park by me has a goose problem. They shoot bang sticks at them every morn. The geese walk off and come back. Illegally opening morning the kids that work the park, I've seen this myself btw, motor up to the birds, federally and state illegal, they shoot one time. The birds fly off and don't return til after season.
Imo the guy said this craziness doesn't know what he doesn't know. This is exactly the same way with baiting deer. If you condition anything, deer to come to a bait pile, turkeys to be comfortable around us. Geese to crap all over the beach basically unmolested, bears to be given free passes to grab your garbage, coons allowed to be fed by your kids, they'll act like nothing bothers them and become cityized.  Shoot one see what happens

[GobbleNut]

Here's a thought...
Town birds...ever-increasing in places, can't be hunted, considered a nuisance, people want them gone...
Public ground....ever-declining turkey populations...no population recruitment happening,...need more turkey numbers for recovery....

Let me see now,....two plus two equals? .......hmmmm?!   

Another thought...
NWTF mission,....spend money for turkeys....Superfund in each state available for things like "trap and transplant"...

Again,...let me see now,...two plus two equals?....hmmmm?! 

[bwhana]

Here's a thought...
Town birds...ever-increasing in places, can't be hunted, considered a nuisance, people want them gone...
Public ground....ever-declining turkey populations...no population recruitment happening,...need more turkey numbers for recovery....

Let me see now,....two plus two equals? .......hmmmm?!   

Another thought...
NWTF mission,....spend money for turkeys....Superfund in each state available for things like "trap and transplant"...

Again,...let me see now,...two plus two equals?....hmmmm?!

Bingo!

[Master Gobbie]

Here's a thought...
Town birds...ever-increasing in places, can't be hunted, considered a nuisance, people want them gone...
Public ground....ever-declining turkey populations...no population recruitment happening,...need more turkey numbers for recovery....

Let me see now,....two plus two equals? .......hmmmm?!   

Another thought...
NWTF mission,....spend money for turkeys....Superfund in each state available for things like "trap and transplant"...

Again,...let me see now,...two plus two equals?....hmmmm?!

Bingo!

Has NWTF performed this type of operation before with any success? Sorry I haven't researched the topic, but seems logical.

[GobbleNut]

Has NWTF performed this type of operation before with any success?

Quick answer,...Yes, the trap and transplant efforts that were initiated in the second half of the twentieth century were often coordinated efforts between state game agencies and NWTF volunteers and funding. 

I was actively involved in a leadership role with our state chapter from the 80's for about 25 years and we participated both financially and with volunteer labor in many T&T projects.  These were both relocations of birds within the state, as well as coordinated efforts with other states to relocate birds.  This was a MAJOR emphasis of the NWTF at that time.

I personally witnessed the change in attitude within the organization from doing stuff like the above to shifting focus to fundraising...fundraising that was devoted to more fundraising...rather than helping turkeys.  Granted, some of that was the result of all of the successful transplants that resulted in the turkey populations throughout the country that we have now,...and the corresponding lesser need to focus on that.  However, we are seeing increasing evidence in a number of states that the focus on supplementing populations through transplants should again be a priority.

Perhaps that focus is starting to be contemplated or may even be taking place.  I don't know for certain,...but I do know that it needs to be being seriously considered under the circumstances that exist now with our declining turkey numbers.  Again, getting back to the original topic of this discussion, folks need to start putting two and two together.... 

[Dtrkyman]

True Gobblenut, I would donate money for that.  There are plenty of these places to trap and transplant birds from.

I used to stay in a small Nebraska town, the hotel where we stayed had had a flock of 50 or so roosting behind it!

A really good plan would be to investigate some of the best public land habitat, then go trap those pesky town birds and take them for a ride! 

[Cowboy]

Here's a thought...
Town birds...ever-increasing in places, can't be hunted, considered a nuisance, people want them gone...
Public ground....ever-declining turkey populations...no population recruitment happening,...need more turkey numbers for recovery....

Let me see now,....two plus two equals? .......hmmmm?!   

Another thought...
NWTF mission,....spend money for turkeys....Superfund in each state available for things like "trap and transplant"...

Again,...let me see now,...two plus two equals?....hmmmm?!

Smartest thing I've heard about the turkey decline issue.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[WV Flopper]

 Sounds good,  but  leave my town turkeys out of it. They gobble hard and play the game well. They flop just the same! I have slowly got them to a point of a wary opponent.

[mcw3734]

An example of Town Birds in Braintree, Massachusetts. A very close suburb of Boston.

[WV Flopper]

LOL, I seen birds like that in Gloucester when fishing in June. My town birds aren't the same as that.

Seen an article on my phone last week where a mail man was possibly facing charges from whacking one in the head with a stick and killing it in California.

GW had a response to the killing and didn't seem to want to write the ticket thank goodness.