Brent: I do occasionally see a jake running thru here (more west of us normally), but even here once in a while. I've been told I'm wrong (by educated folks) but...I think turkey are bad news for grouse. They coincided with the grouse crash where I grew up.
I'm not happy to see them here.
Another good fishing day today, but pork chops for dinner tonight, plus peas and red taters. Done cleaning fish and having a pre-dinner drink. Life is good here tonight.
I have heard the same about turkeys in several other places, and even about their being the cause of continental-wide declines in quail, but only from arm-chair biologists. I have not looked into the literature to see what it says, but the public is always quick to condemn by correlation. Turkeys have the reputation of avian wolves I suppose. Anyway, there are lots of both around my place.
I am surprised the turkeys are as far north as you. But I guess climate change is doing its thing. I thought they stopped at Duluth, here in the east, but now I have seen a few just north of Duluth and have heard they are pretty common at least a little ways north of Duluth. I suppose wild pigs will be next. Meanwhile there are stunning numbers of deer around here even though wolves killed one in my backyard on Tuesday afternoon.
I look forward fishing, but probably not until this winter. Too much to do with moving in and the shooting season this summer.
