Colorado Parks & Wildlife, ag students relocate town turkeys
MEEKER | High school ag students from Moffat County teamed up with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) staff last Friday in Meeker for a turkey trapping expedition. The population of wild turkeys has grown dramatically during the last decade, with more than 400 estimated to be around the Meeker area, including a growing flock who have made their home within town limits. The increase in turkey numbers generated some citizen complaints and prompted CPW to take action to relocate the town-dwelling birds.
CPW staff provided food at the corner of the soccer field on Seventh Street daily while awaiting the arrival of a special net that could be released remotely using magnets. Early Friday morning, the birds meandered in for the breakfast special and the net was dropped. CPW staff and the ag students rushed in to hold the birds down. Forty turkeys, all hens, were captured (one escaped). A CPW veterinarian drew blood from each bird to monitor for any diseases and the birds were banded before being boxed up and transported to their new home up Milk Creek, near the forest.
CPW officers and Moffat County ag students captured and relocated a flock of area turkeys this week. A veterinarian took blood samples and birds were banded before being placed in boxes and transported to the Milk Creek area. | Caitlin Walker photos
Area Wildlife Manager Bill deVergie said they may try to capture a few of the tom turkeys remaining in town in the near future.
Anyone who finds or harvests a banded bird is asked to report date and location to the CPW office or to a local officer to increase understanding of the birds’ movement patterns.
For hunters, there’s a limited license spring season on turkeys east of Meeker and a general unlimited license spring season west of Meeker. New this year will be a fall season. Details are available on the CPW website or in the hunting season brochure.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
Thank you, CPW! This has been an ongoing problem on our property and the turkeys have all but destroyed our 80+ year old spruce trees.