What's the deal on Eastern Wild Turkeys

[SED]

OK, I have a question. I live in Alabama and we cannot have wild turkeys per the state wildlife agency. I contacted them and they let me know that we cannot have permits and are not allowed to keep them. So, my question is, why do so many people have Eatern Wild turkeys for sale (or just raise for that matter)? Are these more of a domesticated strain of Eastern Wild? What would the difference be from the wild turkeys that I see in fields around my house and the ones that i would get from McMurray or any other hatchery?

Thanks for any insight into this!

 

[MrChicken207]

The way I understand it, and this is just me, is that not all states have restrictions in regards to game birds (inlcuding wild turkeys) being raised by private people. Some states are more generous in giving permits for them, others don't even require permits. In some states, the state wildlife agency actually hires some people to raise the birds for future release. Most, if not all of the time, these birds are descendants of others that were trapped by wildlife agents specifically for breeding programs.

This is also true with pheasants, quail, and chukar.

In some states a private party (farmer, etc.) can purchase poults of wild turkey breeds to raise as beat, or to breed with other breeds of turkey(RP, BR, etc) for vigor or whatever, just as if that wild breed wre any other breed of heritage turkey.

 

[chickenguru]

Quote:
First of all an eastern Wild Turkey bought from any hatchery and pen raised will not have the necessary survival instincts
to live in the wild not to mention the possibility of it introducing parasites or even diseases to the true wild turkeys when they would be released.
Even if you did not intend on releasing them into the wild and they were to get free and leave, that is a chance the wildlife agency cannot risk.
It is hard to even get pen raised and flight conditioned quail around where we live to survive in the wild. We have a farm here with about 2500 acres that has had a few thousand quail released and it is still seldom that we see any quail.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

North Carolina is the same way, you must have a permit to have eastern wilds and they aren't giving any permits. It's kind of funny but often on the state AG review sale paper people sell EW, figure that one out.

Steve

 

[SED]

Quote:
Exactly, Steve. I can look on the web, in local papers, etc and not have any problem finding and buyin EW Turkeys. I actually bought 4 the other day. I guess what I don't understand is, if it is illegal to have/sell Eastern Wild Turkeys in the state of Alabama (or any other state for that matter), why do so many peolpe have them and advertise them for sale? Why would the state not be able to look and crack down on them? My thoughts are (and I may be wrong) that the strain that people have and are selling may not be a "true" Eastern Wild. Maybe a domesticated version of the EW? More of a domesticated heritage turkey that a true EW? I want to raise them and be able to sell poults/eggs but I also want to be legal. Hope this makes sense.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[SED]

Quote:
I agree. I guess my real question would be more genetic make up. If I "caught" a true Eastern Wild Turkey in the woods, and genetically compared it to an Eastern Wild Turkey that I bought from Murray McMurray, Ideal, Welp, or any of the other hatcheries, would it be the same make up?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I guess there are not enough game wardens to enforce the laws. We have a friend of ours that was checked last year for EW turkeys, all they had was bronze. Rumor has it that if somebody turns you in they will come. Seems to me like if they really wanted to enforce it how hard would it be?

Steve

 

[bigspringshatchery]

Quote:
The last time I checked on McMurray they wouldn't ship to alabama and some other states.

 

[SED]

Quote:
The last time I checked on McMurray they wouldn't ship to alabama and some other states.

I think that you are correct. But I know that there are others that will. There are also plenty of breeders that sell EW in Alabama. I guess I am thinking that if it is illegal to do so in Alabama, how do so many people get away with it and even advertise the fact that they sell them? Maybe I am just thinking about this too hard!!!

 

[Denninmi]

Quote:
The last time I checked on McMurray they wouldn't ship to alabama and some other states.

I think that you are correct. But I know that there are others that will. There are also plenty of breeders that sell EW in Alabama. I guess I am thinking that if it is illegal to do so in Alabama, how do so many people get away with it and even advertise the fact that they sell them? Maybe I am just thinking about this too hard!!!

It's probably just like a lot of laws that are passed -- very little or no enforcement. Sometimes the laws are dumb in the first place. This one seems to be -- the goal is good, to protect the wild turkey population, but it provides a layer of unnecessary regulation considering that people in most states can buy these legally.