Wildlife and Windshields

[TenaGoble]

I had to go for a MRI today and the medical taxi service that I use, some of the drivers have know my kin for years and of my family's former camping biz.

Now I have heard of deer hitting vehicles and vice versa, plus damage done to the vehicle and the eventual death of the deer. But this was a first for what I heard.

One of the drivers, that I knew, (luckily I wasn't in his taxi for today), was driving a female patient for kidney dialysis(sp.), when the driver had an accident that wasn't his fault... a wild turkey hit the windshield of the taxi!

(INSERT ANY TURKEY JOKE HERE, NO REFERENCES TO WILD TURKEY WHISKEY PLEASE!)

This is part of the conversation I heard over the CB on the way back to my place...


Dispatch: The turkey broke the windshield, right?

Driver: It's all gone on one side, but the whole windshield has to be replaced.

Dispatch: That's obvious.




BTW, the woman was shaken up a bit and got another taxi to the clinic, the taxi was towed to where a new windshield to be put on it, the driver is embarressed, don't know if the driver or passenger side was hit... don't know what happened to turkey, either!

 

[UnderEstimated]

Yikes, never heard of that before! Can you imagine the mess of feathers?

Either way, the taxi driver has an early Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[TenaGoble]

On another note, regarding wild turkeys, there was a incident in western Massachusetts I remember from 1997.

There were some people who had outdoor tennis courts at their houses or estates, the property was zoned in some areas and those people who hunted were trying to get special permits or permission from the city to get rid of the turkey gangs that were a menace, when they couldn't play tennis.

Also, at the same time, they were having trouble with coyotes, don't know what happened there.

 

[navychop]

"... don't know what happened to turkey, either!"


Fricassee?

 

[TenaGoble]

I got some more info regarding the "wild turkey situation" here in the hills. According to a distant relation of mine, who works in forestry, but has to work with fish & wildlife on occasion, there has been an increase of incidents involving wild turkeys, but the turkey breaking the windshield was a first to him.

 

[cparker]

I once saw a few turkeys get whacked by a snowmobile.
I was coming down a hill on a road that makes a huge circle and inside the circle is a field with basically like 2 levels. Half the field is at one flat plane and there's a little rise where it goes up a few feet to the next level. A couple of snowmobilers were cranking along teh bottom level heading for the rise. I could SEE about 30 turkeys on the upper level and I knew that the snowmobilers couldn't see them from their lower vantage point. The first guy skied his sled over the rise and actually came down INTO the turkeys. He musta been as surprised as the turkeys. He had to keep moving as the second guy was right behind him. Anyways.... I stopped. They looked over at me. Both of them laughing like hell. One guy held up 2 turkeys and the other guy held up 1. So they got at least 3 turkeys and nobody got hurt... except the turkeys of course.

Same area... different day.... driving and see a turkey apparently getting ready to cross the road. I slow down to about 45 and see him puff up, spread his wings, like he's mad at me for being on his road. Last I saw of him alive was when it LOOKED like he was taking a swipe at my pickup truck as I passed. I heard this *PANG!* like someone whacked a stone with a shovel. What happened was that I hit him in the head with the end of the front bumper. Dropped him instantly. I pulled over as did the guy behind me. I was working and had no way to deal with taking the turkey so he asked if he could have it. I said, "Sure". He was laughing and told me that if I was going to be passing through in a few weeks... deer season would be open. And to let himm know what route I'd be on.

 

[navychop]

Yep. Only deer I've ever brought down was with a Grand Caravan......