Shot a sick turkey...avian pox!

[Bill Carlsen]

Recently we have been seeing a lone turkey hanging around the house. She was female, no poults and apparently not well. I called Fish and Game because Laura had heard a local Public Radio show that had been talking about an outbreak of Avian Pox in a flock of turkeys nearby. She did some research and found that the disease is fatal, apparently spread by biting insects and death for the turkey is prolonged and agonizing.  The CO I talked to indicated that they were aware of the turkey I described and they had been trying to capture it for several months at a neighbor's.  He said that I should shoot it if I had a chance and they would not require me to use my Fall tag. Although it is thought not to be contagious to humans I had already decided to do the humane thing and dispose of the carcass. The CO said to keep the carcass and he would (and did) pick it up. Long story short, I saw the turkey across our pond yesterday and stalked to about 20 yards. I made a perfect shot and it only ran about 20 yards before going down. I am adding pics of the turkey because one of the symptoms of the disease is disfigurement of the face. Eventually the turkey cannot eat and dies of starvation. Hopefully this condition does not exist where you are but if you see turkeys like this you need to contact your Fish and Game Dept. and ask what they would like you to do. Here's the pics. Laura Googled "Avian Pox in NH" and got a wealth of info and pics of how the disease progresses...not pretty. This turkey is in the early stages of the disease as near as we can tell.

 

 

 

[Alexander Traditional]

Very interesting,haven't heard of that. Looks like those RazorCaps did the trick on him!

[Cmane07]

Definitely a bad disease on them and you definitely did the right thing.  Good shot!

[Al Dente]

Good job.  Will look into it.

[Bill Carlsen]

Love my Razorcaps. Took a button buck two days ago and the broadhead was a pass thru through the spine. Best head I've ever used.

[Sharpster]

That's bad news Bill,

Hope Avian pox isn't related to the asian "bird flu"????

Ron

[nineworlds9]

Who says hunters don't help 'the envyrunment'

[Bill Carlsen]

Ron; The CO said it was a turkey problem and it is only transmitted via biting insects. Laura actually did the research and I'll add more after she comes in from her treestand....which is in our front yard behind our grapes. She hopes one  of these two shows up. They have been showing up as early as 3 in the afternoon....four bucks altogether.

 

[SKITCH]

Originally posted by Bill Carlsen:
and I'll add more after she comes in from her tree stand....

That is Awesome!!  You are a lucky man!!!

[Bill Carlsen]

Here's a link from the National Turkey Federation.

 http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_24.pdf

Here's what Laura encountered today....a button buck too small to shoot and a doe which came in during legal shooting time but it was the light was too low for shooting. In the doe pic you can see the house thru the grape vines.

 

You can also see t he house with the button buck.

 

[onewhohasfun]

My neighbors had one like that hanging around their yard,several yrs ago. I killed it with a big stick.