Wild Turkey Terrorizes Minnesota Neighborhood

The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory

Wild Turkey Terrorizes Minnesota Neighborhood

Posted 2023-02-03T11:12:00Z

The bird has attacked people and chased cars

Residents of a Coon Rapids, Minnesota, mobile home park say they are struggling to go about their daily lives due to an aggressive wild turkey.

According to CBS News, the bird showed up in the neighborhood around Thanksgiving and hasn't left.

"This turkey has literally taken over our life," Coon Rapids resident Rachael Gross said.

She said the turkey attacks people, chases cars, and pecks tires.

"This turkey attacks me every single day — follows me, goes up my stairs, tries to get into my house. When I leave in my car, it follows my car," she said.

"I have to carry my broom and my water bottle and my golf club everywhere I go," Gross said.

Emily Ahlsten says she fears for the safety of the kids who live in the mobile home park.

"My one-year-old grand baby just moved in with us and I'm afraid to even take her outside, especially when the weather gets warmer. Like, we can't have people over. We can't have a barbeque," Ahlsten said.

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Gross says the kids that walk to the bus stop in the mornings now carry sticks to keep the bird at bay.

Ahlsten and Gross say they've reached out to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) who suggested they remove bird feeders or chop down branches where the turkey roosts. They say they've removed their bird feeders, but others in the mobile home park have not.

Ahlsten says she would just like for the turkey to be relocated somewhere where there are other turkeys and away from people.

But the DNR says, "Trapping and relocating 'nuisance' turkeys is not an option. The methods used to trap turkeys in remote areas are often impractical or ineffective in urban or suburban areas due to safety or disturbance. Released turkeys may also continue their inappropriate actions where they are released or may move substantial distances to other suburban sites."

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