FALL LAKE – A canoeist from the state of Virginia was driving into Ely last Wednesday from Fall Lake following a trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area when he had the surprise of his life. A wild turkey flew into his windshield.

Link bellow to article in Timberjay paper.
Timberjay-link

Once more truth is stranger than fiction.

I once hit a wild turkey driving through Texas at ~70 MPH. It should suffice to say there was no freeing the bird from the predicament.

Yeh I just seen the article. Must of been the only turkey in the county. It was like 35-40 years ago plus there was no wild turkeys in Minnesota and the DNR never thought they could ever survive north of Mille lacs or the Brainerd area. Well now they are almost everywhere.

We actually traded bear from the Ely area like in 1969 for turkeys from like Arkansas to stock in southeastern Minnesota.

you would not believe how many turkeys in NE Wisconsin... They should give away permits to hunt those thing. For the cost of a license and feller can get a bird that actually tastes good in local supermarket.
There are two that must have gotten kicked out of the flock that have been wandering around the house lately.

dr bob

No way..
What's the punch line...

quote kona: "I once hit a wild turkey driving through Texas at ~70 MPH. It should suffice to say there was no freeing the bird from the predicament."

You probably shouldn't be hitting the wild turkey while driving (rimshot)

Someone tried raising those Turkeys about 15 or more years ago, just north of Shagawa Lake, near Burntside . They started out with 10, ended up with many, and were all over the place.
In fact, I had to stop my car while heading home on the Van Vac Road when a "herd" of about 20+ were standing in the road.
Some had been spotted at the Fall Lake Campground during that time.
This species (Kentucky wild Turkeys???) can adapt to the harsh weather conditions as long as they have food.
This may have been one of the survivors from that group.
The fellow that hit the Turkey stopped in the shop and showed me the photos, said he had a hell of a time freeing the bird as it kept trying to chomp him whenever he got close.

I hit a red-tailed hawk in northern MN once at 60 mph. It sounded like someone had dropped a bowling ball on my windshield and I didn't know what had collided with my car. Exiting my car, I found a large red-tailed hawk on its side beneath my canoe, hissing at me. I tried to flag someone down to help me, but the hawk worked his way out my canoe, stood up, shook himself, and flew off. It flew normally and I guessed that if it lived it did so because they're built for high speed collisions when they strike their prey.

We have plenty of those near our deer hunting area. They are a pain! Go back to turkey you turkeys! Marc

The first ones I saw in Southern Ohio were in about 1980 or so. I was deer scouting or squirrel hunting. I thought, look at all those buzzards across the hollow walking in single file.". They are everywhere and plentiful now, and have been for at least 25 years. Very hardy.

Yeah, bears are doing well down here too...

Bruce

quote Arkansas Man: "Yeah, bears are doing well down here too...


Bruce"

Just think they might have relatives in Minnesota.

Pardon (presidential) the turkey. He knew not what he did.