ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It’s a close encounter with a wild turkey on the streets of Ashwaubenon.
The bird has been spotted in the area for months, roaming the neighborhood on the village’s west side.
The sightings have now gone viral, and the turkey even has its own Facebook page.
Standing about four feet tall, and weighing roughly 20 pounds, the turkey known locally as Smoke deliberately makes its way across the intersection of Morris Avenue and Hilltop Drive.
“Right now, it’s just one. There used to be like seven or eight. But there’s just one. And he’s making it known here in Ashwaubenon,” said Nanette Peters, Ashwaubenon.
Peters tells FOX 11 the turkey can be curious, checking out cars parked on the side of the road, but a bicyclist riding by can send the bird into chase mode.
“I just know it runs after people. And actually one of my neighbors, it always runs after his car when he goes to work.”.
The bird can block traffic too.
Jim Keys tells FOX he was stopped right in the middle of the intersection.
“Try to get him out of the road, so nobody kills him. Madness, crazy. It’s really hard to believe that they’re in the city.”
But the birds are in the village. And with sightings piling up, the turkey has gone viral. A Facebook page documents dozens of encounters with the bird.
He’s known as “Smoked Turkey–Mayor of Ashwaubenon.”
“The Mayor of Ashwaubenon. It’s a good name. He acts like he owns it,” said Peters.
During the commotion, an Ashwaubenon Public Safety officer arrived.
He coaxed the turkey to trail him, out of the intersection, and away from the neighborhood.
According to Ashwaubenon Public Safety, so far this year, there have been 15 animal calls that involve turkeys in the village.
