Two turkeys walk next to a road in North Appleton. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Wild turkeys are flocking to Appleton in huge numbers.
“About a year ago, we saw as many as 20 at one time,” said Appleton resident Richard Ruhsam.
“Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increase of a turkey population coming into the city of Appleton,” said Lt. Meghan Cash of the Appleton Police Department. “As we continue to address those concerns in our different neighborhoods throughout the city, we’ve seen everything from traffic congestion to issues with pedestrians, to more recently, turkeys attacking vehicles.”
The city and its police department are requesting residents help alleviate the problem by not feeding the turkeys.
It’s the reason why, police say, the turkeys are congregating in residential areas and near roads.
“We don’t,” said Ruhsam when asked if he feeds the turkeys. “I’m not aware of who does or doesn’t, but I know they certainly seem to have a routine of houses that they seem to go through their backyards a little more often than others.”
Some drivers are more patient than others, but one thing is certain — the turkeys are causing delays.
“Sometimes they’re all crossing the street, and people are trying to get their kids off to school and so on,” said Ruhsam. “But most people are very tolerant of them.”
Still, there have been a few big incidents.
“It’s been everything from traffic crashes involving turkeys, to turkeys being struck by a car, to people just saying they can’t get to where they’re going because of turkeys being in the roadway,” Cash said.
Police still haven’t issued citations for feeding turkeys, but say that could be next if residents don’t quit feeding them.
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