by Sherry Goodyear
SPRINGER — Shots rang out in Springer last week, and gossip spread through the town like wild fire: “They’re killing the turkeys! They’re killing the turkeys!” Fortunately, the shots everyone heard were the sounds of net guns being discharged as game and fish department officials attempted to capture several wild turkeys that had taken up residence in the town.
According to Joy Weisdorfer of the game and fish office in Raton, over the past several weeks they received several visits and phone calls from Springer residents complaining about the turkeys that appeared in town last fall. Six turkey hens had arrived in Springer, possessing a healthy dose of human fear, but over the months, as well-meaning humans began to supplement the turkeys’ diet with daily food rations, the turkeys began to view humans as friends and became more aggressive with each passing week. Springer’s city hall confirms numerous complaints about the turkeys scratching up cars and blocking vehicles as they tried to drive through Springer streets. On several occasions, turkeys were seen following people as they walked through town. One of the six turkeys was hit by a car a few months ago, and the five remaining could be seen traversing the town on a daily basis.
An influx of wildlife has appeared in Springer over past couple of years, including antelope and deer, and many folks travel to town just to see these wild animals. At one point city councilman Jean Martinez thought the turkeys would be a good way to bring tourists to town. There was talk of a “turkey festival” and a “turkey crossing.” But as the turkeys became more aggressive, what folks initially welcomed with open arms suddenly became a nuisance. Ironically, the day the game and fish officials arrived to begin capturing the turkeys and relocate them, one of the turkeys was hit by a car, bringing their number down to four.
Cimarron is another small, New Mexican town that is known for its vast array of wild life. When asked what Cimarron’s secret to maintaining a peaceful existence with the resident wild life is, Coda Sanchez of city hall said, “The key is not to feed the wildlife.” Sanchez continued, “People just need to be educated that feeding the animals doesn’t help them. It just teaches them to be dependent on people, rather than making them rely on themselves.”
Game warden Justin Johnson says people don’t realize feeding the animals can cause them to become aggressive as they start to believe all humans are a source of food. Anyone caught feeding wildlife can expect an initial warning and ultimately, if they don’t stop, they can expect to receive a citation with an attached fine.
Which brings us back to the Springer turkeys and their fate. Luckily, the game and fish department is trying to build up the wild turkey populations in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, located about 20 miles southwest of Carlsbad in Salt Flat, Texas. Springer’s four turkeys, which game and fish officials spent as many days capturing, were transported with a few more turkeys caught in Raton on Friday, Feb. 12, to the Guadalupe Mountains in the hope of increasing their populations.
“Turkeys are pretty resilient,” Weisdorfer said, “so they should be fine.”
Many Springer residents who enjoyed the presence of the turkeys and considered them an asset to the community heartily hope so.
