Source: The Jersey Journal

A wild turkey created quite a stir in Downtown Jersey City today when it appeared at Eighth and Monmouth streets. The turkey led Emergency Service Unit police officers -- and local residents -- on quite a chase, at one point perching itself on power lines high above the street.

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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank said recently that the sale of excess 2009 turkey permits, which began March 23, was successful.

After technical complications played havoc on the 2008 sale, the DNR
immediately began working with vendors to overhaul the permit-sale system.

“DNR staff worked hard to create a system that would provide efficient and
effective service to the public,” Frank said. “The improvements made to the
sale were successful and very popular.”

Excess turkey permits went on sale by zone beginning March 23
through the internet, via telephone and over the counter. More than 47,200 excess permits have been issued since the start of the sale, 32 percent of which occurred on the internet. Another 61 percent of the sales were conducted through DNR’s retail partners across the state.

“I would like to thank the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, the National Wild Turkey Federation, hunters and others for their input on improving the system for excess turkey permit sales and avoiding the problems from 2008,” Frank said. “Our highest priority is providing top-quality public service, allowing people to spend less time in line and more time enjoying the outdoors.”

Remaining permits can be purchased until they are sold out or the season
ends. Visit the DNR web site at www.dnr.wi.gov to view up-to-date spring turkey permit availability.

OCONTO COUNTY, Wis — Charges were filed March 16 in the poisoning deaths of more than 100 turkeys found Jan. 29 in a northeastern Wisconsin field.

Mark A. Kostreva, 50, of 9448 Swenty Road, Pound, Wis., faces three charges of mistreatment of animals. He is slated to have an initial appearance at 1 p.m. April 7 in Oconto County Circuit Court. If convicted, Kostreva could face fines of up to $10,000, or three years and six months in prison — or both — on each count. 

According to the criminal complaint, Kostreva had experienced troubles with turkeys eating hay, straw, corn silage and other items during winter at his feed lot the past several years. Up to 500 turkeys per day would appear at the lot, which Kostreva claimed cost him several thousand dollars.

He attempted to solve the problem by contacting personnel at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other agencies without success. He later obtained information from another source indicating that pouring antifreeze over corn would eliminate the problem, the complaint said.

He then purchased three gallons of antifreeze in January and poured some over corn in a pail, according to the complaint. He then traveled to a nearby pine grove of a neighbor, where turkeys had been gathering during winter, and spread the poisoned corn around trails in that area.

At about 5:30 p.m., Jan. 29, conservation warden Joseph Paul received a telephone call from poaching hotline staff about a confidential call reporting more than 40 dead turkeys. Paul visited the informant, who said a family member had found some of the dead turkeys while snowmobiling. Some other turkeys were still alive but couldn't fly. Many of the dead turkeys had been consumed, as only feathers and bones remained. Most of the birds were in a 2-acre area, the complaint said. Paul and other wardens visited the site and found about 100 dead turkeys. 

According to the complaint, DNR veterinarian Julia Langenberg told wardens to transport five turkeys to the animal-health lab for testing. Results were released Feb. 10 that the cause of death was poisoning from ethylene glycol, commonly called antifreeze.

The investigation led to Kostreva. During a Feb. 4 interview, the complaint said, he admitted mixing several pails of cracked corn with antifreeze and spreading it in near the pine grove. He told wardens he did not know that 100 turkeys were found at or near the pine grove. After putting out the corn, he reported seeing only a few dead turkeys around that area.

Also, the complaint said, Kostreva said he did not know the mixture would have such an effect and that he had not wanted to hurt other animals or people. Further, he said it was out of character for him to do such a thing and offered to help wardens pick up the dead turkeys.

by Jake Edson, F&W Media Outdoors editor

Wisconsin's spring turkey season is still seven weeks away, but I can't stop
thinking about it. Maybe that's because for the past four days I've watched
every morning as a pair of over-anxious toms puff and pirouette in a snowy cow
pasture for a group of about 25 hens.

The presumptuous pair might be in for a rude awakening though, because we are forecast to receive 6 to 10 inches of snow starting this afternoon. I wonder if they'll make it five days tomorrow, or if they'll sulk back to their roost like a pair of sophomores who just realized they won't be able to make the beach party because they don't have driver's licenses.