Another Turkey Predator

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
I've always thought of the usual nest predators, coon, skunk, possum, snake, but was just made aware of another possibility that I had never considered............. a crow. Actually, supposedly one of the smartest things in the wood. The other week we had an 18 pack of eggs in the fridge and shortly thereafter, the news came out about all the eggs recalled. Since the eggs were in a tray and the carton had been discarded she decided that $1.88 worth of eggs wasn't worth the risk so they were set out to be disposed of. My initial thought was to use them as .22 targets but reconsidered since my range is right at the house and might cause a stink so I took them to the edge of the woods down by the shelter. Always looking an opportunity to get some trail cam pictures I put a camera on them. Just pulled the card and it hadn't taken a crow but a couple of hours to find them and then it was game on. Some of the eggs did manage to stay there over the next night for a coon to find them and he went to work but the crows did most of the damage. I know the turkey eggs are better camouflaged than these were but got me wondering how many nests are found and raided by crows.
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Familyman

Twelve Pointer
I expect you're right on the money. Cool pic by the way.....looks like he's got that egg balanced on his beak.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I remember reading something about a nest predation study on some game bird and they found that crows were very good at finding the majority of the nests that were monitored and destroying the eggs. I think it may have been ravens and sage grouse.... but anyway it was something akin to a crow....
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
After thinking abut this in just affirms my efforts on creating suitable edge for small game and nesting birds. I just planted 3 food plots with a wild game mix that included clay peas, buckwheat and millet with a few sunflowers thrown in. But I only planted 3/4 of what I area I had. Behind the food plot I left a wide strip as natural edge that is already thick with blackberries and the like. The understory of this is fairly open as I sprayed first to kill the fescue that was there. Nest sites in stuff like that will certainly deter any areal predators.
 

stilker

Old Mossy Horns
They harass the turkeys something terrible where I hunt,always a crow close by when there out feeding.
 
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