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The town of Winthrop can kill the 30 or so wild turkeys roaming through town, but not trap and relocate them, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The response came to a letter sent by the Winthrop Town Council asking for permission to hire a “wildlife control operator” to trap the birds and relocate them.
WDFW said Winthrop’s options are to kill them, ten at a time per permit regulations, or haze them, i.e. drive them out of town with air horns, pepper spray or other means of shooing them away, Mayor Robert Grim told the Winthrop Town Council Wednesday night.
“We could make this an annual event?” Councilmember Seth Miles joked at the meeting.
Councilmember Signe Shaw liked the harvesting idea.
“Now we’re talking,” she responded.
Grim said he will ask Marshall Ty Sheehan whether he would feel comfortable destroying the turkeys. Sheehan was not present at the meeting.
Grim said WDFW’s policy is to give the meat to a food bank or charity.
“Who would take a bunch of undressed, wild turkeys, I don’t know,” said Grim.
An attendee in the peanut gallery chimed that parts of the turkey would taste like the tongue of a shoe.
Raven Aae, also from the peanut gallery, said Sheehan can deputize citizens to kill the wild turkeys.
The fate of the wild turkeys will be discussed at the next town meeting March 18 at 6 pm in the Winthrop Barn Hen House.
