Wild Turkeys Relocated from Casper to Rural Wyoming to Reduce Conflicts

Wild turkeys can be challenging neighbors, often leaving droppings, damaging trees, blocking traffic, and occasionally harassing pets and people, Gillette News Record reports.

To address these concerns, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently captured and relocated 137 turkeys from urban areas around Casper to rural locations in Natrona and Converse counties.

The relocation effort aimed to ease human-wildlife conflicts while also supporting turkey populations in areas where habitat is recovering from drought and harsh winter conditions.

“Now that the habitat is coming back, these relocated birds will have a chance to re-establish and expand their population,” said Joan Eisemann, president of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Wyoming State Chapter.

The National Wild Turkey Federation assisted with the project by providing specialized box traps, and its volunteers helped capture, transport, and release the birds. Casper College wildlife management students also participated, gaining hands-on experience, while a local kindergarten class joined in to help release the turkeys.

Wyoming Game and Fish set up box traps and drop nets in areas with high turkey concentrations. These methods allowed wildlife managers to capture both individual birds and large flocks before transporting them to new habitats.

Public Information Specialist Janet Milek explained that the selected release sites offer the necessary conditions for wild turkeys to thrive, including roosting trees like cottonwoods and ponderosa pines, as well as food sources such as seeds, grains, and insects. Riparian areas and rangelands in central and eastern Wyoming, with their typically mild winters, provide particularly favorable environments for turkey populations.

Beyond reducing urban conflicts, the relocation effort is also expected to strengthen rural turkey populations, potentially enhancing hunting opportunities in the future. By expanding their range in suitable habitats, wildlife managers hope to ensure long-term sustainability for Wyoming’s wild turkeys while keeping them in areas where they are less likely to disrupt human activities.