Beware the Lancaster, Pa, attack turkey

“Lancaster County Turkey Attacks Cars
Turkey Sidekick Falls Victim To Own Aggression Toward Cars

POSTED: 6:57 p.m. EST November 13, 2003

EAST COCALICO TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Just in time for Thanksgiving, turkeys are getting their revenge.

A wild turkey who's used to being hunted is doing some hunting himself in East Cocalico Township, Lancaster County.

"He's wild! He's a mad, mad turkey," resident Kevin Polumbo said.

"I just call him the attack turkey," resident Guy Wilson said.

Neighbors claim a wild turkey is hunting them. If you're in a car -- you're fair game.

"They'll run along side of 'ya and try to getcha," resident Carl Mohler said.

It may sound unbelievable, but some residents caught it on home video.

"The mailman says they follow him to the end of the road and chase him to every stop," resident John Wilson said.

They're bold birds. The video shows them spotting a truck coming and running right into the road. They almost got hit, but that doesn't faze them a bit.

"They're still chasing him up the road," Wilson said.

With this kind of turkey traffic, drivers learn not to stop.

"As soon as the turkeys come out, gun it, just floor it and take off," Wilson said.

"I've seen them attack people's cars," resident Barbara Horst said. "(They) peck at them, charge at them."

What was once two turkeys is now a solo act. One couldn't get out of a car's way in time. The survivor is now sort of a celebrity.

"I call him Wilbur," Polumbo said.

Neighbors told News 8 if they're out walking, they bring something to shoo him away, like an umbrella or a broom”

“My car was attacked by a turkey at the Nockamixon hike a few weeks ago”

“What do you expect, they aren't chicken.”

“Oh, that was low. Real low, Artex LOL”

“yo - Geobeet - out of curiosity was this something you picked up from the PATC forum when you were over there?”

“Scorch - If you ask me, I'd say it was poultry in motion.”

“oh barf artex.”

“haha”

“Hi, I've seen lots of wild turkeys too”

“Where are the hunters when you need them?”

“we don't care, trail nymph. continue to dry yourself off and get lost TROLL! hehe”

“Turkeys actually make good pets. They can be trained to fetch small objects like twigs.”

“This is not a Mapleleaf thread?”

“gobble gobble”

“LOL thats to funny,
its called REVENGE!”

“Yeah HOI, it was just sitting there. Funny story indeed.

I was coming to work one morning last year, driving a two-lane road through a city park, and the traffic was backed up.

Eventually I could see a police car in the other lane, so I figured things were beginning to unravel.

When I got up to the scene, the Tom came running back onto the road, ran in front of my car, and I couldn't see it. I drove very slowly by and then saw it in my rear view mirror. It had sat down on the side of the road and just sat there.

The increase in the turkey population promises some more exciting encounters, I might suspect.”

“oohhh, those Amish turkeys are extra-vicious.”

“I understand you have to beat them to death with a stick though.”