Wild Turkey Traditional Cache
Hidden : 8/1/2012
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

You are looking for a micro container along the fields of central Illinois. This should prove to be a relatively quick PnG, but be careful of low-hanging thorns. Enjoy the drive and all of central Illinois' wildlife!

This informational cache is brought to you by your friends at Team paolo1999.

In previous caches, we have talked about some of the inherent dangers that can present themselves to cachers exploring the outdoors.  Difficult terrain, poisonous plants & animals, biting insects, and adverse weather conditions (i.e. 'Twister') to name a few.  But today we would like to focus on one of the positive things which we are exposed to on a regular basis while exploring our towns and countrysides...the native Illinois wildlife and, specifically, the Eastern wild turkey. While not as common a sight as the larger, more visible white-tailed deer, or the more numerous squirrel or raccoon, the Eastern wild turkey is making quite a comeback here in Illinois.  Through a combined effort of the state, conservationists and hunters, the turkey has been brought back from non-existence in the state in 1910, to approximately 150,000 throughout the state today.  Continued stewardship of our turkey populations is still needed, however, and programs like 'Operation Oak' provide free oak seedlings to private landowners throughout the state, helping to reforest developed lands and giving turkeys new places to roam.

Here are some other fun facts about the bird that Benjamin Franklin argued best represented our nation's autonomy and should, therefore, be our national symbol:
  • Bearded ladies: Most male turkeys grow a nine-inch tuft of feather-like filaments from their chest called a beard. Embarrassingly, 10 to 20 percent of lady turkeys do the same.
    • Fleet footed: Turkeys can run at speeds up to 25 mph on the ground and can fly even faster, reaching speeds of up to 55 mph when airborne.
    • Hungry mouths: Baby turkeys, called poults, leave their nests within a day or two of hatching and begin searching for food. While these little guys prefer seeds and berries, adult turkeys are less picky, occasionally even munching on a frog or snake.
    • Taking to the trees: Unlike their domesticated counterparts, wild turkeys are good fliers, preferring to spend their evenings roosting in the safety of the trees. During the day, however, they like to the roam the open ground of fields and valleys.
    • A rose by any other name: The scientific name for the American wild turkey is Meleagris gallopavo, which comes from an early case of mistaken identity. The first European settlers in America mistook our turkeys for guinea fowl and gave them the Latin name for such: Meleagris. The common name "turkey" may actually come from the country of Turkey, from which most guinea fowl were imported.
    • Rare birds: There are only two species of turkey in the world, both of which are native to North America. Meleagris gallopavo, which has seven subspecies, is now common throughout northern Mexico and the continental United States. The second species, Meleagris ocellata, is found only in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.
    • Birds of a feather: Unlike most birds, which congregate in flocks, a group of turkeys is called a rafter.
      Mother hens: Turkeys lay their eggs in the spring, producing an average of one egg per day over a ten day period. The female gently turns the eggs in her nest, ensuring that each one gets equal warmth.

      We hope you've enjoyed this information regarding geocaching and one of our native creatures, the Eastern wild turkey. Let's all enjoy and respect our fellow critters, and happy caching!!
       

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