Hard winter for Turkey populations?

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Was out doing some work around the property yesterday and noticed a turkey lying in the fresh dusting of snow. When I got closer it was obvious the bird had succumbed to the harsh winter of 2015. The hen appeared to have left the roost, walked approx. 40 yards and lay down and expired. No other tracks in the fresh snow, no signs of being attacked by predators, it just lay its head on the snow and died. Too bad, with weather temps about to rise and winter about to break, it might have made it if it had lasted a few days longer as this was the last night of -18 in the forcast. When I inspected the bird it was obvious it had all but wasted away, it was so emaciated it was just bones under the feathers.

If you have turkey on your property, putting out some feed for some late winter energy might help them out a lot. This one was only 100 yards from where I put out feed but it never made it.

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between myself and my two neighbors, there is lots of feed out for the turkeys near us. my daughter tosses scratch or laying mash on the path to our chicken coop every couple days.

If you start feeding them at the beginning of the winter, i'd advise you continue (not you op, just info for anyone who reads this). Thats from an MNR guy i was chatting with last year. He said the birds will become dependant on your food and if you stop, they will have to search for some and it can cause some to starve.
 
Good advice^^, turkey don't winter on my property, they tend to leave in Dec and return this time of year. I dump bags of scratch on the plowed farm roads in Feb and March so as they return they have some food to eat while the snow melts. It helps the grouse survive too. Central Ontario population numbers are not too robust so they can be seriously set back by a harsh winter.
 
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I've seen a number out in Oxford County way. One large flock of hens, another with 3-4 toms or jakes, couldn't tell. I think they're doing okay if they can scare up some chow. I know the area where I saw them soybeans are currently a very popular crop. Not to be a downer, but hopefully it's the biggest, strongest, tastiest birds that survive. Less birds could lead to bigger beards!
 
I agree I have been watching many flocks around oxford county and thy look great ,,even the geese we shot last week were I great shape lots of fat and very well feathered .lets hope for a good melt and not a lot of flooding ,there is a lot of grain out in the middle of the fields were the snow is not very deep ,Dutch ps on a side note I wou;d say that turkey was killed by a owl or hawk ,
 
If it were attacked Dutch, there would have been loose small feathers which would have been in the snow, there were none, not even 1. Those neck feathers fall out easy and no signs of a wound or blood in white snow.

Glad to hear the birds are doing well down your way, nice to see this snow finally melt
 
That looks like it might have been a creepy find.... Not a good way to go and ya the weather is breaking for the better, too bad she could not hang on...
 
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