E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSWDIV's Roger Weber reports.
COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Edna Geisler is a prisoner in her own home, constantly fearing the stalker who lies in wait for her on her front lawn. Her tormentor? A 30-pound wild turkey who she refers to as "Godzilla," reports The Detroit Free Press.
Geisler, 69, told The Free Press the bird has stalked her for two months.
The turkey lurks in her yard, screeching constantly, she told the paper. Even worse, when she's alone, the large tom turkey attacks her, she said, pecking and clawing at her hands.
"I'm afraid to go out of my house," she said. "I have to go to the post office at 6 o'clock in the morning to avoid him."
Eric Seals / Detroit Free Press
Godzilla the wild turkey walks around the front yard of the home belonging to Edna Geisler, 69 of Commerce Township. Geisler has been terrorized for a month by a wild turkey she named Godzilla.
Godzilla runs at her and bumps into her, clawing to the point of drawing blood.
"I got a terrible stinging right here," she told the Free Press, pointing to the back of her left hand.
Eric Seals / Detroit Free Press
Edna Geisler, 69 of Commerce Township stands on her front porch with the broom ready to shoo away the wild turkey she's named Godzilla.
"Godzilla" has developed a routine: Each morning he wanders in from the woods on state land over to Geisler's yard, which he apparently has come to see as his own. Geisler's busy street doesn't bother Godzilla, and doesn't stop him from fanning his feathers - usually a method of flirting with hens - but in this case, just another tactic for scaring Geisler: When he preens, he's as big around as a car tire, reported The Free Press.
Read about 'Godzilla' the turkey on Detroit Free Press
While Geisler is the main target, she's not the only victim.
A friend, Rick Reid, recently pulled into her driveway and had the pleasure of meeting Godzilla after opening the door of his minivan, said the paper.
Eric Seals / Detroit Free Press
Godzilla the wild turkey walks around the front yard of Geisler's home.
"He tried to come right in the door," Reid said. "He bit me on the elbow. He's probably 25 to 30 pounds."
In the evening, after putting in a hard day's work of stalking Geisler, Godzilla returns home to woods, where a flock of wild turkeys live, according to The Free Press.
Geisler is at her wit's end. Even changing her schedule hasn't outsmarted her stalker, Geisler told the paper.
"I slipped out and he wasn't there, but he was there waiting for me when I got back."
Geisler hopes Godzilla goes away by summertime so she can work on her garden.
"Every time I eat turkey I smile," she said. "I'd like to do that to him."
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
Leave a Comment:
She should have it shot and eat it for dinner
Maybe she's waiting for the right time i.e. Thanksgiving.
"Godzilla"... I don't think so... Today he'd be called dinner and midnight snack.. tomorrow he'd be fried turkey sandwich with lettuce tomatoes and a slice of cheese... and warmed up turkey for dinner again... the day after that he'd be turkey salad... but he sure wouldn't be stalking me, at least not in his current form.
A little pepper spray should make him run for the woods.
"Go, go, Godzilla"
If the problem is getting rid of him and not hurting him, why doesn't she go get some geese?
Or, better yet, a dog.
But, personally, I'd like to see the goose-turkey fight video.
Then buy a shotgun and....
A shotgun is messy, a 22cal rifle will do the job....... turkey for dinner.
Baseball bat, swing, thud, plucking, chop, dressing the carcass, brining, stuffing, oven, 350 degrees for six hours, DINER!
There are many a duck that were served up just fine after...
Sure... so will a baseball bat (see Devil's Son's comment @ 1.7)
Yes... And for lunch... and dinner... and lunch... and dinner... and snack...
Not quite sure what the problem is here... chop it's little head off, rub it with salt, pepper and sage, pop it in the oven... problem solved. That's what would happen if he were stalking me,
Yeah, this problem could be solved with a gun and turkey stuffing.
It just occurred to me, maybe the the wild turkey is not stalking her, maybe she's nipping at the Wild Turkey.
Why hasn't she called Animal Control? Sounds like it would be more than justified. They don't have to hurt him, but maybe relocation would be the answer.
I thought about that too.
And then I thought, what happens if he comes back after they relocate him?
Then I had a good laugh. :)
Depending on where you live, Animal Control may not come out to your property for issues with wild animals.
The caption under the first photo mentions that wild turkeys are protected under Michigan law. ( BTW, I have had a Wild Turkey come afer me but that was back in college in the Dark Ages and I've sworn off bourbon ever since...) But anyway - unfurling an umbrella to scare it sounds good, and something Ms. Geisler and her friends can easily do. But I have to say, even tho this is a big problem for her and I'm sorry for her troubles, I admire the little fellow! We're about 4 - 5 times bigger than he is, but he's defending his mating territory anyway! He's a valiant little bird! This must be why Franklin wanted them to be the national bird.
"The caption under the first photo mentions that wild turkeys are protected under Michigan law."... Well, the way I see it that only counts if you tell animal control that you and said turkey were having issues...
"Changing her work schedule?????" Is this woman serious???
Shoo it with a Broom? How about a Baseball bat? A Machete'?
A nice Pistol?
The real question here is, "Exactly WHAT is the hold up?"
That bird should have been D.E.A.D. a while ago!
The woman seems "as Dumb as the bird".
the birds are protected if she kills it she goes to jail so maybe she is not so dumb .......
He looks like dinner to me.
She needs to go to a zoo or an outfitter and get some big cat urine, or a pit bull.
Play a harmonica, it's head will turn white and it will pass out and fall over, problem solved non-violently.
WTF?
No, go with the accordian.
Accordion, harmonica and bagpipe serenade.
Why not just take the garden hose to it. Just spray it till it's soaked.
It's winter in Michigan, nobody has their garden hoses out this time of year...Where the heck do you live?
In Missouri. It's 60 degrees right now.
I can understand not harming it herself if it's protected, but I'm sure there is someone she can call to safely relocate the bird, it's obviously not safe for her!
Makes me appreciate our neighborhood Canadian Goose. He decided to stay one day a couple years ago. He 's a good watch goose and likes to follow along with neighborhood walkers on summer evenings. He's never threatened a soul.
Protected or not, my family and I'd have had turkey for dinner for over a week.
I'd punt that thing like a football until he got the message. I live near there and have turkeys in the yard from time to time. They run or fly away when they see me out. Yes, Turkeys can fly and do perch in trees, although on the larger lower branches. All animals can sense fear and run from larger prey when they don't.
It is 2' tall, has a brain this size of a pencil eraser... run it off with a rake... It isn't like it is a velociraptor!
Can you say ,Turkey buffet?...
So Thanskgiving is coming early this year. A fine meal and an empty yard to be thankful for :)
if he is protected and on state land i would let em know then sue em if they didnt do anything about it...meanwhile id have an early thanksgiving.
For those of you that just thinks its a "little bird". Depending on the age they can 3 inch spurs on their legs and can be very aggressive. They might not be the best flyers, but they can jump very well. Two weeks until turkey season!
Put up a bunch of those fake "Pink Flamingo's", like maybe 15 to 30 and see if the Turkey has a fit or runs away!
Either way it could be really funny when that Turkey see's all of them the next morning. Maybe he'll make a girlfriend out of one of them and then this lady won't have him bugging her all the time until they get into a fight or something.... Or have kids! Pink Turkeys.. I really need a cup of coffee.
Of course I'm only trying to have some fun with this mess, No offense intended.
Or it may decide to flock with them! At the zoo I worked years ago we had wild turkeys hang out with the peafowl. We would drive by the birds sitting on a fence and count peacock, peacock, peacock, turkey, peacock...
"I'm sorry officer it jumped in my oven when I was baking....". Problem solved.
Turkeys can be aggressive, same as a rooster, but they wouldn't control my yard. Even protected animals lose that status when they are a nuisance.
Buy a hunting license and a turkey call, spring turkey season is right around the corner. He won't be protected then. Show him his place in the food chain. If you don't own a shotgun sit in the mini van and when he lunges in for a peck slam the door.
ever seen that video on youtube of the hunters being followed by like 100 turkeys while they are hunting, pure irony. turkeys to the hunters: "we have you surrounded!"
Why doesn't one of the animal-rights rescue groups come to this poor turkey's aid? Remember, the turkeys were here first, ha ha.
trap it, sharpen the axe and eat it... let the authorities try and find the evidence 12 hours later...
hmmm protected and a nuisance..... wonder what the fine is for taking out a protected Turkey.
It's coming right for us!!!!! ( South Park...lol )
@jpeyton76
He was showing suicidal tendencies........