North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jwlehman@aol.com]

After the e/m advising wild turkeys ate mice & voles I send an e/m to the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources to confirm.  

Here was the reply: 

Subj:   Wild turkeys, mice, and moles   
Date:   5/3/2004 11:39:55 AM US Eastern Standard Time   
From:   sbacks@dnr.state.in.us  
To: Jwlehman@aol.com    

Dear Jerry,

To my knowledge I have never seen mice or voles listed as a food item in any study regarding the food habits of wild turkeys.  Wild turkeys do like to eat invertebrates (insects, spiders, etc) when they are available.  I would not be surprised that once
in a blue moon a wild turkey might ingest a small mouse or vole in mistaking
it for some caterpillar or grub but I certainly don't think they would
actively seek them out as a prey item.  You would be better off encouraging
foxes, and weasels than wild turkeys if mole and voles were a problem.

Thanks for your inquiry,

Steve Backs
Wild turkey Project Leader