Wild Turkeys spotted in Hilliard around Thanksgiving

HILLIARD, Ohio — Wild turkeys are wandering around central Ohio, and they don’t seem to worry at all that Thanskgiving was this week.

What You Need To Know

• Wild turkeys, a.k.a the “Hilliard Turkey Gang” as locals have been calling it, have been spotted out and about around Thanksgiving time
• The birds first wandered into Hilliard over a year ago; they tend to hang around Kroger on Cemetery Road
• Though they appear pretty tame, city officials remind everyone to be cautious around them

The “Hiilliard Turkey Gang,” as locals call them, wandered into town over a year ago and may be here to stay, and everyone seems to be gobbling it up. 

So, why did the turkeys cross the road? Who knows. But Teresa Vance, who works in near the post office, isn’t one to complain. 

“Oh, I talk to them all the time,” said Vance, who works in Hilliard. “I’m one of those crazy people.” 

Vance didn’t expect to spot the two-legged creatures hanging around her office. Who would? But they come by her office daily. 

Aside from the occasional peaking at windows and walking in front of traffic, they mostly mind their own business. However, their presence has certainly sparked office gossip. 

Mike Gegenheimer, who also works in Hilliard, has overheard some of it. 

“There are two groups,” said Gegenheimer. “There’s some in this office complex that say, ‘boy, they’re really dirty birds.’ Other people are standing up for the turkeys, and say ‘hey (we) want the turkeys to thrive and if any of them are missing after Thanksgiving, they’re going to hold the manager of the complex responsible’.” 

But they seem pretty adamant about staying. Some said they’re practically residents here. 

“I was surprised that they chose Hilliard to call home and even more surprised that they’re always together, always roaming the streets together,” said Hilliard Community Relations Administrator Anna Subler.

While they appear mostly peaceful, Subler said to be cautious.

“We do ask people to give them space,” said Subler. “If they do see them out and about, just let them live their lives. They’re wild animals living here.”

Still, people like Vance, have taken quite a liking to them. 

“I don’t want to see anything happen to them,” said Vance. “They do like to play in traffic. They are like little toddlers. I have a feeling if anything happened to them, the whole city would be in an uproar because, like I said, we’re very protective of them. We try to keep an eye on them when we do see them.”​