Mailman beats turkey to death near Sacramento, claims self-defense
He was not feeling thankful.
A Northern California mailman beat a turkey to death while on his delivery route but claimed he was only trying to defend himself against the giant bird.
The unidentified letter carrier was making deliveries Monday in the east Sacramento suburb of Arden-Arcade, the Sacramento Bee reported. The neighborhood where he was working has been a hub of turkey activity and aggression for months, residents said.
Witnesses said the letter carrier exited his truck and was quickly attacked by the turkey, according to the Bee. The man then went back to his vehicle, grabbed a pole or stick-type object, and beat the turkey to death.
“I’ve been with the department for 25 years, and I have a little bit of experience with turkeys,” Patrick Foy with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told the Bee. “It was the biggest turkey I’ve ever seen.”
The deceased bird was apparently part of a rafter of turkeys that have been harassing residents and visitors to the neighborhood.
Last fall, a wildlife biologist witnessed four turkeys physically jump on and attack a mailman in the same neighborhood, the Bee reported. Mail carriers started carrying pepper spray in an attempt to ward off the birds, but it didn’t work.
Residents have spoken about turkey issues for months, but wildlife officials haven’t been either willing or able to fix the problem. The mail carrier taking action into his own hands has divided residents, according to Foy.
“Half of the neighborhood was infuriated that a mailman killed a turkey,” Foy told the Bee. “The other half are infuriated that somebody won’t come out and get rid of all the turkeys.”
Turkey attacks on mail carriers have been reported throughout the country. In 2016, a mailman in Hillsdale, N.J., came under fierce attack and called 911. That same year, a mailman reportedly clubbed a turkey to death in a different Sacramento-area neighborhood. The U.S. Postal Service investigated but couldn’t find proof of the attack.
The USPS also promised to investigate the most recent report. No videos or photos from the incident have been found.
“Our employees have had several altercations with aggressive turkeys in the area, including a recent attack on a letter carrier. We have been working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to mitigate the issue,” a USPS spokesman told the Bee.
“However, this allegation is alarming, and if true, inexcusable and does not reflect the efforts of our more than 650,000 employees who faithfully serve and deliver for America every day.”
