Turkey

Did you say Black Hills Turkey?  People say that seeing turkey is a rare thing, but living here in the Black Hills, I see them every day.  I see them in Custer State Park, I see them in my yard I see them all over the Black Hills National forest ...Maybe they are following me.  If you go on a hike up Harney Peak or drive Needles Highway and the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway I bet you'll see them too.

The Black Hills Turkey are native to the area, and thousands of hunters swarm the black hills during the spring and fall turkey hunting seasons.  If you are on your SD vacation during the summer you can stalk the wily turkey with your camera.  In the spring it's great fun to see the male turkeys (Jakes)  strutting their stuff with all their feathers fanned out trying to impress the girls.  The feather show is beautiful, but have you ever looked at a turkeys head up close...all blue and red...darn ugly if you ask me, but I'm not a female turkey.  The Lakota Indians used turkey feathers to decorate their ceremonial headdresses.