Alameda man charged with felony for hunting turkey, authorities say

ALAMEDA — Prosecutors in Alameda County are seeking justice for a wild turkey that took its last breath in August, after a 38-year-old man allegedly shot it with his BB gun, authorities said.

The Alameda man is facing a felony animal cruelty charge for allegedly hunting the bird, according to court records. He was booked into jail on Dec. 17, after the case was filed, with bail set at $50,000, records show.

The defendant has since bailed out and been released, according to court records.

Police said the man shot the turkey with a .177 caliber BB gun near the 400 block of Pensacola Road on the west end of the island, about three-and-a-half miles from where the defendant lives. Police collected the carcass and gave it to a veterinarian for a full necropsy before bringing the case to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, records show.

The illegal hunting was originally reported to police and animal control by an eyewitness, who later identified the suspect from a photo lineup, police said.

Although not native to California, wild turkeys are a common sight in some Bay Area neighborhoods, especially in the East Bay. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced turkeys to the Golden State in the 1900s to encourage recreation hunting and generate revenue through the purchasing of licenses required to hunt the bird. Today, there are around 250,000 wild turkeys throughout California.