Escaped turkey evades capture in Bountiful, gains fame online

BOUNTIFUL — You've probably heard of the chicken that crossed the road. Not even the fastest chicken, though, has anything on the turkey roaming the streets of Bountiful lately.

Not only does it keep crossing the road, but it also flies across the road.

"There she is," said one person pointing at the turkey while it was walking next to a business.

"Don't run after it. It'll run faster," said another person.

This turkey became popular when people in Bountiful saw it all around town and started posting pictures of it on Facebook. One picture even shows it in front of a KFC restaurant with a sign advertising fried turkey.

"People have been seeing it around here for days," said Lindsey Eaton, who lives in Woods Cross and has been following the turkey's story on Facebook.

Even the Bountiful Police Department posted about the turkey and asked people to report its location when it's seen.

Followers gobbled up every post. So, when Eaton saw it near the Carl's Jr., she began recording it and did a Facebook live.

"Want to help us corner a turkey?" she asked people walking by. "We have to corner this thing!"

Her livestream caught the attention of the turkey's owner. Christopher Smith showed up within a few minutes and said he's been looking for the turkey since it escaped a couple of months ago. Right around Thanksgiving.

"She escaped when we were bringing her home from the farm we bought her from," said Smith.

At one point, Smith almost grabbed the turkey's leg, but it got away. When the turkey was surrounded by people helping, it flew off and onto the top of a nearby building.

"Oh dear!" said Eaton. "This is ridiculous."

The turkey would land, let people surround it, then fly off again.

It happened time after time, as if it was having fun making people look like, well, turkeys.

Smith said it was frustrating.

"Very," he said with a sigh. "I've been running around as fast as I can."

For now, this bird will enjoy another night of freedom. The plan is to come back and set a trap with feed when traffic isn't so busy.

"I thought chasing four kids was crazy," said Eaton with a laugh.

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