Most Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are familiar with and have eaten turrs. For many people, they are a delicacy.
Years ago, I imagine they were one of the main food sources for people living in coastal communities..
Turrs or Murres are saltwater birds and usually arrive in the bays of Newfoundland Labrador in January or
February. They may arrive earlier in Northern areas. Turrs are about the size of a partridge. They are black with a white
belly. The meat is dark and oily.
Hunting turrs
I would not call myself an expert turr hunter as I've only shot a few turrs
and have been out shooting, with my son and brother-in-law a number of times. They usually do the shooting. It's a great
sport if the weather co-operates. Turrs are great underwater swimmers and when they dive, you have no idea where they will
surface. Those who hunt on a regular basis may have figured out their diving habits and range.
My last turr huning trip was in late December in Conception Bay. My son wanted to try out his boat and wanted
to see if there were any turrs in the bay. We left Foxtrap and crossed over to Brigus. From Brigus we went down to Spaniard's
Bay and crossed over to Little Bell Island. The water was a little choppy so we decided to come home. We saw one turr, on
the wing, a puffin, bull birds and a few drakes. Although we didn't get anything, it was still a good day on the water.
