CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Wild turkeys were once a common sight across the United States, but by the late 1800s, unregulated hunting and habitat destruction drastically reduced their numbers. Today, through innovative wildlife management practices including the exchange of turkeys among states, these birds have made a remarkable comeback.
After their population dwindled to a mere few thousand, the wild turkey has experienced a revitalization, boasting about 7 million birds across 49 states, plus additional populations in Canada and Mexico, according to the National Wild Turkey Federation.
States occasionally participated in trades to boost their wildlife numbers; for instance, Oklahoma exchanged walleye and prairie chickens for turkeys from Arkansas and Missouri, while West Virginia once sent 26 wild turkeys to New Hampshire in exchange for fishers—a member of the weasel family.
Wildlife biologists don’t suffer from a lack of creativity, stated Patt Dorsey, conservation director for the National Wild Turkey Federation's western region. This creativity has proven essential in rebuilding turkey populations in states where wild turkeys had completely vanished.
New Hampshire had not seen turkeys for over a century when they received a flock from West Virginia. While those first birds did not survive, further efforts in the 1970s were more successful. Continued state management, including repeated relocations, has led to a healthy population of around 40,000 wild turkeys in New Hampshire today. According to Dan Ellingwood, a biologist, the adaptability of turkeys has contributed to their population growth despite changing environmental conditions.
As both prey and predator in their ecosystem, wild turkeys play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. Their resurgence also positively impacts other wildlife species, as noted by Dorsey, who emphasized that many conservation achievements often happen alongside turkey restoration projects.
