I live in eastern NC that was devoid of turkeys. The last turkeys were wiped out in the early 1900’s. The NWTF released 8-10 turkeys in the early 90’s and 30 years later, there is a healthy population in and around the surrounding areas. Harvested the first wild Turkey this year in over 100 years. Thank you NWTF!
Happy Presidents Day, MeatEaters! With plenty of spring turkey hunts on our public lands right around the corner, here's a bit from Steve on the history of what Founding Father Ben Franklin called a "Bird of Courage" and the conservation story behind these magnificent animals.
I had one of these giant birds fly almost directly at me this past month as I was birding in a kayak. I was calmly gliding along the side of an artificial reservoir which was originally created as a reservoir for a griss mill. All of a sudden the bird that I was going along with, a spotted sandpiper, started making noises and freaking out, just as I heard an usual flapping directly to my left. It was a male turkey flying across the river, accomplishing at least an 87-yard (~80 meters) flight. Just like a surprised and consequently disappointed hunter, I was struck in awe of this highly unexpected event for the 10 seconds or so that it took to transpire. I failed to record it. The Rio Grande and the Niagara River both have significantly shorter widths/spans at a few points, especially the Rio Grande. Sadly enough, the first two times I saw this species in the wild was when I was driving on I-64 W a little bit east of downtown Richmond, Virginia.
Love the turkey. I spend close to 28 days a year, 5-8 hours a day and walk 8-15 miles a day. Every may. Sometimes I get two and tag. Sometimes I get none. It's a real challenge. Nothing simple about it. If you want a real mature tom or even a jake you need to spend some time in the woods.
Steve.....when I was a kid in the early 70's we knew an old guy in NH who would put sleeping powder in raisins and collect turkeys when they fell out of their roost. :)
