WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE WILD TURKEY IN THE UNITED STATES? WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE WILD TURKEY IN THE U.S. NOW?
About 1600, the wild turkey was found throughout much of eastern and central North America, from southern Ontario through at least 39 of the present states, and in Mexico. Prior to European colonization, turkeys were widely used for food, apparel, and artifacts by Native Americans. When the Europeans came, wild turkeys became an important source of food for the settlers, and were hunted year-round without the benefit of game laws. The hardwood forests were also rapidly cleared for farms, dwellings, and villages. As early as 1672, the wild turkey was considered rare in the vicinity of Boston. Turkeys began vanishing entirely from much of their original range. Wild turkey populations were very low by about 1900, and their numbers probably bottomed out in the 1930’s. However, the turn-around point was near as wildlife management grew into a science and new protection laws were passed.
