Where the Heck Did All These Turkeys Come From? (Unstoppable Woman! – Day 24)

Where the Heck Did All These Turkeys Come From? (Unstoppable Woman! – Day 24)

I moved back home to Maine two years ago. I know that I’ve been away for a while...(in my early 20’s I moved away to find adventures in other places. I moved back to Maine once in the early 90’s but moved away again)...but I grew up here and I have been back to visit frequently and I have NEVER SEEN SO MANY WILD TURKEYS AS I HAVE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS! They are everywhere!

So I did some research.

It seems that back in the early 1800’s turkeys were eliminated in Maine. Too much farmland and too much hunting, I guess. Starting in 1942 the Department of Inland Fisheries and Game tried to reintroduce turkeys by releasing 24 birds on Swan Island outside of Richmond. In the 1960’s game clubs tried unsuccessfully to reintroduce them. In 1977 and 1978 Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) brought 41 wild turkeys into Southern Maine from Vermont. In 1982, 33 wild turkeys were caught in Southern Maine and introduced further inland. In 1984, the same thing was done with 19 turkeys. None of these efforts brought the desired results, so again in 1987 and 1988 MDIFW brought in 70 wild turkeys from Connecticut.

Flash forward to the late 90’s – turkey reintroduction had worked so well that in 1999 3,000 hunting permits were issued. Ten years later, in 2009, 16,859 hunting permits were issued!!! Turkeys are now found in York, Cumberland, Oxford, Androscoggin, Lincoln, Knox, Kennebec, Waldo, Hancock, Somerset, and Penobscot Counties!

In my research I learned that turkeys are supposed to be able to fly up to 60 miles per hour and a distance of 1 mile. I learned that they require large areas of hardwoods trees and pines trees and they also need pasture lands for raising their young. I also learned that hens and their young group together to form larger flocks of up to 50 birds.

I understand now why they hang out on my property. We have the hardwood/pine/pasture thing covered. I also now understand why I’ve seen so many birds at once…there are at least 2 flocks of about 30 birds hanging around here. But, I don’t believe the whole flying thing. Most of the time they run in front of my car as I’m trying to drive down my driveway. They aren’t afraid of my dogs. Could care less. (Of course my dogs penned, but still….) They hang out outside of my kitchen window. And in the driveway in front of the garage doors.

So I just wanted to say to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: You’ve succeeded! Wild Turkeys are Back! In a Big Way!

YOU CAN STOP NOW!