Return of the Wild Turkey in North America

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

The Wild Turkey Makes Tracks to Recovery

Location: National

Project Summary: The National Wild Turkey Federation worked with its partners to restore wild turkeys to all suitable habitat across North America.

Releasing wild turkeys into suitable habitat was key to restoring these majestic game birds.

Resource Challenge

Wild turkeys were part of the American landscape long before European settlers arrived. This great game bird helped feed a growing nation as pioneers swept westward and settled the land. However, as the Nation grew, lack of conservation nearly wiped out the wild turkey forever.

Although state and federal agencies began wild turkey restoration 70 years ago, the Making Tracks partnership put the process on the fast track. Laws regarding the sale and transportation of wildlife made moving wild turkeys from state to state a challenge. Wild turkey biologists and researchers from each state joined together on the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Technical Committee, which coordinated interstate transport of the birds. The NWTF helped work out a process to reimburse donor states for trapping costs, and also has been coordinating agency efforts, providing funds for research, and trapping wild birds and releasing them on National Forests and elsewhere.

Examples of Key Partners

All USDA Forest Service regions in the continental U.S., other federal agencies, state and provincial wildlife agencies, hunters, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Technical Committee, and NWTF's more than 525,000 members.

Results and Accomplishments

Wild turkey populations have increased from a low of 1.3 million birds in 1973 to nearly 7 million birds across North America today. The number of turkey hunters has increased along with the number of turkeys. America’s three million turkey hunters spend an estimated $2 billion annually, much of it boosting local economies and bene. ting conservation through license fees and Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration excise taxes.

With the support of its corporate partners, NWTF has given wildlife agencies more than 135,000 wild turkey transport boxes, which have been used to transport more than 186,000 birds. The NWTF and its cooperators have spent more than $202 million on restoration and habitat improvement projects, bene. ting the wild turkey as well as many non-game, threatened and endangered species. The NWTF, state wildlife agencies, and the USDA Forest Service have completed 1,100 projects on National Forests since 1986. The NWTF provided seed money for the USDA Forest Service’s Challenge Cost Share Program, providing matching dollars through the Hunting Heritage Super Fund, corporate sponsors, and other donors.

Innovation/Highlight

The National Wild Turkey Federation and its partners overcame barriers to interstate transportation of turkeys and helped reimburse states for trapping costs, putting wild turkey recovery on the fast track.

Project Contact

Rob Keck
Chief Executive Officer
National Wild Turkey Federation

803-637-3106
pgoad@nwtf.net

Website: www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/history_of_hunting.html

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