Where are most wild turkeys found? (2023)

Where are most wild turkeys found?

Common wild turkeys are indigenous to the United States and Mexico, where they flourish today, although that has not always been the case. In the early 1900s, they were all but extinct. Thanks to preservation efforts, turkeys can now be found living in many states throughout the U.S. and the northern areas of Mexico.

Once on brink of extirpation from much of their historic range, wild turkeys are now thriving. They are found in all 48 contiguous states, plus Hawaii, Mexico and parts of Canada.

Alabama: Best State for Turkey Population and Shooting Multiple Birds. Alabama is arguably at the heart of turkey hunting in the US.

The Eastern wild turkey inhabits most of the eastern forest, from southern Canada to north Florida and westward to Texas, Iowa, and Minnesota. The Eastern subspecies of the wild turkey is the one that inhabits Alabama.

1. Missouri. Home to more than 317,000 Eastern turkeys, hunters harvested 47.603 of them. That's more than any other state despite the fact that hunting ends at 1 p.m. daily.

Domestic turkeys come from the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), a species that is native only to the Americas. In the 1500s, Spanish traders brought some that had been domesticated by indigenous Americans to Europe and Asia.

They can be found in 49 U.S. states, with the only exception being Alaska, Hughes said. In total, about 7 million wild turkeys live in the United States; prior to 1500, an estimated 10 million turkeys existed, he added.

When the ground gets covered with a powdery snowfall, flocks will congregate in stands of hemlock, pine, and other softwoods. "Softwood stands provide mostly shelter, as the trees will hold snow in the canopy, and there will be less on the ground for the turkeys to contend with," explains Alfieri.

You can eat almost every part of a wild turkey. The breast meat is the most tender part of the bird, but if you're looking for flavor, then you should opt for the thighs or legs. If you enjoy giblets, then you might want to save the liver, heart, and gizzards.

Where can I find turkeys for hunting?

Turkeys are now established in the Jackson State Forest. Lake County is now considered one of the top wild turkey areas in the state. The Cache Creek Wildlife Area in eastern Lake County is prime turkey country. The BLM land called the Payne Ranch also has a large turkey population.

Turkeys' preferred habitat is mixed-conifer and hardwood forests, with various open spaces to find food, such as seeds, nuts, leaves and insects. Despite their large size, they are agile fliers and capable of roosting among high trees, either while foraging for food or avoiding predators.

There are 6 to 7 million wild turkeys, and they live in every state except Alaska. Like the bald eagle and the wolf, the wild turkey is an animal that came back from the brink of extinction. Wild turkeys are a major conservation success story. Turkeys were once abundant in North America.

— The National Wild Turkey Federation has certified the largest turkey killed on record. The gobbler, 37.6 pounds, was shot with a firearm by David Guess of Lyon County, Kentucky, on April 21. The previous record turkey, 37.1 pounds, was killed in 2002 in Oregon.

Turkeys Come From? Did you know that the Bay Area's wild turkeys aren't native to California? They're actually a subspecies from the southwest introduced to the state by the California Fish and Game Commission as a trophy hunting bird in the second half of the last century.

Turkey Population Projections

The forecasted population for 2020 is 83,835,750 and it isn't expected to hit 90 million until around 2035. The current population of Turkey is 85,346,974 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. The UN estimates the July 1, 2022 population at 85,341,241.

Jeff Budz has taken 91 turkey grand slams—more than any hunter ever.

Turkeys lay eggs at a far slower rate than your average chicken. We're talking one or two eggs a week versus a standard hen's one-per-day. The entire turkey egg-laying process costs way more in factories, since the birds require much larger amounts of food and living space than their hen counterparts.

Wild turkeys typically forage on forest floors, but can also be found in grasslands and swamps.

Where do wild turkeys live in the winter?

When the ground gets covered with a powdery snowfall, flocks will congregate in stands of hemlock, pine, and other softwoods. "Softwood stands provide mostly shelter, as the trees will hold snow in the canopy, and there will be less on the ground for the turkeys to contend with," explains Alfieri.

They can be found in 49 U.S. states, with the only exception being Alaska, Hughes said. In total, about 7 million wild turkeys live in the United States; prior to 1500, an estimated 10 million turkeys existed, he added.

It is not common in American homes for people to eat roosters. Unless, of course, they are raising their own meat. But in western countries, people don't eat rooster meat because they are less economical to raise than hens. Rooster meat should be cooked slowly on low heat.

Chicken and turkey hybrids

There have been attempted crosses between domestic turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo) and chickens. According to Gray, no hybrids hatched in twelve studies. Other reports found only a few fertile eggs were produced and very few resulted in advance embryos.

Both genders are sold commercially. A turkey's age is the biggest factor in how it tastes. Since old females have tough meat, the hens are usually eaten when they are young and small. Conversely, older males are preferred to younger ones because younger ones generally have stringy meat.