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Restoring the native wild turkey throughout the Eastern United States stands as one of the most successful restoration efforts in the history of wildlife management. The wild turkey population had fallen from 7 million, at the time of the arrival of the first European settlers, to 30 thousand in the 1930s. The National Wild Turkey Federation has made a significant contribution to North and South Carolina's wild turkey restoration efforts. The NWTF established the "Target 2000" program 15 years ago with the objective of reestablishing the Eastern wild turkey in all suitable habitats by the year 2000. Perry Harris, president of North Carolina's NWTA chapter, feels they have accomplished this goal in all 100 North Carolina counties. The Eastern wild turkey population now totals over 100,000 birds in North Carolina. South Carolina also boasts the same success rate with all counties supporting wild turkey populations. Modern turkey restoration efforts received a major boost in 1951 when biologists in South Carolina's Francis Marion National Park perfected the use of cannon nets to trap wild turkeys. This new capture method gave wildlife officials a safe method to capture turkeys and relocate them to desired areas. The nets are propelled over feeding turkeys by cannons. The previous efforts to raise captive wild turkeys had failed. Congress also passed the Federal Aid in Wildllife Restoration Act in 1937 that created an excise tax on weapons, ammunition and other hunting equipment with all revenues going to wildlife conservation. Many wild turkey aficionados feel the taste of wild turkey meat far exceeds the taste of domestically raised turkeys. With the success of the restoration of the Eastern wild turkey, we now have the opportunity to see for ourselves if they are correct.  all contents copyright © 1999, asheville.com. contact: [email protected] or 828.253.2880 For listing and advertising information...
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