SUN JOURNAL • January 13, 2024
When wild turkeys were transplanted in Maine from Vermont stocks in the 1970s, not even our wildlife biologists thought these large birds could establish themselves so pervasively, or prove so tough when it came to winter survival. Maine’s current turkey population is estimated to be an incredible 70,000. For hunting purposes, the wild turkey is considered to be big game, and our spring and fall turkey hunt has provided exciting and challenging hunting opportunities. But, from a public image standpoint, turkeys have been blamed for the worrisome proliferation of the winter tick that has been ravaging Maine’s adult and calf moose. The science vindicates the turkey. ~ V. Paul Reynolds