Here in Vermont, wild turkeys are more than a holiday symbol. Did you know the modern Thanksgiving turkey traces its roots back to North America’s native wild turkey? In fact, all domesticated turkey breeds are descended from the native wild turkey.
Today, the state’s wild turkey population is estimated around 50,000, and each year, Vermonters sustainably harvest over 140,000 servings of wild turkey. That’s over 140,000 servings of free-ranging, wild and sustainably harvested protein! But this wasn’t always possible…
Wild turkeys disappeared from the state by the late 1800s, after their habitats were cleared for farmland and only 25% of the state remained covered by forest. In 1969 and 1970, when Vermont’s forest habitat was once again capable of supporting turkeys, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department released 31 wild turkeys in the southwest corner of the state. This initial population expanded rapidly, and by 1973, the population was estimated at more than 600 turkeys! State biologists then carefully moved groups of these birds northward and originated the population throughout the state today.
This Thanksgiving, we’re reminded of the conservation success story of the wild turkey, just one of many wildlife restoration feats we’re grateful for in 2025.