"Americans Once Almost Ate Wild Turkeys Into Extinction"

"Few people are alive today who would remember when wild turkeys teetered on the edge of extinction after almost being eaten into oblivion. But how that fate was avoided represents what is considered by some to be the greatest conservation success story in American history.

Prior to the arrival of European colonists, there were believed to be about 10 million wild turkeys inhabiting nearly every corner of what is now the continental United States. The birds, found only in North America, were so common, in fact, that settlers who hunted them thought they’d never run out.

'Turkeys were plentiful; it seemed that there would be an endless supply,' Tom Hughes, a wildlife biologist with the National Wild Turkey Federation, told The Dodo. 'That led to a lot of exploitation over the years, including completely unregulated hunting. It was always open season on turkeys, and there were no bag limits — no nothing.'"

Stephen Messenger reports for The Dodo November 24, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"Fall Turkey Hunt Returns To Utah After 30-Year Hiatus" (Salt Lake Tribune)

"Wild Turkeys Have Made a Comeback And Are Ruffling Some Suburban Feathers" (Washington Post)

"Wild Turkey Remains Symbol of Enduring American Spirit" (Bristol Herald Courier)

"The Turkey Pardon: a Guide To America's Most Absurd Holiday Tradition" (Vox)

Opinion: "Obama Turkey Pardon Unconstitutional And Unwanted" (Chicago Tribune)

"Great Moments in Wild Turkey Attacks" (Washington Post)

"Giving Thanks for Turkey Raised Without Antibiotics" (Pew/Huffington Post)

"Look How Much Bigger Thanksgiving Turkeys Are Today Than in the 1930s" (Mother Jones)