Naturally Speaking

Wisconsin has had wild turkeys scratching out a living for centuries. In the late 1800s these birds were common in southwest Wisconsin but then started to wane due to several factors, including unregulated hunting, loss of specific habitat, and diseases tolerated by domestic fowl but not wild birds. Records show that a wild turkey was killed in Lafayette County in 1881, possibly the last wild bird shot until several attempts were made to reintroduce wild birds from other states.
The best fit with wild birds and Wisconsin habitat began in 1974 when Missouri birds were trapped and then released in Vernon County. More releases and relocations of early releases eventually put the Eastern wild turkey in every county. Hunting seasons, both spring and fall, are now available, as are thousands of viewing opportunities across the state. Some birds have become city edge residents, too. Some chiefs claim and demonstrate that many parts of wild birds, which are tossed away, are actually quite tasty if properly handled.