Historic Wild Turkey Conservation in the Northeast

Mike Chamberlain, Ph.D., NWTF Distinguished Professor at the University of Georgia, was a keynote speaker at the Pennsylvania State Chapter’s celebration. He shared a slide with a picture of Wayne Bailey alongside a picture of one of his graduate students in the field, showcasing what conservation in the Northeast is and has always been.   

Chamberlain’s slide was more than just a tribute — it was a powerful reminder that conservation is a relay, not a sprint. The efforts of pioneers like Bailey laid the foundation for the thriving wild turkey populations we have today, but that work is far from over. Just as Bailey and his peers dedicated their careers to saving the wild turkey from extinction, it is now up to the next generation to carry the torch.  

For researchers like Chamberlain, the responsibility extends beyond data and fieldwork; it also means inspiring, educating, and equipping future conservationists with the knowledge and passion to keep wild turkey populations stable and healthy. If that legacy isn’t passed down, all the progress made over the last 50 years could be lost. 

Bailey — the godfather of wild turkey research and management — used to say, “We need to learn the history of the turkey, and we need to know how near we came to losing the bird in all states. They need to know that history in order to cherish the bird at a higher degree, and to become fully aware of how lucky they are today to be able to hunt the bird again.”  

Before European settlement, wild turkeys occupied 39 states from the southwest to the Atlantic seaboard, with populations numbering around 10 to 12 million birds. But by 1930, populations were bleak due to habitat loss and overexploitation. 15 of those original 39 states completely lost their wild turkey populations, many of those in the Northeast. 

In 1973, the NWTF springboarded the ongoing efforts of state agencies by bringing together an entire federation of small turkey hunting communities to save the bird from extinction. The Northeast was an important part of that conservation effort, being some of the first states with successful trap and transfer programs. 

Before the NWTF was established, the Northeast was already making efforts to restore wild turkeys in their region. In 1948, a remnant population of wild turkeys in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania expanded north across the New York state border into Allegany State Park. After those turkeys expanded, interest grew to trap and transfer turkeys into other suitable habitats across New York.  

New York’s Department of Enviromental Conservation conducted its first live trap-and-transfer in 1959. Since then, the DEC has contributed 758 wild-trapped turkeys to other states. DEC staff continued moving wild turkeys into suitable habitat into the early 2000s on the east end of Long Island, where there are now both fall and spring hunting opportunities. 

In 1969, Vermont received 17 trapped wild turkeys from New York, and New Hampshire received 26. In 1970, Vermont received another 14.  

After Vermont and New York’s initial wild turkey transfers, the species spread across the Northeast over the next few decades. Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine and Rhode Island all received birds from Vermont and New York’s transfer efforts, and populations grew rapidly. 

As restoration efforts continued, state and local NWTF chapters began forming, working to help with relocation and restoration.  

One of the first was the Virginia State NWTF Chapter, which was the seventh state chapter in the nation to be ratified by the NWTF.  In 1975, NWTF founder Tom Rodgers, first state chapter president Richard Shively, state chapter vice president John Grayson, secretary/treasurer Charlie Pietsch and board member Gary Fletcher met in Charlottesville, Virginia, to form the chapter.  

Virginia also prides itself as the birthplace of the NWTF, as Rodgers chartered the NWTF in Fredericksburg, Virginia on March 28, 1973. The state has been a driving force for the organization from the beginning and continues to strive for greatness.  

By the 1990s, states were not only sustaining their own populations but also relocating thousands of birds to other states, contributing to the widespread repopulation of wild turkeys throughout the region.  Maine has recently contributed to the effort of relocating wild turkeys under the ongoing Eastern Wild Turkey Super Stocking Project in east Texas.   

Without this strong cross-state collaboration, the wild turkey restoration story would be much different, and the Northeast is proud to be entering another year with that same attitude.   

The region is currently rallying behind the Forests and Flocks Initiative, a 10-year initiative that aims to prevent future declines. Adding an education component to the initiative, to ensure people understand and support hunting culture in the Northeast, is a huge priority of the initiative.  

The New York NWTF State Chapter, home to the first acres managed under the Forests and Flocks Initiative, was quick to embrace this at their 50th Anniversary Banquet. Breakout groups at the event, led by NWTF staff, allowed members and volunteers to discuss topics like what kinds of recruitment events chapters can hold to engage new hunters, how chapters can capture more members, how NWTF can educate new hunters, and what kinds of secondary events chapters can host throughout the year.  

Another unique aspect of the Forests and Flocks Initiative is that it will address the policy issues in the Northeast as well. This is something that the Pennsylvania NWTF State Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Banquet showcased. Rob Keck, former NWTF CEO and hunting icon, commemorated Pennsylvania’s success in implementing programs to introduce younger individuals to hunting, notably through its Mentored Youth Hunting Program.  

New England, too, recently recognized conservation giants in its region at the 8th annual New England Awards celebration, recognizing Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame inductees and ensuring the region’s conservation success stories get told, and that the folks responsible are recognized for their hard work and dedication. 

By building upon historic restoration efforts, NWTF volunteers are ensuring the health and vigor of the Northeast’s wild turkey population for the future. Ongoing projects, including habitat restoration efforts like those at the Finger Lakes National Forest and survival rate studies like the Pennsylvania Game Commission's hen survival study , which is a part of the Mid-Atlantic Wild Turkey Research Collaborative, are just two examples of how the Northeast continues to maintain wild turkey populations through innovative partnerships that improve habitat and conduct critical research.   

Chapters have already graciously donated thousands of dollars and volunteer hours to the Forests and Flocks Initiative, eager to work as one community. As New York and Pennsylvania NWTF state chapters celebrated 50 years of dedication to such an amazing conservation success story, we must remember the reasons NWTF has made it this far.  

About the National Wild Turkey Federation 

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 24 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.