Syracuse.com - Wild turkey population boom in Maine results in expanded season

[HuntingNY-News]

This large population influx -- and turkeys' somewhat dangerous antics -- have prompted Maine lawmakers to enact a longer fall hunting season, and allow hunters to bag two birds instead of one.

(AP) Once nearly wiped out of existence in the state of Maine, the wild turkey population here has soared in recent years..

Wild turkeys are eating crops, smashing through windows, ruining gardens, crashing into carts and motorcycles and even smashing through suburban windows.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, turkeys were hunted without limits and nearly extinguished in the state.. Their population fell to an estimated 30,000 to 150,000 and they were completely nonexistent in Maine up until 26 years ago.

Maine's turkey population has since increased to 60,000, and mirrors what's been happening nationwide what has happened with the bird's population, which has has soared to an estimated 7 million.

This large population influx -- and turkeys' somewhat dangerous antics -- have prompted Maine lawmakers to enact a longer fall hunting season, and allow hunters to bag two birds instead of one.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog