The Thanksgiving turkeys on our tables this holiday originated from native wild turkeys whose populations have been restored across much of North America thanks to scientific wildlife management by state fish and wildlife agencies. COURTESY PHOTO BY JOSHUA MORSE
The Thanksgiving turkeys on our tables this holiday originated from native wild turkeys whose populations have been restored across much of North America thanks to scientific wildlife management by state fish and wildlife agencies. COURTESY PHOTO BY JOSHUA MORSE
One of our native wildlife species historically played an important role on Thanksgiving Day. North America’s native wild turkeys were the ancestors of the Thanksgiving turkey on our dinner table.Â
Originally found only in the wild, turkeys now exist as meat-producing domesticated derivatives — the broad breasted white, broad breasted bronze, white Holland, bourbon red, and a host of other breeds – all of them descended from our native wild turkey.Â
More than 140,000 servings of Vermont wild turkeys are harvested each year – that’s 140,000 servings of free-ranging, wild and sustainably harvested protein.Â
Wild turkeys exist throughout Vermont today, but that was not always the case. Wild turkeys disappeared from Vermont in the mid-to-late 1800s due to habitat destruction when land was cleared for farming, and only 25 percent of the state was covered by forest.
The wild turkeys we see in Vermont today originated from just 31 wild turkeys stocked in Southwestern Vermont by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department in 1969 and 1970. Vermont’s forest habitat was once again capable of supporting turkeys. State wildlife biologists moved groups of these birds northward, and today Vermont’s population of turkeys is estimated at close to 50,000.Â
This is just one of many wildlife restoration success stories we can be thankful for in 2022. Funding for Vermont’s wild turkey restoration was derived from the sale of hunting licenses and a federal tax on hunting equipment.Â
...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS
AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 30
to 45 below zero, except as low as 55 below for portions of
the northern Adirondacks and Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.
* WHERE...All of northern New York and Vermont.
* WHEN...Until 1 PM EST Saturday.
* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause
frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The lowest wind chills occur this evening
into early Saturday morning.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, dress in
layers and make sure you wear appropriate clothing, including a
hat and gloves.
&&
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