Keep your eyes open for wild turkeys this month, report sightings to the DNR

Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read
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Wild turkeys were captured on a trail camera at the GM Milford Proving Grounds n Milford on April 4, 2016.
Wild turkeys were captured on a trail camera at the GM Milford Proving Grounds n Milford on April 4, 2016.

If you spot any turkeys in the wild this month, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to know about it.

The wild turkey resurgence in Michigan is one of the greatest wildlife conservation stories, according to the DNR. To assist in their studies, the department is asking the public to report any sightings in January here.

How does field reporting help DNR?

"Winter reporting can give the DNR another look into trends in local turkey activity and can help inform us on statewide population trends," said DNR Upland Game Bird Specialist, Adam Bump. "The DNR is currenting evaluating all of our turkey monitoring practices and looking to improve our understanding of turkey populations in the state."

The survey is designed to capture observations made by citizens as they are going about their normal activities, he said. It is also highly beneficial to record precise locations and times for your observation.

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Where are wild turkeys usually found in Michigan?

Wild turkeys stay in Michigan year-round and can be found in most of the Lower Peninsula and in some parts of the Upper Peninsula.

Turkeys tend to form larger flocks in January and can be most easily sighted in agricultural fields or other open areas – although they will spend a large amount of time in forested areas in the winter, Bump said.

By the turn of the 20th century, an estimated 100,000 wild turkeys had vanished from Michigan’s landscape. Thanks to a massive conservation effort over the last 50 years, there are now more than 200,000 of the birds across the state.
By the turn of the 20th century, an estimated 100,000 wild turkeys had vanished from Michigan’s landscape. Thanks to a massive conservation effort over the last 50 years, there are now more than 200,000 of the birds across the state.

Wild turkeys make a big comeback

Wild Turkeys were once a declining species in Michigan due to colonization, habitat destruction and unregulated hunting, according to Michigan with Audubon-Great Lakes, an organization assisting in the wild turkey count and DNR's MI Bird program.

By transporting wild turkeys from Pennsylvania, Missouri and Iowa between the 1950s and 1980s, the DNR helped increase the bird's population in Michigan to an estimated 200,000, according to the DNR. The total will soon be updated with the help of survey results.

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Wild turkey tips from Michigan's DNR

  • Be cautious when driving as wild turkeys crossing the road may cause accidents; they are usually seen in larger flocks in January.

  • Turkeys may become aggressive and territorial if comfortable in suburban areas. Avoid feeding them and remove all food surrounding your house.

  • Contact local wildlife biologists or nuisance wildlife control companies if there is an aggressive turkey in your area.

  • Make loud noises to scare them away.

Find more wild turkey facts and tips here.

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Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Report your wild turkey sightings to the DNR this month: What to know