Plenty of wild turkeys around for hunting season

DERRY, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire’s four-week spring turkey hunting season is underway, and there are plenty to be found.

The Eagle Tribune reports (https://bit.ly/1johMrL) local gun shop owners said turkey hunters are stocking up on ammunition and other supplies. Last year’s Fish and Game Department survey said the best areas for spotting them were in Derry, Salem and Windham.

Ted Walski, a wildlife biologist for the department, said the turkey population disappeared from New England by the mid-19th century because of hunting and settlers clearing forests to build villages. It’s been restored in the last 50 years through restocking. He said there are now approximately 35,000 wild turkeys roaming New Hampshire.

Statewide, there were 1,676 sightings last year, compared to 1,085 in 2012 and 808 in 2011.

Walski said turkey hunting is second to deer hunting as the most popular in the state. He said there are about 20,000 turkey hunters in the state and 50,000 deer hunters.

Last spring, hunters took 4,550 turkeys.

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Information from: Eagle Tribune (North Andover, Mass.), https://www.eagletribune.com