· Wild turkeys are only native to North America.
· Pennsylvania wild turkeys are one of five subspecies found in North America.
· Pennsylvania’s wild turkey population was 275,000 plus as recently as 2001.
· Wild turkeys can cover up to 2 miles per hour while feeding.
· Their home range varies by season and can range from 400 to 2,000 acres or more.
· Wild turkeys can fly 40 -55 miles per hour and can travel up to a mile in flight.
· Wild turkeys utilize trees each night for their roosts.
· Wild turkeys depend on forested habitats, and thrive in different aged forests.
· Forests provide vital resources such as food, water, cover, and space for turkeys to survive.
· A flock of wild turkeys will use thousands of acres of forests per year.
· Trees like oaks, beech and cherry and their mast are critically important to turkeys.
· Forest clearings are especially used by hens and poults. Here, sunlight penetrates the tree canopy and allows grasses and forbs to spring up. Increased plant life gives rise to increased insect life, and insects form a key part of a young turkey's.
· Each forest successional stage will offer different types of food and cover for turkeys to utilize.
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