We all love a good comeback story, don’t we? Most of us can, at least to some extent, relate to the underdog and the often insurmountable odds they face. We’ve all been there, after all, regardless of how small or how large the obstacles placed before us. But some of the greatest comeback stories don’t make the front pages or earn TV shows or movies. Take the little-known story of the return of wild turkeys in Rhode Island, perhaps one of the greatest wildlife comeback stories in New England.

As is the case with many species of wild animals, wild turkeys have faced their share of challenges over the decades or, more specifically, centuries. The wild turkey went extinct in Rhode Island in the early 1800s.

Their disappearance was attributed to several factors, including overharvesting and the clearing of forests, which destroyed their habitat. Rhode Island’s harsh weather conditions also played a role in their extinction.

More than a century would pass before wild turkeys would return to Rhode Island. It all began in 1980 when The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife and the National Wild Turkey Federation set a plan in motion.

Having created the turkey restoration program, the two organizations worked together to reintroduce wild turkeys back into Rhode Island. The first round included 29 wild turkeys that were captured in Vermont.

The wild turkeys were taken to Exeter and released. The process continued in the mid-1990s when the Division of Fish and Wildlife released additional turkeys over several years in numerous towns, including Burrillville, Little Compton, West Greenwich, Foster, Scituate, and Tiverton.

Today, wild turkeys can be found in all towns in Rhode Island, except New Shoreham on Block Island. The Division of Fish and Wildlife keeps track of the turkeys to ensure they do not become at risk again.

The return of wild turkeys means that hunting has also started. Hunting season generally runs on select days in the spring and throughout October. A permit is required.

Did you know the little-known story of the return of wild turkeys in Rhode Island? Are there a lot of wild turkeys in your corner of the Ocean State? Let us know in the comments! You might just run across some wild turkeys and other wildlife at these wildlife refuges in Rhode Island. Don’t forget to take your camera on your next adventure.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/rhode-island/wildlife-refuges-ri/