Wild Turkey Invasion? One U.S. State Now Has Almost Half a Million Roaming Free

The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is one of North America’s most iconic birds, known for its striking plumage, fan-shaped tail, and distinctive gobble. Once nearly wiped out by overhunting and habitat loss in the early 20th century, wild turkeys have made a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts. Today, they thrive across much of the United States, inhabiting forests, grasslands, and even suburban areas. These highly social birds live in flocks and are skilled foragers, feeding on seeds, nuts, insects, and small reptiles. Agile on the ground and surprisingly strong fliers for their size, wild turkeys are a true conservation success story.

In this article, we’ve used data from the 2024 NWTF Spring Hunt Guide published by the National Wild Turkey Federation along with other data sources to highlight estimated turkey numbers across the country. Exploring these top states, from the dense woodlands of the Southeast to the rolling hills of the Midwest, reveals not only where to find these majestic birds but also underscores the importance of ongoing conservation efforts to maintain healthy and sustainable turkey populations. Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or someone interested in wildlife, knowing where turkeys thrive can enhance your appreciation for this iconic species and the diverse landscapes they inhabit.

28. Maryland

There are estimated to be 45,000 wild turkeys located in Maryland. Turkeys can be found throughout the entire state.

27. Louisiana

There are 40,000 – 50,000 wild turkeys located in Louisiana. The most common wild turkey that you will find in Louisiana is the Eastern turkey.

26. Vermont

There are 45,000 wild turkeys located in Vermont. Turkeys can be found throughout the entire state.

25. Oregon

There are 45,000 wild turkeys located in Oregon. Although they are more common in Southwestern Oregon, turkeys are also appearing in the Willamette Valley.

24. New Hampshire

There are 45,000 wild turkeys located in New Hampshire. Although you can find them throughout the state, wild turkeys are more commonly found in the northern part of New Hampshire.

23. Idaho

There are 50,000 wild turkeys located in Idaho. The most common turkey you’ll find in Idaho is the Rio Grande turkey, which is mostly found in the mountains and forested areas.

22. Maine

There are 70,000 wild turkeys located in Maine. For those wanting to spot turkeys in the wild, they can be seen throughout the state.

21. Minnesota

Minnesota’s comeback flock now tops 70,000 birds. The heart of the action is the southeastern blufflands—Houston, Fillmore and Winona counties—where oak-savanna hills, river bottoms and crop stubble create perfect spring strutting zones. Whitewater WMA and the surrounding Richard J. Dorer State Forest offer miles of open ridges and benches. Birds are pushing north and west; scout cut-bean fields and shelterbelts in central farmland for satellite flocks.

20. Oklahoma

There are around 90,000 wild turkeys located in Oklahoma. The most common wild turkeys to find in the state are Rio Grande turkeys, but you can also find Eastern turkeys.

19. South Carolina

There are 90,000 wild turkeys located in South Carolina. If you want to spot a turkey in the state, you will have luck throughout South Carolina.

18. Arkansas

There are 90,000 wild turkeys located in Arkansas. The most common wild turkey that you will find in Arkansas is the Eastern turkey.

17. Montana

There are 120,000 wild turkeys located in Montana. The southeastern part of the state is where turkeys roam around more frequently.

16. West Virginia

There are just over 120,000 wild turkeys located in West Virginia. While turkeys are more common in the Bluestone Gorge, they can be found throughout the entire state.

15. Indiana

There are 125,000 wild turkeys located in Indiana. You can find wild turkeys in every county in the state.

14. Iowa

There are 130,000 wild turkeys located in Iowa as of the 2024 population survey. These birds are most likely to be found near the Missouri River in forested areas.

13. Ohio

There are 160,000 wild turkeys located in Ohio. The most common areas where you’ll find wild turkeys in the state are in the eastern regions of Ohio.

12. New York

There are 170,000 wild turkeys located in New York. Wild turkeys are typically found in forested areas, especially in Upstate New York.

11. Virginia

There are 180,000 wild turkeys located in Virginia. The most common areas to find turkeys in the state are the South Piedmont, South Mountain, and Tidewater regions.

10. Michigan

There are about 200,000 wild turkeys roaming the Great Lakes State. Focus on the oak ridges and cut-corn edges of the southern Lower Peninsula; public-land hunters do well on the Allegan, Barry and Flat River Turkey Tract units, where intensive habitat work keeps birds close. At daybreak, listen for gobbles on hardwood spines, then set up along the first green fields they pitch down to.

9. Tennessee

There are 250,000 wild turkeys located in Tennessee. Approximately 53,000 turkeys are harvested in Tennessee each year.

8. North Carolina

There are 270,000 wild turkeys located in North Carolina. You will mostly spot Eastern turkeys in forested areas.

7. Mississippi

There are 270,000 wild turkeys located in Mississippi. The most common wild turkey you will find in Mississippi is the Eastern turkey.

6. Kentucky

There are 275,000 wild turkeys located in Kentucky. About 30,000 of these birds are harvested each year, and turkeys are present in all 120 counties of the state.

5. California

There are 300,000 wild turkeys located in California. The most common wild turkeys in California are the Rio Grande and Merriam’s subspecies, with some hybrid populations, especially in the Sierra Nevadas and other forested areas.

4. Wisconsin

The Badger State supports 350,000 + turkeys. Densities peak in the Driftless bluff country and the mixed farm-and-forest mosaics of central Wisconsin. If you’re looking for easy access, check the DNR’s THAP and VPA lands, over 40,000 walk-on acres, plus big public tracts such as Black River State Forest and Kettle Moraine’s oak ridges. Glass south-facing hillsides on cold mornings and call softly around pasture edges where birds bug after sunrise.

3. Alabama

There are 365,000 wild turkeys located in Alabama. The population appears to be decreasing according to the World Population Review data. The most common turkey you will find in Alabama is the Eastern wild turkey, usually in the Appalachian Mountains or the Mobile Delta swampland.

2. Missouri

There are 400,000 wild turkeys located in Missouri. About 40,000 are harvested every year, and the best place to spot them is in the Ozark Mountains.

1. Texas

There are 451,000 wild turkeys in Texas, the most of any state. While the Rio Grande turkey is the most widespread, Texas also has populations of Eastern and Merriam’s turkeys in certain regions.