GO NORTH, YOUNG TURKEY!
Wild turkeys are found throughout the country, but Minnesota is not home to as much "ideal" habitat as Wisconsin to our east.

"Almost all of Minnesota appears to have suitable turkey habitat, with the exception of the northeastern portion, which will never be turkey habitat," Neu said. "There's just no way Minnesota will ever approach the type of population found in Missouri, the most turkey-rich state."

Minnesota's first turkeys were re-introduced in the southeastern corner of the state over 30 years ago, and the population in that area is now well established, having gone through the usual biological adjustments over several generations.

"The population went through its eruption stage, went up to a carrying capacity, and now it's leveled off to a pretty steady population," Neu said.

The northern reach of the turkey zone, however, is still booming for the most part.

"The population in the north is increasing rapidly in that eruptive stage, and it's hard to say where the population will eventually level off at," Neu added.

Among the projects Minnesota's turkey committee has worked on includes a map tracing a line across our state where there is a snow depth of one foot or greater for more than 40 days. Current research suggests that habitat south of this line is good for turkeys, and management efforts are going to focus on filling in the region south of that line. Several large-scale research projects will examine how turkeys survive along this northern edge, and if they do well, the line could move even farther north.

"In the past where we introduced populations of turkeys, there was not much of a logical pattern," said Neu. "This will allow us to really focus on this area and then decide how to proceed in the future."

In January 2005, turkeys were released in Marshall County and Red Lake County, the farthest north turkeys have ever been released. The previous mark was in the Detroit Lakes area. Paul Telander, the DNR's regional wildlife manager in Bemidji, said the female birds released were tagged with radio equipment, thus allowing biologists to track their movement, preferred habitat and survival rates.

"Birds in that area have not existed historically, and we want to do more than just plant them there and hope for the best," said Telander. "We want information that will help us make effective releases in the future and see how to proceed with expanding the population."

Turkeys in Minnesota's southern range have minimal difficulties surviving, as long as the snow doesn't get too deep, Penning said.

"Birds in the northern part of the range are more sensitive, with food sources being scarce and snow depth having a big impact on those birds," Penning said. There's evidence that turkeys can withstand extreme temperatures as long as they have access to food.

The research being conducted by the DNR is sure to be watched by turkey biologists around the nation because it should shed some light on how far north the birds can survive on a long-term basis without artificial feeding. Telander said the DNR wants turkeys to be self-sustaining and not dependent upon supplemental feeding.