How trading wild turkeys for other animals became a conservation success story

No one wants a weasel on their Thanksgiving table, but swapping turkeys for other animals was once surprisingly common. Trading turkeys – for wildlife management, not dinner – was a key part of one of North America’s biggest conservation success stories. After dwindling to a few thousand birds in the late 1880s, the wild turkey population has grown to about 7 million birds in 49 states, plus more in Canada and Mexico, according to the National Wild Turkey Federation.

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Published at: 1/20/2026

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