Photo by John Pennoyer

Long before the first white man set foot on this continent, the turkey had already become a major food source.

This was especially true along the East Coast, and particularly in what are now the Mid-Atlantic States.

When you consider that not too long ago, wild turkeys were all but gone from our region of the country, it's amazing how they have recovered over the last 20 years.

Now that turkey hunting has made some impressive inroads, here's what gobbler chasers in Maryland and New Jersey can expect to see this fall.

MARYLAND
The biggest news for wild turkey hunters is that crossbows are now legal for hunting turkeys in Maryland during both the spring and fall seasons. Recently passed legislation approved the use of the crossbow, and this fits in nicely with the upsurge in archers who hunt for turkeys.

In recent years, one item that has improved archery hunters' chances is the modern portable turkey blind. What makes a difference is that in these blinds, there's plenty of room for the bowhunter to shoot comfortably. This will be even more the case for crossbow hunters.

To say that Maryland's wild turkey population has been a boon for hunters would be an understatement. In the 1960s and '70s, populations hit an all-time low, with only a few hundred wild birds being observed throughout the state. The last several decades saw an ambitious rebuilding program that combined habitat preservation and enhancement with bird stockings.

The result is one of the great success stories in wildlife management -- not only in this state, but along the entire East Coast as well.

Most recent estimates show that around 30,000 birds are now available for hunters and with each year, that number continues to increase. Thus it comes as no surprise that there are now more than 16,000 wild turkey hunters in the state, as the pursuit has really caught on in Maryland.

Because of weather problems in recent years, the state's turkey population has seen mixed results. But the most recent surveys show that of the state's 23 counties, only three -- Allegany, Calvert and Garrett -- show declines in their wild turkey populations. The other 20 counties either have stable numbers or show an increase in their populations.

What's interesting is that both Allegany County (with 335 birds) and Garrett County (with 437) have the highest 10-year averages in the state.

The last several years have seen poor conditions in the breeding season, as well as during the spring and fall hunting seasons. Most biologists believe that with some more favorable conditions, the numbers in those counties will improve.