Vernal Express | 1963-06-20 | Page 10 | Utah Plants Wild Turkeys near Dam Area

i Utah Plants Wild Turkeys Near Dam Area Wild turkeys are being re- re released released leased by the Utah Departs Depart Department ment of Fish and Game in a program to bring the cent game birds back to areas they once inhabited reports Jack H Berryman wildlife specialist with the utah State University Extension service FLAMING GORGE dam area and the Pine Valley Mountains of southern Utah were the sites of recent plant plant- plantIngs plantings Ings A total of eight utah re- re release release lease areas suited to wild tur- tur turkey turkey key habitat needs are being used Birds released are trapped from wild brood stocks of Merriam's turkey found in inthe inthe the La Sal Mountains near Moab These wild birds were originally introduced in the theLa theLa La Sal Mountains by the Fish and Game department In 1951 There are two species of wild turkey found in the US the Merriam's found in the West and the Virginia found In the East TURKEYS ONCE roamed a major part of the country but like the buffalo and passenger pigeon they couldn't cope with man as an enemy From 1871 to 1920 the turkey disappear disappear- disappeared ed from 18 of the 38 states in- in included included d clude-d in its earlY range Just Justin Justin in time the people of the