Wild turkeys were once scarce in the U.S., but the "most successful wildlife restoration project ever" has allowed the population to bounce back so dramatically that some may say it's a bit too much.
The abundant turkeys have been causing trouble by flying through car and house windows, destroying gardens, and gobbling up crops, the Associated Press reported via NewsOK.
The turkeys were so rare 26 years ago that they were completely absent in Maine, now they boast a population of 60,000 in the state alone. In the past 30 years, the population across North America has jumped from one million to seven million.
The turkey population was almost wiped out from hunting and habitat loss in the late 1800s, but now every state except Alaska (which has no turkeys) has a hunting season for the birds.
In 1977, 41 birds from Vermont were released in Maine; nobody was expecting the resulting population boom.
In order to control the growing number of birds Maine lawmakers have extended the turkey hunting season.
"I don't think they're overabundant. I love wild turkeys and I like what I'm seeing," Brad Allen, a biologist with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said. "But some people perceive it to be way too many."
The turkeys have been eating their fill of vegetables, blueberries, and apple blossoms. They have knocked motorists off their bikes and even attacked a mailman outside of Boston. A Georgia sheriff went on a turkey-shooting spree after they birds allegedly attacked him.
"Originally we thought they'd only survive along the coast," said George Smith, a former executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. "They're all over the place," he said.
Craig Hickman, an organic farmer, said years ago the average turkey flock size was at about five birds, now he sees groups of up to 45.
"They seem to have gone crazy," Hickman said. "The wild turkeys are running wild."
