WILD TURKEYS TO BE RELEASED AT DEER CREEK STATE WILDLIFE AREA -PRELUDE TO NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION CONVENTION IN COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS, OH -- Several wild turkeys will be release at Deer Creek State Wildlife Area in Fayette County on February 14 at 9:30 a.m. The release is in celebration of the great success of the re-introduction of wild turkeys to Ohio and is a symbolic start to the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention and Sport Show that runs in Columbus from Feb. 15-18.
WHAT: A release of Eastern wild turkeys by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). In colonial times, wild turkeys inhabited the entire state of Ohio but by 1900 they had practically vanished from the state. Due to the wild turkey restoration project conducted by the ODNR Division of Wildlife there are once again turkeys in all 88 Ohio counties.
WHO: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, National Wild Turkey Federation and American Electric Power. FFA groups and student groups from Fayette County schools will participate.
WHEN: February 14, 2001 at 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Deer Creek Wildlife Area. To reach the turkey release site from Columbus: Go south on I-71 to US 62 and turn left. Proceed on US 62 to Mt. Sterling. From Mt. Sterling, go south (left) on SR 207 for about four miles. Look for signs and a Division of Wildlife vehicle parked at the entrance of Wildlife Road 52 (D-52), which will be a left turn. Proceed down D-52 to the wild turkey release site where there is ample parking. Call 1-800-WILDLIFE for a faxed map.
This is the first year turkeys have been stocked in Fayette County. From 1963 to 2000, more than 4,000 wild turkeys were trapped from areas with abundant populations and released at 210 sites across Ohio. Today, the state has an estimated turkey population of 160,000 birds.
For Further Information Contact:
Vicki Mountz, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6393
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882