THE STATE WE’RE IN
Good Times
For Wild Turkeys
Ii may lx* open season on supermarket
turkeys, but North Carolina's wild
lurkevs can rest assured tlu*ir feathers
will lx* spared.
The state’s Wildlife Resources
Commission has declared 1990 a record
year for the number of wild turkeys
trapped and relocated in North Carolina,
and in lire* number of wild turkeys brought
in from other suites. As a result, the esti¬
mated number ol wild turkeys in Tar I leel
habitats has increased from 2.000 to 5.000
in 1970 to about 28,000 texlav.
“The wild turkey has made a tre¬
mendous comeback." savs Mike Seamster,
leader of the commission's Wild Turkey
Project. "You will continue to see
increases in the turkev population."
When the first settlers came to North
Carolina more than 2(H) years ago. wild
turkeys were in abundant supply.
Gradually, however, their numbers
dwindled. They continued to do so until
alxHil 1970.
I’lie Wildlife Resources Commission
had started trapping and relocating wild
turkeys in the 1950s. Seamster sa\s. The
goal was to evenly distribute them
throughout the state, to encourage the
populations to increase. Hut the trapping
methods back then were crude, and lew-
birds were transported.
By the early ’70s. however, trapping
methods had improved, flu* stale* started
lelocaling wild turkeys on a more con¬
sistent basis. In 1990, 253 wild turkeys
were relocated to IS restoration areas
across the state*. <)| those, I til were*
trapped and relocated within the state.
The other 92 came from Wisconsin.
Counties receiving the* turkevs included
New Hanover. Bladen. Hertford. Harnett.
Anson. Halifax. Moore. Alamance.
Wilkes. Yancey. Surry. Iredell, Catawba.
Cleveland. Rutherford.
Л\ету,
Swain and
Transylvania.
I hat’s certain to make a big impact on
the populalic ms lie-re*.
II you’re wonelering how you can te-ll a
wild turkey from a "regular." yteue-lxHighl
turkey, it’s simple. Wild turkeys tend to lx*
smaller and more streamlined than pen-
taised turkeys. Ihev also have* lewe-r leath¬
ers on their heads, longei necks and legs,
and are excellent Birrs. (Some have lx*en
clex keel living 50 miles an hour.)
Don’t ti v to catch one loi this tuikev
season, though. There’s been a mora¬
torium on wild turkey hunting in the* tall
sinc e* 1972. The* sjioi t iv legal during the*
lout weeks following the- second Saturday
in April. Bv then, most bleeding has lieen
completed and (he* wild turkey hens are*
salrlvat home*, piole-e ling llieii ne*sls.
• • •
November isn’t nearly so peaceful a
time* for |x*n-raise*d lurkevs — espee iallv
in North ( iirolina.
Hie state tanks liist among all states in
turkey production. In 1989, the number
of lurke vs produced in North Carolina
e*\ee*ede*d 51 million. Hull's the* largest
iiiiiiiIm-i evei produced by one stale- in a
calendar vear.
Salisbury Preserves Historic Depot
Го
the list of historic buildings in
North Carolina saved by community
effort. add the* Salisbury Railroad Station.
In the mid-1970s, a group of local
citizens purchased the station to save it
from demolition. But they didn't have
enough money to renovate the* build¬
ing. and it sat in disrepair.
Then last year the Historic Salisbury
Foundation took action and began a $2
million fund-raising campaign. So far
they have raised SI. 5 million, and the
first phase of remodeling has been
completed.
“It has really been a community (and)
county-wide* effort." says Chris Whitton.
chairwoman of Landmarks For
Tomorrow, the group formed by the
historic foundation to raise the money.
“It’s going to lx* exciting," she adds.
The Spanish mission-style* station was
constructed in 1907 and at one time
saw l-l trains a day. "It was a huh fe>r the
western part of the state*." Whitton savs.
When train service stopped, pigeons
took up residence in the building. Even
after Amtrak’s “Carolinian" train
resumed statewide* service this ye*ar. the*
company operated from space in a
nearby trailer.
Now. Amirak’s office-' arc back in the*
station, along with those ol the* Historic
Salisbury Foundation, the* Rowan
County Tourism & Convention
!>«*-
velopmeni Authority, and an account¬
ing firm.
The foundation hopes to fill the
station's concourse and waiting room
with retail shops. Whitton says she
doesn't foresee any problems in raising
The Salisbury Railroad Station
the remaining $500.000 for that part of
the project.
"flu* response has liccn excellent."
she savs.
fkoM) by IVctUn
Й
I.—,
I he* Siatr/Novcmber 1990
5
