Landowner attitudes toward introduced wild turkeys in northwestern Minnesota

Abstract

Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) were introduced to northwestern Minnesota, USA, in 2006 and 2007. This provided an opportunity to examine landowner feelings for a wildlife species not endemic to the region. In 2007, we mailed surveys to 200 landowners to evaluate landowner interactions, feelings, and concerns with turkeys. Overall response rate was 76%. Eighty-nine percent of respondents in northwestern Minnesota reported positive feelings toward turkeys, 9% were indifferent, and 2% reported negative feelings. The introduced turkeys were not perceived to be problematic: <1% of respondents reported existing problems, and only 8% reported concerns about future problems. We speculate that the small turkey population and re- spondents' values toward wildlife and land contributed to the strong positive feelings reported for turkeys. Results from this survey suggest that landowners in northwestern Minnesota accepted and valued wild turkey introductions. Accordingly, natural resource agencies in Minnesota (and potentially other northern regions) should consider these perceptions if future wild turkey introductions are contemplated at the northern periphery of the turkeys' range in North America.