The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the National Wild Turkey Federation released more than two dozen Eastern wild turkeys in East Texas as part of a “super stocking” initiative to restore the bird on its historic range.
The Gus Engeling WMA in East Texas is one of three sites identified for stocking this year. Through the super stocking plan, 80 turkeys will be released on each site. Data collected from the GPS transmitters will be used to help assess future stocking sites.
According to the TPWD, the birds were wiped out by extensive habitat loss in the latter parts of the 19th Century, along with subsistence and market hunting.