How Iowa turkeys went from near extinction to everywhere

Flashback: In 1910, wild turkeys were nearly eliminated in Iowa due to overhunting and lack of regulations, said James Coffey, a forest wildlife biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

• But in the 1960s, their population started reemerging when conservation efforts took place in the state and across the country.

Zoom in: Biologists placed turkeys in our state forests to try and give them a fighting chance for survival, but they quickly learned that they can survive in a mixture of environments.

• Hunting them wasn't allowed again until the 1970s, which allowed their population to grow.

Now, the wild birds are in all 99 counties, including in fast-growing urban areas like Des Moines' suburbs.

The bottom line: With just a little bit of conservation effort, most animal species can go from nearly extinct to right in your backyard.