Wild turkeys have "adapted well to Rhode Island habitats," and there are an estimated 6,000 of the birds in the Ocean State, said Brian Tefft, principal wildlife biologist of the DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Some encounters between man and bird haven't been friendly. Last month, the police in Middletown advised people to steer clear of the birds when a 50-year-old man complained that a wild turkey kicked him after he tried shooing the bird away from his car.
Despite such run-ins, the number of turkey hunters in the state has stayed relatively consistent, with about 1,400 to 1,500 hunters, according to Tefft.
"There's a core group of avid people that like to do this," he said.
Last year, hunters harvested 207 birds.
"They're very tasty," he said.