By A. Gwynn Henderson, David Pollack, and Bruce L. Manzano

Ancient wild turkey bones recovered from archaeological sites in the Middle Ohio River Valley hold centuries-old stories. Like Native stories and songs passed down through many generations, these bones whisper of Indigenous hunting strategies and of how Native hunters changed those strategies when circumstances called for it. These stories rely on the marked physical differences in male and female wild turkeys. 

Wild Turkey Bone Facts

Take a look at a gobbler or Tom (male turkey) and hen (female turkey) side by side. 

The main difference is easy to see: males are much larger than females. It shows up clearly in the size (the length and width) of wild turkey long bones (legs and wings). Thank goodness for that. Because without this difference, it would be hard for zooarchaeologists (scientists who specialize in the study of ancient animal bones) to distinguish between the remains of male and female wild turkeys recovered from archaeological sites. 

But wild turkey bones hold other clues, too. Gobblers have a bone spur on each of their lower legs; hens do not. In contrast, estrogen-dependent medullary (med-juh-ler-ee) bone – granular calcium deposits found in the marrow cavity of hen long bones – develops during a hen’s egg-laying cycle. It provides the calcium needed for eggshell formation. Gobblers do not lay eggs, so of course, they do not produce medullary bone. 

What does all this have to do with ancient Native hunting strategies? 

Everything!

Middle Ohio Valley Farming – and Hunting – Peoples

Around 1000 CE, Native peoples living in the Middle Ohio River Valley turned to farming. They lived in circular villages year-round and depended heavily on the crops they grew in the agricultural fields they established near their villages.  

To prepare fields for planting, village farmers set cool, low intensity fires to clear out small trees and brush. They girdledthe larger trees (cut off a wide strip of bark from completely around the trunk) to kill them. This was easier than using groundstone axes to chop them down. Then the people interplanted the Three Sisters – corn, beans, and squash. Once crop production dropped off, they cleared new fields and let the old ones lie fallow (rest) for several years. 

The edges of these agricultural fields, and the human-modified forests beyond them, were perfect habitats for wild turkeys. They were turkey heaven.

In time, usually between 10 to 25 years, Native farmers moved their villages. There were many reasons why. A move ensured more reliable crop production and better supplies of wood for house rebuilding or cooking fires.  A natural disaster, such as a flood or a tornado, might force village residents to move. Internal social or political tensions could also compel residents to move their village. But for whatever reason or reasons, the process of preparing new fields for planting started all over again.

These village farmers were not vegetarians, though. They hunted local wildlife, too, like small mammals, fish, turtles, and freshwater mussels. But the main animals they took were white-tailed deer, elk, bear, and wild turkey. 

Analysis of wild turkey bones recovered archaeologically from these farming villages shows that Native hunters took gobblers and hens in equal numbers. These village farmers were not too concerned about over hunting the local wild turkey population. Since they moved their villages every 10 to 25 years, residents knew the wild turkey flocks would bounce back. 

Hunters Did Things Differently at Fox Farm Village

Around 1300 CE, a group of Native farmers settled on a broad ridgetop in north-central Kentucky. They grew the same crops in fields surrounding their village, and in the same ways as their ancestors had, and like the farmers living in neighboring villages. They also hunted the same animals. By about 1375 CE, however, things were different at Fox Farm. The village population had doubled, houses were larger, and the village plan had changed.  Research shows that people continued to live at Fox Farm – for reasons archaeologists are still trying to figure out – for at least another 200 years.  

By staying in one place and having more mouths to feed, village residents were putting more pressure on local natural resources, including the wild turkey flocks. If they continued to hunt wild turkeys in the same way their ancestors had, they would eventually reduce the number of birds. 

So, what did they do?

Analysis of the wild turkey bones from Fox Farm shows that these ancient hunters changed their hunting strategies to ensure they had a reliable meat source for their families. Only one-third of the wild turkey bones came from hens; the other two-thirds came from gobblers. Hunters cut back on bagging hens and focused instead on taking gobblers. Not overhunting hens meant more chicks and sustainable local wild turkey flocks. 

Still Relevant Today 

Today, modern wildlife managers face the same challenges Indigenous hunters faced at Fox Farm around 1375 CE: how to best keep local wild turkey flocks healthy and productive. These ancient bones offer one solution – focus on hunting males to reduce the real risk of over hunting local flocks. The stories they hold reveal a deep time depth to the human management of wild turkeys.

To read more about Fox Farm and the stories animal bones can tell, go here to read about an offering of deer jaws (https://archaeology.ky.gov/Find-a-Site/Pages/Fox-Farm.aspx).

Go here (https://heritage.ky.gov/archaeology/Documents/CARK%20Vol.%2011%20FINAL.pdf) to read about objects made from deer shoulder blades: Artifacts Made from Deer Scapulae Recovered from Fox Farm (15Ms1), Mason County, Kentucky by Bruce L. Manzano, David Pollack, A. Gwynn Henderson, and Thomas W. Royster, pages 2-15.