The restoration of the wild turkey in North America is considered one of the greatest storybook comebacks in the history of wildlife management. Only a few decades ago they were nearly extinct, virtually wiped out by a century of habitat destruction and commercial slaughter. But thanks to the combined efforts of dedicated hunters, conservation groups and cooperating landowners, wild turkey populations have rebounded dramatically across the country, and huntable populations have been established in almost every state where suitable habitat exists.

Colorado is one of them.

Rough estimates from Division of Wildlife terrestrial biologists put Colorado’s current wild turkey population at between 10,000 and 15,000 birds and growing steadily. Some estimates range as high as 24,000, but even with those encouraging numbers, bagging a gobbler here is no cakewalk. In states with five to 10 times that number of turkeys, the big birds are rated by hunters as the most difficult and challenging of all wild game.

Two subspecies of wild turkey are hunted in Colorado. Merriam’s wild turkeys are primarily mountain birds, native to the state and found most often in scrub oak and ponderosa pine foothills, though they will sometimes filter into the lowlands and take up residence on the plains. Their tendency to wander makes them extremely difficult to hunt.

Good numbers can be found along the Front Range, in the southwest quadrant of the state near Pagosa Springs, in the San Juan River basin and on the Uncompahgre Plateau. Most, but not all, of these units can be hunted with over-the-counter unlimited licenses. A select few may require special permits.

The Rio Grande subspecies, originally found in the central and southern plains states, are recent transplants to Colorado. They inhabit the woods and brushy river bottoms adjacent to agricultural fields and pastures. The best populations are found along the South Platte, Republican and Arkansas river drainages on Colorado’s border with Kansas and Nebraska. These are some of the most popular areas to hunt, and they require special limited licenses that must be applied for in advance.

Spring turkey seasons in Colorado generally run from early April into mid May but vary according to region. Naturally, the number of hunters applying for the limited permits exceeds the supply, and you’re not likely to be awarded one until you’ve accumulated anywhere from one to four preference points. (A preference point is awarded each time an applicant fails to draw his or her first choice for a permit.) The accepted strategy is to apply for the permit even though your chances of drawing it are slim. If you fail to draw, your money will be refunded and you’ll be awarded another preference point to be used on your next application.

In the meantime, while you’re waiting to be awarded a limited license for the Colorado turkey hunt of your dreams, you can buy an over-the-counter unlimited tag granting you hunting access to a tremendous amount of unrestricted public land. The hunting may be more difficult, because there’s no such thing as an “easy turkey” no matter where you hunt. But your chances of bringing home a gobbler are zero if you don’t get out there and try.

A couple of decades back, you wouldn’t have even had the opportunity, never mind a choice.