Sport Hunting Helping the Ocellated Turkey Subsistence and
market hunting nearly eliminated the North American wild turkey
during the 19th century. Regulated sport hunting, with its
strict game laws, professional wildlife agencies and
conservation-minded hunters, saved the bird from extinction by
raising its value above the price of a meal. The North American
wild turkey is now flourishing, but populations of another
species of wild turkey, the ocellated turkey of Guatemala,
Belize and southern Mexico, are diminishing under the same
problems that plagued its North American cousin. Lovett Williams
is a former chief of the Florida Bureau of Wildlife Research and
owns some hunting camps in Guatemala and Belize. He is trying to
convince locals they can feed their families longer by guiding
sport hunters looking to bag an ocellated turkey than by hunting
the birds for food. The ocellated turkey is one of six turkeys
hunters must take in order to complete the World Slam of turkey
hunting. Hunters pay $3,000 or more