Photo by Kenny Darwin.

A lot can happen in 40 years.

Forty years ago, there were virtually no game fish left in Lake Michigan.

Today, thanks to a far-sighted stocking program begun by the state of Michigan and augmented by similar programs in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, the big lake boasts a world-class salmonid fishery, a thriving bass population and a good, albeit troubled, yellow perch fishery.

Forty years ago, folks in Illinois rarely saw wild Canada geese unless they journeyed to the state’s three southernmost counties. Today, because of a variety of factors, geese are everywhere and the northern tier of counties holds more resident and migratory birds than the once bountiful southern zone.

Forty years ago, deer hunters were ecstatic if they managed to bag one of these prized animals. Today, guys wearing hunting caps festooned with DNR “deer pins” garner little notice from fellow hunters other than to say, “Oh, you got a deer, too? Who didn’t?”

Much was made of the rebirth of the fisheries, the reintroduction of honkers and the rebound of the deer herd, but few noticed the reintroduction of the wild turkey.

Forty years ago, Eastern-strain wild turkeys, once plentiful in Illinois, had nearly been wiped out by hunting and loss of habitat. Today, wild turkeys inhabit all 102 counties and hunting is allowed in 96 counties. Only dense human habitation denies residents of the other six counties the opportunity to hunt the big birds.

But many people in Illinois have no idea the turkeys are here, much less having ever seen one. The decision to restore wild turkeys was made in 1960 by the-then Illinois Department of Conservation, now the Department of Natural Resources.

Early efforts failed because pen-reared birds were used. The domesticated birds were not capable of surviving in the wild.

In 1967, biologists came to the conclusion that the secret to success was dependent on the introduction of truly wild turkeys. In a trade with three other states, Illinois swapped ruffed grouse and Canada geese for 65 mature wild turkeys.

According to IDNR wildlife program manager Paul Shelton, all wild turkeys here today are descended from that original group of birds.