Mammals of the Mexican Boundary of the United States. A descriptive catalogue of the species of mammals occurring in that region; with a general summary of the natural history, and a list of trees pt. 1: Families Didelphiidae to Muridae

Historical and potential growth of Gould's wild turkey populations in New Mexico

“…Prior to 1900, turkeys were described as being plentiful in the Whitewater and San Luis mountains (Boundary Commission 1898). Mearns (1907) documented the collection of 3 adult specimens (2 female, 1 male) in Whitewater Canyon on the west side of the San Luis Mountains in June 1892 (Table 1). Explorers reported wild turkeys in southeastern Arizona, but they were considered extirpated by 1920 (Davis 1982).…”

“… a Collection dates and locations provided in the Smithsonian Collections database do not match dates and itineraries published in Mearns (1907). …”

“… c Mearns (1907) noted a date of 2 June 1892, not 2 July 1892 (pages 11 and 93). The July dates could have been an instance of misreading handwritten notes.…”

“… d Specimens listed for Chihuahua are from White Water, Chihuahua, and the San Luis Mountains, near Boundary Marker No. 61, where Mearns (1907) documented collecting turkeys. There is a Whitewater Canyon in New Mexico running within 1.3 to 4.8 km of the international boundary, and a small range sometimes referred to as the Whitewater Mountains immediately north of the border on the east side of the San Luis Mountains.…”

“…Along the continental divide to the east the Animas Mountains reach elevations ≥2,560 m. The San Luis Mountains are primarily a Mexican mountain range extending into the United States (New Mexico) for about 7 km, where they are separated from the Animas Mountains by San Luis Pass. The Whitewater Mountains, mentioned in early reports (Mearns 1907), are today considered part of the San Luis Mountains.…”