Wild Turkey Science

Dr. Kelly O'Neil breaks down details of our latest research project focused on poult behavior and development. Join as she walks us step-by-step through a poult's life - from egg collection to incubation, hatching, imprinting, and development until flight. Watch this episode (filled with poult footage) on our YouTube! We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts acros...

We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. This course is intended to be comprehensive, leading you through advanced concepts in habitat management, predator management, disease, and overall population management. We made the course online so you can take i...

Today, we are covering the Florida Wild Turkey Cost-Share program. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Forest Service, and National Wild Turkey Federation have teamed up to put millions into improving turkey habitat on over one million acres of public hunting ground in the state. Resources: Wild Turkey Cost Share Program Florida's Wild Turkey Cost-Share Program   New, comprehensive online wi...

Join us by the campfire as we swap hunting stories from this year's season - discussing hunting strategy, gear reliability, density index for gobbling activity, and reflecting upon what it means to make the most of a close call.     New, comprehensive online wild turkey course launching -  Pre-enroll now!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance , Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby , Publicat...

In this episode, we dive into the controversies and complexities of decoy use while turkey hunting. Join as we discuss the biological implications of using decoys, trends in decoy adoption among hunters, the relationship between decoy usage and hunter success, preliminary results from Will's study, and more. Resources: Butler, A. B., & Wang, G. (2022). Connecting hunt outcomes to the demographics,...

Over 700 birds studied, 400 nesting attempts monitored, 100 broods followed, and in collaboration with over 250 landowners…all on private lands?!  In today's episode, we are joined by Hannah Plumpton and Chris Kreh, Upland Game Bird Biologist and Assistant Chief for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. They disclose preliminary results from their massive statewide turkey research proj...

How much area are these gobblers using? What does the literature say? Join us as we dive into the published science on home ranges for each subspecies and share preliminary results from our research tracking Osceola movement.  Resources: Cohen, B. S., et al. (2015). Space use, movements, and habitat selection of translocated eastern wild turkeys in northwestern Louisiana. In Proceedings of the Nat...

Welp, he would sit in the blind for hours on end next to a nesting hen to collect intricate details about her every move and behavior. Listen in as we cover all aspects of his pioneering nest behavior work. Resources: DrDisturbance #WildTurkeyHistory (video series) Ideal Nesting Cover | Ep 121 Illumination in the Flatwoods, by Joe Hutto Little House in the Flatwoods | Ep 87 The Book of the Wild Tu...

Will leads us on another deep dive, this time focused on roosting behavior. Join as we journey through the available literature on roost site habitat preferences, roosting behavior, factors influencing roost site selection, roosting patterns, roost site fidelity, and the impact of habitat quality on their movements.  Resources: Adey, E. A., et al. (2023). Seasonal roost selection of wild turkeys a...

Will walks us through a thought experiment, pulling from his Wild Turkey Management Academy presentation, to portray the magnitude effect that quality habitat has on gobbler populations. Join us for napkin math as we break down the numbers on how comprehensive habitat quality affects nesting success, brood survival, and wild turkey populations.   Resources: Londe, David W., et al. "Review of range...

Strap in for another research review as we dive into scientific studies assessing characteristics of effective nesting sites. We discuss the critical aspects of nesting cover for wild turkeys, the dilemma of habitat preference versus availability, and the implications of these factors on turkey population success. Resources: What does wild turkey nesting cover look like? (video) Crawford, J. C., e...

Dr. Craig Harper re-joins the podcast to share preliminary results from his on-going research comparing dormant, early-, mid-, and late-growing season fire treatments and assessing their effects on plant communities and wildlife, including turkeys and deer. Resources: Gruchy, J. P. (2007). An evaluation of field management practices to improve bobwhite habitat. Gruchy, J. P., & Harper, C. A. (2014...

Dr. Corey Callaghan, Assistant Professor of Wild Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, joins us to discuss the dynamics of citizen science and how data collected by bird watchers and turkey hunters can contribute to wildlife research. Be sure to download the eBird app in the show notes below to help us double the turkey observations this season! Resources: Callaghan, C. T., et al....

Bob Long, Wild Turkey and Upland Game Bird Project Manager for the Maryland DNR, joins us to share insights on the state's turkey populations, historical trends, current challenges, and details on their on-going comprehensive, multi-state wide turkey research project. Resources: Maryland Department of Natural Resources Maryland Turkey Hunting Season and Regulations MD Wild Turkey Information (incl...

Emily Rushton, Turkey Program Coordinator for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, joins us to discuss the current status of turkey populations in the state, as well as trends in hunting and harvest data.  Resources: Avid Hunter/Harvest Card Survey (fill out after each hunt) Interactive Turkey Harvest Dashboard Poult Production Survey (record all turkey observations, with or without poults...

In this episode, we discuss the importance of turkey advocacy and conservation efforts within the hunting community. Join as we explore the various actions that you can take to support wild turkey populations, resources for hands-on training and workshops, and the importance of engaging with the next generation to ensure the future of the wild turkey.   Resources: Ducks Unlimited I lease land…what...

John Gruchy re-joins the podcast to break down the steps and requirements you need to get fire on your property. We discuss the essential equipment needed, legal liability considerations, resources and financial support available, tips for success, and why burning is imperative for the wild turkey.    Resources: Martin, J. A., et al. (2012). Wild turkey habitat use in frequently-burned pine savann...

In this episode, we answer your questions. Join as we discuss the ecological impacts of hurricanes on turkeys survival rates and nesting success, ideal fire return intervals for nesting cover, the impacts of deer on vegetation and how this affects turkey populations, the importance of fire timing in habitat dynamics, and the challenges of recruiting young hunters into the turkey hunting culture. R...

In this episode, we reflect upon our experiences and insights from 2024. We share our top episodes, theme highlights, the emergence of new research in turkey science, and our ambitious wild turkey goals for 2025.  We're calling on audience engagement to help shape future content! Let us know what you want to hear and how you want to engage with us by emailing  wildturkeyscience@gmail.com . Resourc...

We continue the gobbling activity conversation as Will walks us through the available research on the complex dynamics between habitat management, gobbling activity, and the overall health of turkey populations. We explore the significance of early successional cover, the impact of vegetation composition on gobbling rates, the challenges of researching gobbling, and our upcoming research that can...

Grab a notepad and pen, because today we're diving into the complex factors influencing gobbling activity. In this Part 1 segment, Will walks us through the available literature on the seasonal patterns of gobbling, the relationship between gobbling activity and reproduction, the influence of weather and environmental conditions, the impact of hunting pressure, and more. Stay tuned for Part 2, rel...

Dr. Colter Chitwood is back on to break down the unique population dynamics of the wild turkey. Join as we explore which vital rates are significant to turkey population trajectories, impacts of boom bust cycles on reproductive success, the interplay between reproductive parameters and hen survival, why high reproduction rates may not compensate for low hen survival, what this all means for wild t...

By popular demand, we sit down to explore the significance and functional role of the passenger pigeon. Join as we dive into the available literature on the history and ecological importance of passenger pigeons, learning how they shaped ecosystems and oak forest dynamics, how these historical disturbances can give insight into our management practices today, what this means for turkeys, and more....

We are joined by Zak Danks, Wild Turkey & Ruffed Grouse Program Coordinator for the state of Kentucky, to discuss the state's wild turkey status. Join as he walks us through restoration effort history, harvest rate trends, ongoing research (including unpublished poult-per -hen data), impacts of cicada hatches, habitat challenges, season structures, and more.    Resources: Filson, J. (2017). The Di...

Today we are joined by Nick Thomas and Weston Thompson from Steward Link, a consultation company focused on helping landowners gain access to USDA conservation programs. Join as they breakdown the application process, eligibility requirements, available financial assistance, regional differences, common barriers to entry, complexities of government contracts, and much more. If you're a landowner,...