Wild Turkey Science

We're bringing back our episode on indicator plants for evaluating successful brood field management.  WATCH this episode here ! Resources: iNaturalist Seek Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses Wildlife Food Plots and Early Successional Plants GeFellers, J. et al. (2020). Seeding is not always necessary to restore native early successional plant communities. Restoration Ecology,...

Dr. Zach Steele and Dorothy Dick, key creators for our online wild turkey training, join us to discuss the production of the course. Join as they share insights into the research and development, the expert contributors that shaped the course content, feedback received from constituents, challenges faced during filming, and the memorable moments that made the project enjoyable.  WATCH this episode...

Wild Turkey Manager: Advanced Habitat features 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 population management. The course offers continuing education credits (CEUs) available through...

We're bringing back our episode discussing the multifaceted effects of fire on wild turkey survival and how a new approach could knock off two objectives with one flame.  WATCH this episode here ! Resources: Boone, W. W., et al. (2024). Frequent prescribed burns reduce mammalian species richness and occurrence in longleaf pine sandhills. Forest Ecology and Management, 553, 121596. Fire University...

Today's conversation offers a unique window into the intricate world of poults. We are joined by Eva Noroski, Field Coordinator for the UF Game Lab, as she shares insights into poult development, growth rates, behavior, vocalization, social dynamics, social bonding, and more.   WATCH this episode here ! We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple inst...

We're bringing back Dr. Craig Harper's step-by-step guide on how to create quality brooding and nesting cover on your property.  Resources: Gruchy, J. P. (2007). An evaluation of field management practices to improve bobwhite habitat. Gruchy, J. P., & Harper, C. A. (2014). Effects of field management practices on northern bobwhite habitat. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildli...

In this episode, we review trending data across hunter age, hunter recruitment, decoy use, and reaping as Dr. Zach Steele, Post-doctoral associate and interdisciplinary ecologist specializing in human dimensions, walks us through his newest publication.  Resources: Harris, A. (2006). Turkey hunting in 2006: an analysis of hunter demographics, trends, and economic impacts. USFWS Report, 7. Maryland...

In this episode, we explore the findings of a recent state of the bird report, highlighting the interconnectedness and decline of species across ecosystems. Resources: Merlin Bird ID Rosenberg, K. V., et al. (2019). Decline of the North American avifauna. Science, 366(6461), 120-124. Seek app (by iNaturalist) State of the Birds Report: United States of America   We've launched a comprehensive onli...

In this episode, Marcus shares insights from his personal experience being imprinted upon by a brood of turkey poults. Join as he shares details of the imprinting process, critical factors affecting the survival and growth of poults, rapid behavioral changes as they grow, what has surprised him the most so far, and more. Check out the footage in this episode's YouTube video: https://youtu.be/j9aO4...

In this episode, we walk through Will's new publication researching the effects of prescribed fire on artificial wild turkey nest survival. Join as we dive into the complexities of nest predation, the impact of fire management on nesting success, the relationship between canopy cover and fire, limitations of study designs, and more. Resources: Burning during nesting | Ep 19 McInnis, M. G., et al....

Today we're talking turkeys in Oklahoma with Marcus Thibodeau and Eric Suttles, wild turkey biologists for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Join as they disclose the status of subspecies across the state, harvest rates, seasons dates, habitat challenges across the state, successful and unsuccessful restocking efforts,  on-going research, assistance for landowners, and more. Resour...

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...