Poults and Nesting Research

I saw some info on social media this morning that sounds pretty grim for one study in Oklahoma. I could not find this information published anywhere with this much detail. Below is the information I saw. There was also a screenshot from a Tennessee study that didn’t sound good.

The state of Oklahoma started research this spring…..trapped 28 hens and fitted with tracking devices. 1 died during the trapping/fitting process, 6 died to predators first week. Only 7 attempted to nest in April, all nests were depredation. 4 hens attempted to nest a second time. One hen hatched 6 poults, one hen hatched 3 poults. Nest were monitored daily from a distance not to disturb hen. 3 poults from each hen were fitted with tracking devices June 6 th, as of June 9th all poults were dead to predators. One tracking device was tracked to a cottonmouth water moccasin. As of today all poults dead as well as 15 of 28 hens.

Here is the screenshot I saw posted about a study in TN.

gas station near m3

Looks like it’s time to terminate all nest predators by ANY means necessary

I can believe it after what I saw in Oklahoma this year. Went at 2 different times of the season to 4 different WMAs. Only gobbling heard was from 3 jakes on some neighboring private land. Besides those 3, we saw 1 hen and then 3 other jakes and one hen on a different property. These were all good weather days where I would’ve expected there to be birds gobbling if there were any around. I’m sure there are some private land areas that are doing ok, but that area of the country in general definitely seems to be struggling. Going to take more than reducing season dates and bag limits to turn it around.

Yessir

This is BS, everyone knows it's because the dominate gobblers are being shot.
smh

Other than forestry practices, nothing is worse on Turkeys than a dam coon.

Predation is obviously the biggest issue to address and I’ve believed that for a long time. However, in those two particular areas of study - you would be at zero population in 2/3 years. None. Full extinction of species.

I been hitting them for 2 years - I gone keep after the predators

This exactly what the latest studies show….. initiating nests is not the problem. Predation is

I wonder what (if any) impact was had from handling and outfitting hens and poults with trackers?

I’ve said it for a while now, I don’t give two chits what Chamberlain or any of these other social media influencer “biologists” say. Trap the ever loving hell out of predators and your turkey population is almost guaranteed to increase. I’ve said that to some of those guys on Facebook and been told that my turkey population growing since beginning trapping coons was just anecdotal and didn’t really mean anything.

I agree with the predator control side myself. I do wonder like in texas where they have plenty of turkeys and in some areas big droves they have the same predators and it doesn’t appear to phase the population. I’m no expert just something I’ve noticed there and wonder what’s different.

I think the difference out there is they have thousands of acres of contiguous suitable nesting habitat, wheras around here it is much more fragmented making it easier for nest predators to find nests.

I think in some places predators have easier meals available for them so they may not be as apt to scavenge nest as often. Kinda like how poult survival spikes in years of a large cicada hatch. Those cicadas are a excellent source of food for the poults, but they are also a good food source for coons and other predators as well. It possibly gives some relief on nest and poults.

Trapping may not be the fix, but it definitely doesn’t hurt. I do a lot of trapping on my place and I’ve definitely noticed some improvements. It just doesn’t happen overnight.

I trapped with dog proofs for over 5 years now and started using coil spring traps about 2 years ago. When I started I had never saw but 3 turkeys over 22 year's. We are starting to see alot now

Places like OK have always had a direct relationship between spring rain and turkey population. When they get lots of rain, the cover grows tall and the hens and poults are able to hide from the predators. When it's drought, there is little cover and they become easy pickings. I don't know what is going on in TN to get results like that.

Predators have always gotten most of the eggs, and then most of the poults that do manage to hatch. Anything we can do to improve their chances of survival can impact the population, whether it is providing better habitat to let them hide from predators, or just removing the predators. A combination of both is ideal.

The thing about nesting habitat is that it's different from the habitat that will attract turkeys during the spring hunting season. With all the new restrictions on hunting, my concern has been that there will be even fewer people willing to spend the money to produce poults.

If you don’t have eggs hatch you can’t have more turkeys. Predators have been unchecked for far too long. I think poorcountrypreacher is spot on with his prediction.

I was thinking the same thing. How much stress they are putting on the birds while handling them and this device may be like attaching a dinner bell for predators. A wild turkey is fragile.

Oklahoma has been struggling for a little while now. I think the drought has been a major issue, which may favor predators. I don't know, but I know it isn't what it used to be.

Wonder what the DCNR in this state has done study wise?

I know Dr Gulsby at Auburn has a couple of projects in cooperation with Turkeys for Tomorrow.

The DCNR will take the credit when they do nothing.