Wild Turkey Science

We've launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history, and heritage! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here! Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

We dive into Will's recent research assessing the effects and prevalence of Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus (LPDV) in wild turkeys in Alabama. Resources: Alger, K., et al. (2017). Risk factors for and spatial distribution of lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in New York State, USA. Journal of wildlife diseases, 53(3), 499-508. Goodwin, C. C., et al. (2024). Experimental infection of domestic turkeys with lymphoproliferative disease virus of North American origin. Veterinary Pathology. Shea, S. A. (2021). Retroviral infection dynamics in Maine's wild turkeys. The University of Maine. Thomas, J. M., et al. (2015). Molecular surveillance for lymphoproliferative disease virus in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) from the eastern United States. PLoS One, 10(4), e0122644. Ostrander, K. N., et al. (2025). Histomonosis and Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus in Male Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Alabama, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this episode, we discuss our recent paper quantifying turkey abundance, highlighting the Florida Wildlife Corridor and exploring how this project preserves turkey habitat amidst increasing development pressures. Paper will be linked as soon as it is released. Resources: Citizen science for turkeys Ep119 https://youtu.be/LEbFvaRhNKA?si=a1Mvzya561e0o52B eBird https://ebird.org/home Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/ FWC Summer Brood Survey https://myfwc.com/hunting/turkey/brood-survey/ iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/ Merlin Bird ID https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ Snapshot USA https://www.snapshot-usa.org/ 00:00 Introduction to the Conversation 01:23 Exploring Turkey Management and Habitat 02:48 The Impact of Human Population on Turkey Habitats 05:47 Florida Wildlife Corridor: A Case Study 11:38 Quantifying the Effects of the Corridor on Turkeys 20:47 Characterizing the Landscape for Turkeys 22:49 Understanding Turkey Occupancy and Abundance 25:09 The Impact of Human Population on Turkey Habitats 28:42 The Role of the Wildlife Corridor 31:19 Challenges Facing Osceola Turkey Populations 37:33 Management Strategies for Turkey Habitats 41:47 The Importance of Collaborative Conservation Efforts Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

We're bringing back our episode exploring the American chestnut's history, ecological importance, challenges faced due to habitat change and disease, on-going conservation efforts, and how you can get involved in its ecological restoration. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab Resources: Diamond, S. J., et al. (2000). Hard mast production before and after the chestnut blight. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, 24(4), 196-201. The American Chestnut Foundation The American Chestnut Foundation: Growing Chestnuts Tree Snapp App Varner, J. M., et al. (2021). Litter flammability of 50 southeastern north American tree species: evidence for mesophication gradients across multiple ecosystems. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4, 727042. Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Sara Fitzsimmons sara.fitzsimmons@tacf.org, Website 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this episode, we discuss how management scale and arrangement influence turkey behavior and productivity. Resources: Chitwood, M. C., et al. (2015). Do biological and bedsite characteristics influence survival of neonatal white-tailed deer?. PloS one, 10(3), e0119070. Day, M. S. (2024). Factors impacting gobbling chronology and activity of male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Alabama (Master's thesis). Decreases in hen survival may explain declines | #153 Managing nesting & brooding cover | #137 Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this episode, we walk you through the steps on managing your fallow fields for turkey and deer. We cover the plants we're after and those we want to manage against, as well as herbicide preparation, broadcast application, timing of management, and more. Resources: iNaturalist Seek App We manage DEER food plots for TURKEYS (video) Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Craig Harper returns to share insights on how sloped topography affects plant communities, wild turkey use, and management strategies for both turkey and deer. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab Dr. Craig Harper (Website) 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this episode, we reveal results from our latest research analyzing the role of hen survival in turkey population dynamics. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab WATCH this episode (here)! Resources: Pre-Print: Lashley et al. (2025) Female Wild turkey survival meta-analysis Byrne, M. E., et al. (2015). Potential density dependence in wild turkey productivity in the southeastern United States. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium (Vol. 11, pp. 329-351). Johnson, V. M., et al. (2022). Nest site selection and survival of wild turkeys in Tennessee. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 9, 134-143. Lehman, C. P., et al. (2000). Comparative survival and reproduction of sympatric eastern and Rio Grande wild turkey females in northeastern South Dakota. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2000, 123-135. Lehman, C. P., et al. (2022). Factors influencing rate of decline in a Merriam's wild turkey population. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 86(6), e22240. Londe, David W., et al. "Review of range‐wide vital rates quantifies eastern wild Turkey population trajectory." Ecology and Evolution 13.2 (2023): e9830. Speake, Daniel W. "Predation on wild turkeys in Alabama." 4th National Wild Turkey Symposium. Little Rock, Arkansas (USA). 2-5 Mar 1980.. 1980. Tyl, R. M., et al. (2023). Factors influencing survival of female eastern wild turkeys in northeastern South Dakota. Wildlif e Society Bulletin, 47(2), e1429. Which vital rates are most important to turkey populations? | Ep 13 SD Research Update: Major constraints and BMPs | Ep 81 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this conversation, Will leads us through the available research on the effectiveness of predator bounty programs. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab Resources: Bartel, R. A., & Brunson, M. W. (2003). Effects of Utah's coyote bounty program on harvester behavior. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 736-743. Ditchkoff, S. S., et al. (2017). Effectiveness of a bounty program for reducing wild pig densities. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 41(3), 548-555. Gosling, L. M., & Baker, S. J. (1989). The eradication of muskrats and coypus from Britain. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 38(1), 39-51. Lelli, B., et al. (2009). Seal bounties in Maine and Massachusetts, 1888 to 1962. Northeastern Naturalist, 16(2), 239-254. 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. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

Join as we explore and critique ChatGPT's answers to why wild turkeys are declining. Submit your prompt to wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab 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. Boone, W. W., et al. (2024). Robust assessment of associations between weather and eastern wild turkey nest success. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 88(2), e22524. Lehman, C. P., et al. (2022). Factors influencing rate of decline in a Merriam's wild turkey population. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 86(6), e22240. Quehl, J. O., et al. (2024). Assessing wild turkey productivity before and after a 14-day delay in the start date of the spring hunting season in Tennessee. Ecology and Evolution, 14, e11390. Gobbler survival across the south | Ep 67 Turkey disease ecology | Ep 70 We got bug problems | Ep 73 Fly, float, and mate | Ep 83 It's not just turkeys | Ep 135 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. Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak