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. Resources: Byrne, M. E. (2013). Nesting ecology of wild turkeys in a bottomland hardwood forest. The American Midland Naturalist, 170(1), 95-110. How do hurricanes affect birds? How do hurricanes affect deer? How do hurricanes affect wildlife?  Moscicki, D. J. (2020). Evaluation of Space Use and Movement by Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) During Extreme Climatic Disturbances and Annual Phenological States. What does wild turkey nesting look like?   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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 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. Resources: Has turkey habitat changed? | Ep 21 Habitat vs. predator control | Ep 63 Snoods, feathers, and the Turkey Brotherhood | Ep 65 Habitat management = predator management | Ep 66 Longer the snood, bigger the brood | Ep 68 Up close and personal with wild turkeys | Ep 69 We got bug problems | Ep 73 Conventional vs. Regenerative Ag | Ep 79 Managing pine rotations for turkeys | Ep 80 Fly, float, and mate | Ep 83 Food plotting in nature’s image | Ep 84 Little House in the Flatwoods | Ep 87 100th episode special | Ep 100 The American Chestnut: Restoring ecological function | Ep 106   Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America, by Dan Flores Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History, by Dan Flores   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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 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 help address some of these questions. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of this episode, we recommend listening to Episode 111 before returning to this episode.  @davidfolker5850 please email wildturkeyscience@gmail.com  to claim your signed potcall!  Resources: Bevill, W. V., Jr. 1973. Some factors influencing gobbling activity among turkeys. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners 27:62–73. Chamberlain, M. J., et al. (2018). Gobbling activity of eastern wild turkeys relative to male movements and female nesting phenology in South Carolina. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 42(4), 632-642. Grehan, Janelle, "Spring Gobbling Chronology and Turkey Habitat Use In Upstate South Carolina" (2022). All Theses. 3880.  Hoffman, R. W. 1990. Chronology of gobbling and nesting activities of Merriam’s wild turkeys. Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 6:25–31. Kienzler, J. M., et al. 1996. Effects of weather, incubation, and hunting on gobbling activity in wild turkeys. Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 7:61-68. Lehman, C. P. (2005). Ecology of Merriam's turkeys in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. South Dakota State University. Lehman, C. P., et al. (2007). Gobbling of Merriam's turkeys in relation to nesting and occurrence of hunting in the Black Hills, South Dakota. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium. 9: 343-349. Lint, J. R., Leopold, B. D., & Hurst, G. A. (1995). Comparison of abundance indexes and population estimates for wild turkey gobblers. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 164-168. Miller, D. A., Hurst, G. A., & Leopold, B. D. (1997). Chronology of wild turkey nesting, gobbling, and hunting in Mississippi. The Journal of wildlife management, 840-845. Norman, G. W., et al. (2001). Reproductive chronology, spring hunting, and illegal kill of female wild turkeys. Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 8:269–279. Palmer, W. E., et al. (1990). Effort, success, and characteristics of spring turkey hunters on Tallahala Wildlife Management Area, Mississippi. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium (Vol. 6, pp. 208-213). Palumbo, M. D., et al. (2019). Latitude and daily-weather effects on gobbling activity of wild turkeys in Mississippi. International journal of biometeorology, 63, 1059-1067. Pollentier, C. D., et al. (2021). Gobbling across landscapes: Eastern wild turkey distribution and occupancy–habitat associations. Ecology and Evolution, 11(24), 18248-18270. Wakefield, C. T., et al. (2020). Hunting and nesting phenology influence gobbling of wild turkeys. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 84(3), 448-457. Wightman, P. H., et al. (2019). Gobbling chronology of eastern wild turkeys in South Carolina. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 83(2), 325-333.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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  

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, releasing next Monday. @davidfolker5850 please email wildturkeyscience@gmail.com  to claim your signed potcall!    Resources: Bevill, W. V., Jr. 1973. Some factors influencing gobbling activity among turkeys. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners 27:62–73. Chamberlain, M. J., et al. (2018). Gobbling activity of eastern wild turkeys relative to male movements and female nesting phenology in South Carolina. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 42(4), 632-642. Grehan, Janelle, "Spring Gobbling Chronology and Turkey Habitat Use In Upstate South Carolina" (2022). All Theses. 3880.  Hoffman, R. W. 1990. Chronology of gobbling and nesting activities of Merriam’s wild turkeys. Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 6:25–31. Kienzler, J. M., et al. 1996. Effects of weather, incubation, and hunting on gobbling activity in wild turkeys. Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 7:61-68. Lehman, C. P. (2005). Ecology of Merriam's turkeys in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. South Dakota State University. Lehman, C. P., et al. (2007). Gobbling of Merriam's turkeys in relation to nesting and occurrence of hunting in the Black Hills, South Dakota. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium. 9: 343-349. Lint, J. R., Leopold, B. D., & Hurst, G. A. (1995). Comparison of abundance indexes and population estimates for wild turkey gobblers. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 164-168. Miller, D. A., Hurst, G. A., & Leopold, B. D. (1997). Chronology of wild turkey nesting, gobbling, and hunting in Mississippi. The Journal of wildlife management, 840-845. Norman, G. W., et al. (2001). Reproductive chronology, spring hunting, and illegal kill of female wild turkeys. Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium 8:269–279. Palmer, W. E., et al. (1990). Effort, success, and characteristics of spring turkey hunters on Tallahala Wildlife Management Area, Mississippi. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium (Vol. 6, pp. 208-213). Palumbo, M. D., et al. (2019). Latitude and daily-weather effects on gobbling activity of wild turkeys in Mississippi. International journal of biometeorology, 63, 1059-1067. Pollentier, C. D., et al. (2021). Gobbling across landscapes: Eastern wild turkey distribution and occupancy–habitat associations. Ecology and Evolution, 11(24), 18248-18270. Wakefield, C. T., et al. (2020). Hunting and nesting phenology influence gobbling of wild turkeys. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 84(3), 448-457. Wightman, P. H., et al. (2019). Gobbling chronology of eastern wild turkeys in South Carolina. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 83(2), 325-333.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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. 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 turkey management.   Resources: Bieber, C., & Ruf, T. (2005). Population dynamics in wild boar Sus scrofa: ecology, elasticity of growth rate and implications for the management of pulsed resource consumers. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42(6), 1203-1213. Keller, B. J., et al. (2015). A review of vital rates and cause‐specific mortality of elk C ervus elaphus populations in eastern N orth A merica. Mammal Review, 45(3), 146-159. Londe, David W., et al. "Review of range‐wide vital rates quantifies eastern wild Turkey population trajectory." Ecology and Evolution 13.2 (2023): e9830.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Colter Chitwood Website, Publications Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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  

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.  Resources: Blockstein, D. E., and H. B. Tordoff. 1985. Gone forever: a contempo-rary look at the extinction of the passenger pigeon. American Birds39:845–851 Ellsworth, J. W., & McCOMB, B. C. (2003). Potential effects of passenger pigeon flocks on the structure and composition of presettlement forests of eastern North America. Conservation Biology, 17(6), 1548-1558. Hung, C. M., et al. (2014). Drastic population fluctuations explain the rapid extinction of the passenger pigeon. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(29), 10636-10641. Schorger,  A.  W.  1955.  The  passenger  pigeon:  its  natural  history  and extinction. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison Has turkey habitat changed? | #21 The American Chestnut: Restoring ecological function | #106   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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 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 Discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucky (1784)   Zak Danks zak.danks@ky.gov Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, YT, FB, IG   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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  

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, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!   Resources: NRCS Programs & Initiatives Steward Link  Phone: 662-535-0233 FB, IG, X   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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 delve into the ecological significance of the American chestnut tree with Sara Fitzsimmons, Chief Conservation Officer for The American Chestnut Foundation. Join as we explore its 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.    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.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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 Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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 review the available research on wild pig competition for acorns and their impact on competing wildlife species. We discuss the concept of competitive exclusion, the role of acorns in the diets of various species, the implications of pig removal on ecosystem dynamics, and what this means for turkeys. Resources: Anderson, W. M., et al. (2018). Using DNA metabarcoding to examine wild pig (Sus scrofa) diets in a subtropical agro-ecosystem. In Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference (Vol. 28, No. 28). Bieber, C., & Ruf, T. (2005). Population dynamics in wild boar Sus scrofa: ecology, elasticity of growth rate and implications for the management of pulsed resource consumers. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42(6), 1203-1213. Cutini, A., et al. (2013). Mast seeding in deciduous forests of the northern Apennines (Italy) and its influence on wild boar population dynamics. Annals of forest science, 70, 493-502. Dykstra, A. M., et al. (2023). Biological invasions disrupt activity patterns of native wildlife: An example from wild pigs. Food Webs, 34, e00270. Fay, A. S., et al. (2023). Impacts of wild pigs on acorn availability as a food source for native wildlife. Wildlife Research, 50(12), 1123-1130. How pig removal affects turkeys | #97 Shimada, T., Iijima, H., & Kotaka, N. (2024). Wild boar population fluctuations in a subtropical forest: the crucial role of mast seeding in Ryukyu Islands, Japan. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 70(3), 1-11.  USDA Feral Swine Population Distribution Wood, G. W., & Roark, D. N. (1980). Food habits of feral hogs in coastal South Carolina. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 44(2), 506-511. Wentworth, J. M., Johnson, A. S., & Hale, P. E. (1989). Influence of acorn abundance on whitetailed deer in the Southern Appalachians. In Proceedings of Workshop Southern Appalachian Mountain Range (pp. 2-6). Knoxville: University of Tennesee.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout! 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