Wild Turkey Science

Managing bottomland hardwoods for turkeys guest starring Duck Locascio, Forestry Program Manager for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. They discuss topics like managing invasive species, techniques for creating turkey habitat, dedicating specific areas for various purposes, and learning through trial and error in bottomland hardwood management.

Duck Locascio, Forestry Program Manager for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, joins Marcus and Will to demystify and provide actionable steps to managers interested in improving turkey habitat in bottomland hardwood forests.   Resources: Desired Forest Conditions document Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture   Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak   

Dr. Andy Little joins Marcus and Will to break down the study design and year 1 results from his research assessing wild turkey habitat needs across the state of Nebraska. Then, how landscape changes may be impacting population trends and which potential factors are bottlenecking brood survival.   Turkey Newsletter 2023   Dr. Andy Little (Publications) (IG) (X) AWESM Lab (Website) (IG) (Facebook) (X)   Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Will provides us with updates on his ongoing, hunter-led AL project quantifying fertility indexes in wild turkeys and how it relates to behavior and disease. Then, an update from Marcus on the FL genetic study assessing habitat connectivity and gene flow made possible by hunter-donated feathers. And finally, a look into Will’s next project inspired by our listeners.   Resources: AL Update: Is there a dominant gobbler? Status of turkeys in FL (Part 1/2) Status of turkeys in FL (Part 2/2) FL Wildlife Corridor NY Times: Wild Turkey Decline   Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Marcus and Will kick off the holiday season by reviewing a newly published predator-prey diet selection study, discussing fall diets for turkeys during poor oak masting years, and touching upon the American tradition of fall turkey hunting.    Resources Youngmann, et al. (2023). Assessing springtime vertebrate prey of sympatric mesopredators in the southeastern United States using metabarcoding analysis. Plos one, 18(10), e0293270. DrDisturbance IG Reel   Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak   

Marcus and Will pull from the literature to discuss the science-based management strategies across fire, silviculture, herbicide, and more, that can help turn your hardwoods into turkeys. Listen to Part 1 of this episode here: https://sites.libsyn.com/453219/WildTurkeyScience/managing-hardwoods-for-turkeys-part-12-52   Resources: Bogdziewicz, M., Crone, E. E., Steele, M. A., & Zwolak, R. (2017). Effects of nitrogen deposition on reproduction in a masting tree: benefits of higher seed production are trumped by negative biotic interactions. Journal of Ecology, 105(2), 310-320. Dey, D. C., & Schweitzer, C. J. (2018). A review on the dynamics of prescribed fire, tree mortality, and injury in managing oak natural communities to minimize economic loss in North America. Forests, 9(8), 461. FOOD PLOTS, FEED OR FIRE: THE REAL COSTS PER POUND OF DEER FORAGE Lashley, M. A., McCord, J. M., Greenberg, C. H., & Harper, C. A. (2009). Masting characteristics of white oaks: Implications for management. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeast Association Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 63, pp. 21-26). Lashley, M. A., Harper, C. A., Bates, G. E., & Keyser, P. D. (2011). Forage availability for white‐tailed deer following silvicultural treatments in hardwood forests. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 75(6), 1467-1476. Mann, D. P., Wiedenbeck, J. K., Dey, D. C., & Saunders, M. R. (2020). Evaluating economic impacts of prescribed fire in the Central Hardwood Region. Journal of Forestry, 118(3), 275-288. Marschall, J. M., Guyette, R. P., Stambaugh, M. C., & Stevenson, A. P. (2014). Fire damage effects on red oak timber product value. Forest Ecology and Management, 320, 182-189. McDaniel, J. K., Alexander, H. D., Siegert, C. M., & Lashley, M. A. (2021). Shifting tree species composition of upland oak forests alters leaf litter structure, moisture, and flammability. Forest ecology and Management, 482, 118860. Stanis, S., Wiedenbeck, J., & Saunders, M. R. (2019). Effect of prescribed fire on timber volume and grade in the Hoosier National Forest. Forest Science, 65(6), 714-724. Turner, M. A., Gulsby, W. D., Harper, C. A., & Ditchkoff, S. S. (2020). Improving Coastal Plain Hardwoods for Deer and Turkeys with Canopy Reduction and Fire. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 44(4), 705-712. Turner, M. A., Gulsby, W. D., & Harper, C. A. (2021). Mixture of triclopyr and imazapyr more effective than triclopyr alone for hardwood forest stand improvement. Forest Science, 67(1), 43-48. Wiedenbeck, J. K., & Schuler, T. M. (2014). Effects of prescribed fire on the wood quality and marketability of four hardwood species in the central Appalachian region. In In: Groninger, John W.; Holzmueller, Eric J.; Nielsen, Clayton K.; Dey, Daniel C., eds. Proceedings, 19th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2014 March 10-12; Carbondale, IL. General Technical Report NRS-P-142. Newtown Square, PA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 202-212. (pp. 202-212). Wolgast, L. J., & Stout, B. B. (1977). Effects of age, stand density, and fertilizer application on bear oak reproduction. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 685-691. Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Marcus and Will pull from the literature to assess various management strategies across fire, silviculture, herbicide, and more, that can help turn your hardwoods into turkeys. Part 2 of this episode releases next Monday.   Resources: Bogdziewicz, M., Crone, E. E., Steele, M. A., & Zwolak, R. (2017). Effects of nitrogen deposition on reproduction in a masting tree: benefits of higher seed production are trumped by negative biotic interactions. Journal of Ecology, 105(2), 310-320. Dey, D. C., & Schweitzer, C. J. (2018). A review on the dynamics of prescribed fire, tree mortality, and injury in managing oak natural communities to minimize economic loss in North America. Forests, 9(8), 461. FOOD PLOTS, FEED OR FIRE: THE REAL COSTS PER POUND OF DEER FORAGE Lashley, M. A., McCord, J. M., Greenberg, C. H., & Harper, C. A. (2009). Masting characteristics of white oaks: Implications for management. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeast Association Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 63, pp. 21-26). Lashley, M. A., Harper, C. A., Bates, G. E., & Keyser, P. D. (2011). Forage availability for white‐tailed deer following silvicultural treatments in hardwood forests. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 75(6), 1467-1476. Mann, D. P., Wiedenbeck, J. K., Dey, D. C., & Saunders, M. R. (2020). Evaluating economic impacts of prescribed fire in the Central Hardwood Region. Journal of Forestry, 118(3), 275-288. Marschall, J. M., Guyette, R. P., Stambaugh, M. C., & Stevenson, A. P. (2014). Fire damage effects on red oak timber product value. Forest Ecology and Management, 320, 182-189. McDaniel, J. K., Alexander, H. D., Siegert, C. M., & Lashley, M. A. (2021). Shifting tree species composition of upland oak forests alters leaf litter structure, moisture, and flammability. Forest ecology and Management, 482, 118860. Stanis, S., Wiedenbeck, J., & Saunders, M. R. (2019). Effect of prescribed fire on timber volume and grade in the Hoosier National Forest. Forest Science, 65(6), 714-724. Turner, M. A., Gulsby, W. D., Harper, C. A., & Ditchkoff, S. S. (2020). Improving Coastal Plain Hardwoods for Deer and Turkeys with Canopy Reduction and Fire. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 44(4), 705-712. Turner, M. A., Gulsby, W. D., & Harper, C. A. (2021). Mixture of triclopyr and imazapyr more effective than triclopyr alone for hardwood forest stand improvement. Forest Science, 67(1), 43-48. Wiedenbeck, J. K., & Schuler, T. M. (2014). Effects of prescribed fire on the wood quality and marketability of four hardwood species in the central Appalachian region. In In: Groninger, John W.; Holzmueller, Eric J.; Nielsen, Clayton K.; Dey, Daniel C., eds. Proceedings, 19th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 2014 March 10-12; Carbondale, IL. General Technical Report NRS-P-142. Newtown Square, PA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 202-212. (pp. 202-212). Wolgast, L. J., & Stout, B. B. (1977). Effects of age, stand density, and fertilizer application on bear oak reproduction. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 685-691. Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak  

The podcast discusses the relationship between hardwood forests and wild turkeys. They explore the impact of hardwoods on turkey diet selection, the importance of a native grass genus in turkeys' diet, and the significant fat content of Acre for turkeys. They also delve into the importance of acorn production on turkey vital rates and the link between hardwood oak production and turkeys. The podcast explores turkeys' use of hardwoods and stream side management zones, the significance of hardwoods in turkey production, and the importance of oak recruitment for turkey management.

Marcus and Will travel back in time with legendary turkey researchers Dr. Larry Vangilder and Eric Kurzejeski. Join as they discuss the early days of restocking and lessons learned, how hunting regulations changed as populations grew, initial assumptions impacting today’s regulations, challenges they faced as biologists, and thoughts on why we’re seeing declines today.   Dr. Larry Vangilder, Eric W. Kurzejeski Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak  

Will and Marcus launch our hardwoods series by discussing oak masting biology. They review studies assessing acorn production variation across and within oak species, discuss study results of wildlife acorn preference, and provide management tools to increase acorn productivity on your land.    Resources: Brooke, J. M., Basinger, P. S., Birckhead, J. L., Lashley, M. A., McCord, J. M., Nanney, J. S., & Harper, C. A. (2019). Effects of fertilization and crown release on white oak (Quercus alba) masting and acorn quality. Forest Ecology and Management, 433, 305-312. Boggess, C. M., Strickland, B., Alexander, H. D., & Lashley, M. A. (2019). Mast Seeding in Oaks: A Strategy to Satiate Predators or Strengthen Apparent Competition?. In American Fisheries Society & The Wildlife Society 2019 Joint Annual Conference. AFS. Boggess, C. M., Baruzzi, C., Alexander, H. D., Strickland, B. K., & Lashley, M. A. (2022). Exposure to fire affects acorn removal by altering consumer preference. Forest Ecology and Management, 508, 120044. Downs, A. A., & McQuilkin, W. E. (1944). Seed production of southern Appalachian oaks. Journal of Forestry, 42(12), 913-920. Greenberg, C. H., & Parresol, B. R. (2000). Acorn production characteristics of southern Appalachian oaks: a simple method to predict within-year crop size. Res. Pap. SRS-20. Asheville, NC: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 16 p., 20. Lashley, M. A., McCord, J. M., Greenberg, C. H., & Harper, C. A. (2009). Masting characteristics of white oaks: Implications for management. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeast Association Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Vol. 63, pp. 21-26). Minser, W. G., Allen, T., Ellsperman, B., Schlarbaum, S. E., & Eversole, A. G. (1995). Feeding response of wild turkeys to chestnuts in comparison with other mast species. In Proceedings of the 49th Annual Meeting of Southeastern Association of Fish Wildlife Agencies, SEAFWA, Nashville, TN (pp. 490-499).   Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile) Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile) Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow)  UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)   Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  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.  Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak