Wild Turkey Science

Tes Randle Jolly, award-winning professional wildlife and turkey photographer extraordinaire, joins Marcus and Will to share her deep insight and perspective into wild turkey behavior from over 25 years of photographing our favorite bird.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Tes Jolly (@jovtes)

Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile)

Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow) 

UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)

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Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube

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. Richard Buccholz, Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Research at the University of Mississippi, joins Will and Marcus to shed light on the fascinating world of wild turkey behavior. Learn of the interplay between displayed traits and biological fitness, which traits influence sexual selection, and how this information can help us strategize research for better management moving forward.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Resources:

• Hill, G. E., et al. (2005). The effect of coccidial infection on iridescent plumage coloration in wild turkeys. Animal Behaviour, 69(2), 387-394

• Huang, M. H., et al. (2022). Analysis of supplemental wildlife feeding in Mississippi and environmental gastrointestinal parasite load. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9, 995437.

Dr. Richard Buchholz (Website) (Academic Profile) 

Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile)

Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow) 

UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!

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Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube

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. Patrick Wightman, Research Scientist at UGA, joins Marcus and Will to reveal results from a recent region-wide collaborative project - across 4 states, 8 study sites, and with over 900 banded birds - assessing the effects of hunting pressure on male survival. 

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Resources:

• Wightman, P. H., et al. (2024). Survival and cause‐specific mortality of male wild turkeys across the southeastern United States. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 88(2), e22531.

Dr. Patrick Wightman (@WildTurkeyNerd) (Academic Profile) (Wild Turkey Lab)

Dr. Marcus Lashley (@DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Will Gulsby (@dr_will_gulsby) (Academic Profile)

Turkeys for Tomorrow (@turkeysfortomorrow) 

UF DEER Lab (@ufdeerlab) (YouTube)

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!

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Watch these podcasts on YouTube: Wild Turkey Science YouTube

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

New data brings to light more pieces of our habitat-predator puzzle. Join as Marcus and Will pull from recent studies to discuss the multifaceted effects of fire on wild turkey survival and how a new approach could knock off two objectives with one flame. 

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

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 #13 - How fire affects predators, ft. Dr. Michael Cherry

• Jones, D. D., et al. (2004). Prescribed fire and raccoon use of longleaf pine forests: implications for managing nest predation?. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 32(4), 1255-1259.

• Jorge, M. H., et al. (2020). Fire and land cover drive predator abundances in a pyric landscape. Forest Ecology and Management, 461, 117939.

• Kilburg, E. L., et al. (2014). Wild turkey nest survival and nest‐site selection in the presence of growing‐season prescribed fire. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(6), 1033-1039.

• Lohr, A. K., et al. (2019). Effects of individual recess behaviors on nest and female survival of Eastern wild turkeys (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia).

• Wann, G. T., et al. (2020). The influence of prescribed fire on wild turkeys in the Southeastern United States: A review and synthesis. Forest Ecology and Management, 455, 117661.

• Wild Turkey Science #19 - Burning during nesting

• What does wild turkey nesting cover look like? (Craig Harper Video)

• Yeldell, N. A., et al. (2017). Nest site selection and nest survival of eastern wild turkeys in a pyric landscape. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 81(6), 1073-1083.

• Yeldell, N. A., et al. (2017). Prescribed fire influences habitat selection of female eastern wild turkeys. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 81(7), 1287-1297. 

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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

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. Geoff Hill, professor of Biological Sciences at Auburn University, joins Marcus and Will to break down the unique evolutionary biology of our favorite bird. Learn which characteristics hens select for, what make decoys effective, if gene selection is impacted by hunter harvest, the intricacies of the turkey brotherhood, and much more. 

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund

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Dr. Geoff Hill (Website) (Academic Profile)

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

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 explain why our current data on turkeys supports both sides of this ongoing debate and what is needed to determine whether habitat or predation is to blame. They also discover another interesting link between supplemental feeding and predation, and discuss four studies that would answer most of our questions related to the current decline in wild turkey populations.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

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Resources:

• Cano-Martínez et al. (2023). Bottom-up rather than top-down mechanisms determine mesocarnivore interactions in Norway. Authorea Preprints.

• Newsome et al. (2015). The ecological effects of providing resource subsidies to predators. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 24(1), 1-11.

• Rosatte et al. (2007). Raccoon density and movements after population reduction to control rabies. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(7), 2373-2378.

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

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 discuss why they and other biologists are more likely to endorse habitat management, versus predator control, to increase turkey populations. They also cover a study showing trapping can effectively reduce raccoon populations by up to 90% and discuss why that may or may not translate into more turkeys on the landscape.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!

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Resources:

• How effective is trapping to reduce raccoon abundance? (IG Post)

• What does wild turkey nesting cover look like? (Video)

• Chance et al. (2020). Vegetation characteristics influence fine-scale intensity of habitat use by wild turkey and white-tailed deer in a loblolly pine plantation. Basic and applied ecology, 43, 42-51.

• Cohen et al. (2022). Movement, spatial ecology, and habitat selection of translocated Gould's wild turkeys. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 46(2), e1270.

• Lazure, L., & Weladji, R. B. (2024). Methods to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts involving common mesopredators: a meta‐analysis. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 88(2), e22526.

• Nelson et al. (2023). Age‐based shifts in habitat selection of wild turkey broods. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 87(8), e22494

• Rosatte et al. (2001). Emergency response to raccoon rabies introduction into Ontario. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 37(2), 265-279.

• Rosatte et al. (2007). Raccoon density and movements after population reduction to control rabies. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(7), 2373-2378.

• Palmer, William E., et al. "Effect of field borders and nest‐predator reduction on abundance of northern bobwhites." Wildlife Society Bulletin 33.4 (2005): 1398-1405.

• Rader et al. (2011). Simulating northern bobwhite population responses to nest predation, nesting habitat, and weather in South Texas. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 75(1), 61-70.

• Turner et al. (2024). Canopy reduction and fire seasonality effects on deer and turkey habitat in upland hardwoods. Forest Ecology and Management, 553, 121657.

• Wightman et al. (2023). Landscape characteristics and predation risk influence spatial variation in auditory courtship of an upland game bird. Landscape Ecology, 38(5), 1221-1236.

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

Mark Hatfield, National Director of Science and Planning for NWTF, joins Marcus and Will to discuss how their organization has helped wild turkeys through research involvement, areas of focus throughout the decades, and ongoing programs and events. 

Resources:

• Habitat for the Hatch

• Women in the Outdoors

• Wheelin’ Sportsman

• JAKES Program

• Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

• Cocktails and Conversation (FB Live)

• 2024 NWTF Convention

• www.nwtf.org

Mark Hatfield

X @TheBeardedBio IG @thebeardedbio

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!

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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

Jason Lupardus, Director of Business Operations and Partnerships for Turkeys for Tomorrow, joins Marcus and Will to reveal TFT’s vision, solution, and strategies for addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the wild turkey. Learn how you can get involved with Turkeys for Tomorrow's citizen-science land management today.

TFT: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!

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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 calls Will from the road to reflect upon and breakdown their recent site visit to a landowner managing for deer and turkey, the primary factors weighed when juggling multiple objectives, and when to use which strategies.

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!

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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 wrap up our first year of production by reflecting upon the most memorable moments from recording, favorite segments from the season, unexpected feedback from listeners, and our plans for the show moving forward.

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Resources:

• I lease land…what about me? | #12

• Has turkey habitat changed? | #21

• Brooding and nesting cover (Part 1/2) | #29

• Brooding and nesting cover (Part 2/2) | #30

• How to science | #37

• What not to do | #39

• Legends of turkey research | #50

• NE Update: Year 1 results | #56

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 

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

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

Will and Marcus comb through the available literature to analyze the relationships between hardwood forests and wild turkeys. 

Resources:

• Alexander et al. (2021). Mesophication of oak landscapes: Evidence, knowledge gaps, and future research. BioScience, 71(5), 531-542.

• Burk et al. (1990). Wild turkey use of streamside management zones in loblolly pine plantations. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium (Vol. 6, pp. 84-89).

• Byrne, M. E. (2013). Nesting ecology of wild turkeys in a bottomland hardwood forest. The American Midland Naturalist, 170(1), 95-110.

• Davis et al. (2018). Landscape-abundance relationships of male Eastern Wild Turkeys Meleagris gallopavo silvestris in Mississippi, USA. Acta ornithologica, 52(2), 127-139.

• Marable et al. (2023). Seasonal Resource Selection and Use of Hardwood Regeneration by Translocated Wild Turkeys in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Diversity, 15(9), 1007.

• McShea et al. (2007). Forestry matters: decline of oaks will impact wildlife in hardwood forests. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(5), 1717-1728.

• Nelson et al. (2022). Fine‐scale resource selection and behavioral tradeoffs of eastern wild turkey broods. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 86(5), e22222.

• Nelson et al. (2023). Age‐based shifts in habitat selection of wild turkey broods. The Journal of Wildlife Management, e22494.

• Norman & Steffen (2003). Effects of recruitment, oak mast, and fall-season format on wild turkey harvest rates in Virginia. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 553-559.

• Norman et al. (2022). Hunting and environmental influences on survival of male wild turkeys in Virginia and West Virginia. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 46(2), e1284.

• Schemnitz, S. D. (1956). Wild turkey food habits in Florida. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 20(2), 132-137.

• Thogmartin, W. E. (2001). Home-range size and habitat selection of female wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Arkansas. The American Midland Naturalist, 145(2), 247-260.

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 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