Auburn University, Dr. Will Gulsby, and Graduate Student Reese Stogner are on the cusp of important wild turkey discoveries.
TFT is excited to announce ongoing wild turkey research efforts alongside Auburn University, Dr. Will Gulsby, and Graduate Student Reese Stogner. This study, which TFT and others (Alabama Wildlife Federation and National Wild Turkey Federation) are helping to fund, is focused on the relationships between predators, trapping, feeding of wildlife, and associated gobbling frequency within studied treatment areas.
This research involves tagging predators and analysis regarding the effects of predation on wild turkeys. This assessment of the impacts of wild turkey nest predator communities is essential and might aid in the understanding of important wild turkey population dynamics.
“The primary goal is to determine whether feeding inflates nest predator densities, increases predator use of areas likely to be used by hens for nesting, and if so, at what feeder density and duration that starts to occur,” Gulsby said.
Furthermore, the discoveries from this have the potential to influence wild turkey management on private lands throughout the Southeast.
Important research study details include:
- Wild turkey nest predator trapping and monitoring.
- Maintenance of bait sites and trail cameras for aflatoxin testing.
- Deployment of ARUs to monitor male wild turkey gobbling activity.
- And more.
As part of the study, the research will compare and contrast fed and unfed sites, impacts of feeder density, impacts of feeding duration (deer season only vs. deer season through turkey season), etc.
For this research effort, Gulsby needs landowners to volunteer access to their lands. Participating landowners/properties must meet certain criteria. Sites should be within one hour of Auburn. Lands must meet a 100-acre block minimum (on each participating property).
“If the property is large enough to space blocks greater than 0.75 miles apart, we can place multiple blocks per property,” Gulsby said.
“Other than a week or two here and there to survey game, the property should not have been fed or baited within the past few years,” Gulsby continued. “The same is true for predator removal. A light effort here and there is OK, but intensive predator control would affect the experiment.”
Of course, given the timeframe, understand this research effort does include feeding wildlife. Therefore, it will impact where individuals can hunt during the spring turkey season.
“Landowners should be aware that, if their site is selected for feeding during turkey season, it will affect the areas of the property they can legally hunt during spring,” Gulsby said.
Gulsby hopes to start trapping predators as soon as possible. Soon after, data should begin rolling in. In time, important answers to big questions will, too.
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Me and my brothers have two properties in Choctaw county one over 500 other over 300 and several other small leases ranging from 40-100. We already trap coyotes, bobcats, possum and coons. We would love to help yall. We would love to help TFT find answers to the turkey decline.
Thank YOU! It will take people like yourself working with us to make a difference.