Natural Resources University

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.

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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 ...

In this episode, we discuss the importance of turkey advocacy and conservation efforts within the hunting community. Join as we explore the various actions that you can take to support wild turkey populations, resources for hands-on training and workshops, and the importance of engaging with the next generation to ensure the future of the wild turkey.

Resources:

Ducks Unlimited

I lease land...what about me? | #12

National Deer Association

National Wild Turkey Federation

NWTF Gator Gobblers

Quail Forever

Turkeys for Tomorrow

Wild Turkey Cost Share Program

Wild Turkey Management Academy (March 8, 2025)

Upcoming Learn & Burns:

Alabama

Georgia

Mississippi

NC State Workshop Page

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 [email protected]!

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow

UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube

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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 [email protected]!

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. Kendall Calhoun of UCLA and UC Davis joins us to discuss the impact of megafires on wildlife communities. We delve into what defines a megafire, explore his research on wildlife and habitat responses to megafires, and discuss both the positive and negative effects of these events.

Resources:

• Calhoun, K. L., et al. (2024). Movement behavior in a dominant ungulate underlies successful adjustment to a rapidly changing landscape following megafire. Movement Ecology, 12(1), 53.
• Calhoun, K. L. et al. (2023). Mammalian resistance to megafire in western US woodland savannas. Ecosphere, 14(7), e4613.
• Calhoun, K. L. et al. (2022). Spatial overlap of wildfire and biodiversity in California highlights gap in non‐conifer fire research and management. Diversity and Distributions, 28(3), 529-541.
• Kreling, S. E. et al. (2021). Site fidelity and behavioral plasticity regulate an ungulate’s response to extreme disturbance. Ecology and Evolution, 11(22), 15683-15694.

Dr. Kendall Calhoun @kenleecalhoun, @kenleecalhoun, Academic Profile

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

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Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science!

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Hunting and fishing are enjoyable activities for many people. These activities require interactions with animals and the environment that come with moral and legal thresholds. On this episode, Joe and Drew explore the social side of wildlife management and discuss what Ethical Harvest means in their view. Discussions include the role of harvest for wildlife management, the importance of planning your harvest, and how ethical harvest extends beyond fish and wildlife.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State university. Find out more about the program at http://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html