Data on Mississippi’s wild turkey reproduction has been trending down since the 2003 data report. Reported as the average poults per total hens ratio, the data has been collected by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks since 1994.
The data reflects a drop in the number of poults hatched each year after 2002.
The average poults per total hens peaked at 2.7 in 2001. In 2002 the number was 2.6. Then, beginning in 2003, the ratio dipped to 1.5 poults — bottoming out in 2009 at 1.1.
The trend in 2010 and 2011 was 1.8 and 1.5 respectively, still far below the years of 1994-2002.
So what does this mean for turkey hunting in the future?
“Wild turkeys are a species with relatively short life spans, moderate nest successes and young with low odds of survival,” said Adam Butler, the Wild Turkey Program biologist for the MDWFP. “As a result, their populations tend to fluctuate annually due to the success or failure of the previous summer’s hatch.”
Each year a brood survey is conducted, compiling information submitted by hundreds of cooperative outdoors people around the state who add up every turkey observation in June, July and August. This data allow wildlife officials to evaluate wild turkey reproductive output.
A lot of factors contribute to the fluctuations in wild turkey populations. It also varies from one section of the state to others.
The main limiting factors for expanding the wild turkey numbers includes such things as loss of quality habitats; the impact of weather trends (i.e., either too wet or too dry); and predation from coyotes and other varmints that contribute to nest destruction, turkey/poult killings and consumption.
Other factors include hunting season schedules, and issues related to supplemental feeding for deer.
Be the first to comment