* There are usually 50/50 hen/jake poults in the hatch.
* Hens have a much higher rate of natural mortality, associated with nesting and brood-rearing. Gobblers, of course, have a higher rate of harvest (hens legal only in limited fall season) but normally have lower natural mortality.
* The estimated life of a hen/gobbler depends on the natural mortality rate and also on how high the harvest is in an area. A captive wild turkey can live 10 years or longer, but normally we see them live 2 to 3 years in the wild.
* Raccoons, skunks, and opossums are considered the primaryturkey nest predators. Research has shown that snakes and crows will also eat turkey eggs.
(Courtesy Dave Godwin, MDWFP)
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