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Hunting News Latest Hunting News Study To Guide Future Management of Eastern Wild Turkey
Hunting News Latest Hunting News Study To Guide Future Management of Eastern Wild Turkey | Study To Guide Future Management of Eastern Wild Turkey |
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| Written by Texas Parks and Wildlife | |
| Wednesday, 25 April 2007 | |
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 Eastern Wild Turkey have been stocked in Texas for over ten years. The undertaking to return eastern wild turkeys to suitable habitat in Texas was made possible through a cooperative partnership between TPW, private landowners and the National Wild Turkey Federation. Systematically over a 10-year period beginning in the mid-80s, TPW released flocks of wild turkeys onto sites identified as having sufficient habitat qualities to support a turkey population. Using funds from hunting license and turkey stamp sales, TPW received wild-trapped eastern turkeys from other states having surplus birds and the NWTF helped coordinate the deals. More than 7,000 birds were stocked. "States had never paid for wild turkeys from another state," said Dr. James Earl Kennamer, the NWTF's senior vice president for conservation programs. "While it is illegal to sell wildlife, a plan was developed that allowed a state agency to donate wild turkeys to Texas, but be paid for their trapping costs or replacement value of the turkey. This approach paved the way to obtain the large numbers of birds necessary to restore turkeys in Texas." And, while turkeys continue to flourish in many areas of East Texas, there are places where the birds have not done as well as biologists had anticipated. “Some of our stockings in the past have been more successful than others, so the question we have is, ‘What is going on?’” turkey biologist T. Wayne Schwertner said. “We want the answer before we move forward with additional restoration efforts.”  Eastern Wild Turkey in Texas. “The research effort will try to identify the effects on these birds of various management practices, such as prescribed burning, grazing, brush control and other habitat enhancements,” Schwertner said. “We’re also trying to identify what makes good turkey habitat because there are some places we stocked in the past we thought looked good, but the turkeys didn’t, and other sites that we considered marginal habitat where they have done well. As we look at future restoration sites we’ll have a better handle on which areas to concentrate on and which areas not to bother with.” No turkey hunting will be allowed for several years on those properties. Private landowners volunteer their land and resources to assist in the effort. |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 26 April 2007 ) |
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