Bad from TFT about Iowa DNR study results

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The Iowa DNR have been implementing practices and conducting research for the past two years that is providing vital information to their biologists and enabling them to make sound decisions related to the wild turkey. This research can be utilized throughout the country.

Dan Kaminski, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR, has been marking hens and poults with GPS or VHF/radio transmitters since 2021. This has enabled Dan to evaluate population demographic parameters related to hen and poult survival, cause-specific mortality, and nesting rates. Some of Dan’s findings have been in line with the trends that TFT has seen in other states as well as in research that they have funded. A portion of Dan’s research is listed below and gives a glimpse into the challenges the wild turkey is facing in Iowa. These results are only for one year and so additional years of data are needed to understand how these numbers fit into the greater picture of turkey reproduction in Iowa.

OVERALL, FOR 2022:​

● A total of 73 hens were marked last winter.

● As of early August, 27 hens have died for a mortality rate of 38%.

● Of 63 hens available to nest starting on May 1, only 7 nests hatched successfully (i.e., hatched at least one egg; 11% hen success rate).

● Of 33 hens marked with GPS transmitters, 7 hens did not incubate a nest, 17 incubated 1 nest, 8 incubated 2 nests, and 1 incubated 3 nests.

● Most of the nest failure was due to predation, however, one nest failed due to hay mowing and one failed due to abandonment by the hen

● The median day of nest failure was 8 days, and a preliminary nest survival model indicates 50% of nests failed by day 10 of incubation.

● Of the 7 nests that successfully hatched, the average clutch size was 9.9 eggs per nest and the average number of eggs hatched was 7.7 eggs per nest.

● Of the 54 eggs that hatched, 18 poults were observed during poult captures conducted within 1-3 days post-hatch and a total of 12 poults were marked with VHF/radio transmitters. During 4-week flush counts for 6 of the 7 hens that hatched a nest, a total of 4 poults remained alive. One hen was not flushed because her transmitter failed prior to the 4-week flush count.
 
The big variable here is they only tagged the birds that they could catch. I would be interested in seeing what factors played a role in their morbidity rate.

Our turkeys here in CT are so prolific, but our pheasant population is non existent. Should we set up a friendly exchange program? Lol
 
Your report is the first I've heard in the last year where turkeys haven't seen a decline.
Here in TN 4 years ago seeing 50 birds on the farm was normal, now 3 birds is alot. I hunted Nebraska last spring and saw 5 turkey in 4 days (back in 2010 I seen flocks with 60+ was normal in the same county). The places I hunt in Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma all told me it wasn't worth the time last year.
I would be curious as if your area is public or private, urban or rural ? What kinda predator population have you noticed.
Sounds like your area is doing something right that the rest of us could learn from.
 
used to see 30-75(sometimes more) turkeys out in fields here now are lucky on a good day to see 6-7.. deer population is the same way used to see 150-160 deer in a 2-3 mile square when counting deer in winter now be lucky to seen 10-15.
 
I think the biggest problem is predators have figured out to hang around feeders. Couple of farms next to me lease to Deer hunters and they run feeders pretty much around the year. I hear a lot more coyote and have more coons on property then in previous years.
I too have noticed less deer this year.CWD is still 250 miles west of us. But something has decreased the population this year.
 
Nobody hunts them around here anymore and they don't have much as as far as predators too take care of them. Always believed in far chase when it comes to killing a critter, but have been investigating traps recently.
 
Massachusetts banned coyote hunting competitions a few years back, along with a ban on wanton waste. A five month season still exists for coyote hunting, but you have to report your harvest and use it for something. When MA Wildlife imposed the ban, they stayed that they didn't believe it would negatively effect other wildlife, and there wouldn't be an increase in human/coyote interactions.

I don't think there's a week that goes by that there isn't a story about a coyote or group of coyotes found walking in neighborhoods or attacking family pets. There are videos of them actually going down a kids slide in someone's backyard.

As a hunter, I've always believed in using whatever I harvest. I've seen plenty of them while deer hunting and have thought that if I can get a shot on one with my bow, I'd at least try it to see what it tastes like. I know guys who say if they see one, they kill it and move on. I can't say I blame them.

To think they aren't contributing to a decline in deer or turkey, as MA Wildlife suggested, is absurd. While other wildlife numbers dwindle, the coyote numbers are always on the rise. Definitely a correlation.
 
Massachusetts banned coyote hunting competitions a few years back, along with a ban on wanton waste. A five month season still exists for coyote hunting, but you have to report your harvest and use it for something. When MA Wildlife imposed the ban, they stayed that they didn't believe it would negatively effect other wildlife, and there wouldn't be an increase in human/coyote interactions.

I don't think there's a week that goes by that there isn't a story about a coyote or group of coyotes found walking in neighborhoods or attacking family pets. There are videos of them actually going down a kids slide in someone's backyard.

As a hunter, I've always believed in using whatever I harvest. I've seen plenty of them while deer hunting and have thought that if I can get a shot on one with my bow, I'd at least try it to see what it tastes like. I know guys who say if they see one, they kill it and move on. I can't say I blame them.

To think they aren't contributing to a decline in deer or turkey, as MA Wildlife suggested, is absurd. While other wildlife numbers dwindle, the coyote numbers are always on the rise. Definitely a correlation.
I guess my first question to MA wildlife would be are coyotes indigenous to the state. If so I guess I'd investagte using their carcass as catfish bait.
 
I think the biggest problem is predators have figured out to hang around feeders. Couple of farms next to me lease to Deer hunters and they run feeders pretty much around the year. I hear a lot more coyote and have more coons on property then in previous years.
I too have noticed less deer this year.CWD is still 250 miles west of us. But something has decreased the population this year.
Per my meat processor, whose business this year has suffered a lot, we've lost a lot of deer in Iowa from that darned knat.
 

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