Londonderry News

Results are in from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s fourth annual wild turkey winter flock survey, in which the public participates by reporting their turkey flock sightings online. Wild turkey watchers submitted their observations from January 1 through March 31, 2012. During that time, people reported seeing 1,180 wild turkey flocks across the state, representing a total of 20,295 individual turkeys. This was down a bit from last year’s winter flock survey, in which observers recorded 1,497 flocks and 27,521 turkeys.

Fewer sightings does not mean we have fewer turkeys in the state, explains Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist Ted Walski. He estimates New Hampshire’s turkey population as holding steady at about 40,000 birds. The most likely reason for why fewer turkey flocks were reported was because the 2011-2012 winter was one of the mildest the state has seen in over 40 years. The lack of snow cover this winter allowed turkeys to move around more easily. In addition, an abundant fall mast crop of acorns, beechnuts, apples, white ash seeds and various other seeds and fruits, encouraged turkeys to stay in the woods and feed on natural foods rather than congregating at birdfeeders and farm sites. This also explains why large flocks of 100 or more were not as common this year. Most flocks observed were in the range of 20 to 30 turkeys.

Southeastern New Hampshire, particularly in Rockingham and Hillsborough counties, produced the most flock reports and the highest total turkey count. Observers in the region reported a total of 923 flocks and 15,611 turkeys. This part of the state included all 23 towns with the most flocks of turkeys reported per town, and the most total turkeys per town.

As expected, people in northern New Hampshire saw fewer turkeys. Observers reported a total of 23 flocks of turkeys from 13 towns in Coos County, for a total of 331 turkeys, and an average of 14.4 turkeys per flock. This was not surprising in an area with a small human population, as well as a low turkey population.

In their reports, observers recorded whether the turkeys were feeding, the type of food the birds were eating, and the type of habitat they were seen in. Of the total flocks observed, about a third (359 flocks) were using birdfeeders, and most of these flocks were in southeastern New Hampshire. Other types of food usage recorded included corn in ensilage or livestock manure, apples or crabapples, acorns or beechnuts, birdseed at birdfeeders, grasses/greens and dried berries. As for habitat, 72% (851 flocks) were spotted in rural areas, 26% in suburban settings, and 2% were seen in urban areas.

“Many thanks to all the people throughout the state who took time to contribute their wild turkey flock observations during the winter of 2012,” said Walski. “All these reports contribute greatly to a more comprehensive knowledge of the yearly status of behavior, habitat use, food usage, abundance and distribution of wild turkeys throughout various regions of the state.”

“The combined use of biological and human dimensions surveys will aid both turkey management and promote public participation in wildlife management overall,” said Allison Keating, a Fish and Game program planner and the UNH graduate student coordinating the research.

In addition to the winter flock survey, N.H. Fish and Game conducts a spring/summer turkey brood survey in which the public is invited to report sightings of New Hampshire flocks that include hens with young turkeys from May 15 to August 31 each year. If you see groups of turkeys with young, report your sightings to Fish and Game at its web-based turkey brood survey. This survey provides fish and game biologists with important information on turkey productivity, distribution, abundance, turkey brood survival and the timing of nesting and hatching.

“Last summer was the first year we held the online turkey brood survey and we were very pleased with the amount of public participation,” said Mark Ellingwood, the Wildlife Programs Administrator at N.H. Fish and Game. “We are excited to conduct the survey again this year and hope to increase the number of observations and number of towns where hen turkeys and poults are seen.”

In 2011, a total of 808 turkey broods were reported from all parts of the state between May and August. Over half of the brood sightings came from the southern part of the state, where populations are highest for both turkeys and people. This year, biologists are hoping to see an increase the number of reports of turkey broods in other areas, particularly in northern New Hampshire and along the western side of the state in Sullivan and Grafton counties.

The term “brood” refers to a family group of young turkeys accompanied by a hen. New Hampshire hens generally initiate egg-laying from mid-April to early May and complete their clutch of about 12 eggs in early to mid-May. Incubation lasts for 28 days, and most nests hatch from late May to mid-June. If incubating turkey eggs are destroyed or consumed by predators, hens often lay a replacement clutch of eggs that hatch late June through late July. Early spring weather is expected to result in an early hatch this year, as evidenced by several early May brood sightings. Reports of adult male turkeys are not being requested at this time.

Many factors can affect turkey productivity in any given year. Young turkeys are extremely sensitive to cool temperatures and rain, both because it can impact their health, and because these conditions adversely impact insect populations that are a critical source of nutrition for young turkeys. Since spring weather is highly variable, survival of the annual hatch of wild turkeys is also highly variable.

Turkey populations depend on a large annual influx of young turkeys to sustain themselves over time, so the number of young turkeys that survive to be “recruited” into the fall population is of great interest to turkey managers. A large sample of turkey brood observations collected throughout the summer can provide turkey managers with insight into the size of the “graduating class” of turkeys that will become adults. This explains why turkey managers throughout the country incorporate information from brood surveys into their management programs.

New this summer is a section of the survey intended to help assess public attitudes about wild turkeys in the state. Conducted in cooperation with the University of New Hampshire, data from the Summer Turkey Brood Survey and the recently completed 2012 Winter Turkey Flock Survey relating to public attitudes will be compiled and analyzed as part of a Master’s of Science project to assess public attitudes and interest in monitoring wild turkeys. It will also provide Fish and Game biologists with information that will enhance their ability to recruit and retain “citizen scientists.” The combined use of biological and human dimensions surveys will aid both turkey management and promote public participation in wildlife management overall.

The public attitudes survey is an addendum to the 2012 Summer Turkey Brood survey and is optional. Participants who fill out the public attitudes survey can enter a drawing to win 1 of 2 prints titled “Mother’s Work Is Never Done,” which features a turkey hen and her chicks. The numbered and signed prints were graciously donated by New Hampshire wildlife artist Jim Collins, designer of the New Hampshire Conservation License Plate (moose plate) and several migratory waterfowl stamps.

Fish and Game relies on citizen participation to get as much turkey brood data as possible through this important survey.  The survey will close on August 31, 2012, and results will be posted on the Department’s website this fall. To report your turkey brood observations, click here.

Data from the winter and summer human dimensions surveys will be compiled and analyzed as part of a Masters of Science project to assess public attitudes and interest in monitoring wild turkeys and to provide Fish and Game biologists with information that will enhance their ability to recruit and retain “citizen scientists.”

Turkey management in New Hampshire is supported by license fees and federal funds from the Wildlife Restoration Program.

Wildlife research and management in New Hampshire is funded in part by Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration, a user-pay, user-benefit program supported by your purchase of fishing tackle, firearms, ammunition, archery equipment and motorboat fuels.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats.

To read the full report on the 2012 winter flock survey, click here.