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Groundbreaking Wild Turkey Research Project Set to Begin in Maryland, January 2023

This winter, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is kicking off the first comprehensive study of wild turkeys ever conducted in the state. The 3-year research project aims to answer many questions about factors potentially impacting turkey populations. “Wild turkeys are an important game bird in Maryland,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said. “The results of this study will help inform management decisions and ensure turkey populations remain healthy going into the future.” Beginning in January 2023, wild turkeys will be captured and outfitted with leg-bands and/or GPS radio-transmitters. DNR staff will monitor the birds throughout the year and collect data on survival, reproduction, movements, and habitat use. The effects of weather, habitat, predators, disease, and hunter harvest will all be investigated by the research team. The department is asking for the public’s assistance by reporting via online form any turkey flocks they see during the winter. Although turkey populations have increased in Maryland in the past 50 years due to an intensive restoration program to reintroduce the birds to their historic range, surveys suggest that their numbers have declined from their peak in some areas. The annual DNR Summer Wild Turkey Observation Survey has documented a general decline in wild turkey reproduction the past […]

The post Groundbreaking Wild Turkey Research Project Set to Begin in Maryland, January 2023 appeared first on Southern Maryland News Net.

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