SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
Abstract: From 1995 to 1999, we monitored 366 radiomarked male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in western Kentucky to obtain estimates of survival, cause‐specific mortality, and harvest rates. Average annual survival rates differed between juvenile and adult males and averaged 0.55 and...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2000-01-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2000.tb00269.x |
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| Summary: | Abstract: From 1995 to 1999, we monitored 366 radiomarked male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in western Kentucky to obtain estimates of survival, cause‐specific mortality, and harvest rates. Average annual survival rates differed between juvenile and adult males and averaged 0.55 and 0.26. This difference in annual survival rates was due to the difference in the magnitude of human‐caused mortality between juveniles and adults. Human‐caused mortality during the spring turkey season averaged 62% for adult males, but only 23% for juvenile males. Adult males were more vulnerable to human‐caused mortality than juvenile males. Annual natural mortality rates (with human‐caused mortality censored) were 0.20 and 0.25 for juvenile and adult males. Annual human‐caused mortality rates (with non‐human‐caused mortality censored) for juvenile and adult males were 0.30 and 0.65. Seasonal survival rates outside the spring turkey season (1 Dec–10 Apr and 10 May–30 Nov) were ≥0.80 and did not differ between age classes. Population modeling suggests that if the spring turkey season in western Kentucky is liberalized further (it is now 3 weeks of all‐day hunting), then the quality of spring turkey hunting will decline. |
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| ISSN: | 2328-5540 |