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...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: George A. Wright, Larry D. Vangilder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2000-01-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2000.tb00269.x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850156759452221440
author George A. Wright
Larry D. Vangilder
author_facet George A. Wright
Larry D. Vangilder
author_sort George A. Wright
collection DOAJ
description 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.
format Article
id doaj-art-91a1ee22658045f29474565efd7e72ae
institution OA Journals
issn 2328-5540
language English
publishDate 2000-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Wildlife Society Bulletin
spelling doaj-art-91a1ee22658045f29474565efd7e72ae2025-08-20T02:24:25ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402000-01-012000S118719410.1002/j.2328-5540.2000.tb00269.xSURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKYGeorge A. Wright0Larry D. Vangilder1Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources149 Needmore RoadPrincetonKY42445USAMissouri Department of ConservationConservation Research Center1110 South College AvenueColumbiaMO65201USAAbstract: 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.https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2000.tb00269.xeastern wild turkeymalesurvivalspring turkey seasonharvesthunting
spellingShingle George A. Wright
Larry D. Vangilder
SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
Wildlife Society Bulletin
eastern wild turkey
male
survival
spring turkey season
harvest
hunting
title SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
title_full SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
title_fullStr SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
title_full_unstemmed SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
title_short SURVIVAL OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY MALES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY
title_sort survival of eastern wild turkey males in western kentucky
topic eastern wild turkey
male
survival
spring turkey season
harvest
hunting
url https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2000.tb00269.x
work_keys_str_mv AT georgeawright survivalofeasternwildturkeymalesinwesternkentucky
AT larrydvangilder survivalofeasternwildturkeymalesinwesternkentucky