Residents of New Hampshire are being asked to help track wild turkey broods this spring and summer by reporting their sightings on the Fish and Game turkey brood survey site at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2016_Brood_Survey. The survey ends August 31.
“People enjoy participating, and by doing so, they are helping us monitor the turkey population," said Kent A. Gustafson, Fish and Game Wildlife Programs supervisor. “We get reports from all over the state through this survey, adding to the important information biologists gather on turkey productivity, distribution, abundance, turkey brood survival and the timing of nesting and hatching."
In 2015, summer brood survey participants reported seeing a record number of 2,202 broods. The average hatch date statewide in 2015 was June 19.
Biologists are especially interested in getting more reports of turkey broods in the three northernmost New Hampshire counties of Coos, Carroll and Grafton.
“Brood” refers to a family group of young turkeys accompanied by a hen. In New Hampshire hens generally begin laying eggs sometime 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 eggs 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. 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 also 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.
To learn more about the survey, visit www.wildnh.com/surveys/turkeybrood.html.