Wild turkey (Meleagris gallapavo) populations in eastern North America have been declining over the past 15 years or so, possibly because of a variety of environmental factors. However, fall hunting when both males and females may be harvested could also be a reason. Recent harvest data from New York have indicated that the percent of the total hen (female) population that is harvested in the fall likely has increased in recent years, but harvest rates of hens are unknown. More importantly, the effect of changing season length ? the best tool to manipulate fall harvests ? is poorly understood. Based on the need for the integration of population objectives with hunter satisfaction, the New York and Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units and wildlife biologists from New York and Pennsylvania have been working together in a joint structured decision-making effort for setting fall turkey harvest regulations.

Dr. Angela Fuller, Acting Leader for the U.S. Geological Survey's New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Dr. Kelly Robinson, Postdoctoral Research Associate with the New York Unit at Cornell University, and Dr. Duane Diefenbach of the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit have been leading the research efforts. According to Dr. Fuller, "Setting fall turkey harvest regulations entails taking into account both biological and social concerns, including turkey population dynamics and the satisfaction of stakeholders."

Structured decision-making is an explicit and objective way to make complex decisions by breaking decisions into component parts. The research team is developing a decision framework that evaluates management strategies for providing a sustainable wild turkey population in each state that can provide optimal opportunities for hunters and other stakeholders to enjoy this resource now and in the future. As part of this work, a turkey population model that can simulate the effects of different fall harvest strategies on turkey population dynamics and future harvest potential is being created. This model integrates data for wild turkeys collected in New York and Pennsylvania, including data from current research on survival and harvest rates of hens.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Pennsylvania Game Commission recently initiated studies to determine seasonal survival and fall harvest rates of hens. These studies will provide a better understanding of the effects of changing season length on population dynamics. These studies have two phases: for the first two years, harvest and survival rates are being assessed under the current fall harvest season structure (i.e., season length and timing, bag limit) throughout each state. After the initial phase, the fall harvest season structure will be changed and harvest and survival rates of hens will be reassessed for two years. Dr. Diefenbach states that "these studies will provide much needed information regarding survival and fall harvest rates, and how changes in fall turkey harvest regulations might affect hen survival and overall turkey population dynamics."

Wild turkeys are a popular game bird species in the Northeastern United States. "During the 1990s, annual turkey harvests in the region increased steadily, reflecting not only expansion of the turkey population, but also expanded hunting participation and turkey hunting regulations," said Mary Jo Casalena, wild turkey biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

According to Mike Schiavone, biologist for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the number of hens that are available for reproduction in the spring can greatly influence overall turkey population dynamics. Current understanding of turkey populations is that the number of breeding hens available the following spring is a key driver of population dynamics, and harvest rates of 10 percent or more in the fall will likely lead to population decline.

To integrate the social component of harvest regulation decisions, New York recently conducted a statewide survey of fall turkey hunters, in collaboration with the Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell University, to provide information regarding what turkey hunters value most in their hunting experiences. The survey data will be directly integrated into the decision framework to determine the management strategy that strikes the optimal balance between turkey abundance and hunter satisfaction. The results of this project will provide both state agencies with an optimal harvest recommendation and a framework for evaluation of harvest alternatives in the future.

Each month, the ONB features articles from Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units across the country. Working with key cooperators, including WMI, Units are leading exciting, new fish and wildlife research projects that we believe our readers will appreciate reading about.