Turkeys in the Midwest | Wild Turkey Science #355

You asked and we listened. In this episode, we are joined by Luke Garver, Wild Turkey Project Manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to discuss the current state of the wild turkey in Illinois. We dive into long-term population trends, environmental factors impacting reproduction, predator-prey dynamics, habitat challenges posed by invasive species, on-going research initiatives, and more.    Resources: IL DNR Wild Turkey Survey IDNR Turkey Survey App huntillinois.org/turkey Parker, C., et al. (2021). Pyrodiversity matters: wild turkey habitat selection in a fire managed landscape. Forest Ecology and Management, 493, 119227.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund  Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at [email protected]!   Luke Garver Illinois.gov/wildlifestaff Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube   Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!  Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Watch these podcasts on YouTube Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! Get a 10% discount  at Grounded Brand by using the code 'TurkeyScience' at checkout! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak