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Turkey Hatch Report
by: Steve McCadams
Wild turkey hunters and wild turkey watchers will be happy to know that
the summer brood survey of the big birds shows 2000 was a good
year for offspring, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
(TWRA).
Each spring and summer, the TWRA conducts counts of
adult and young wild turkeys to get an estimate reproductive success.
TWRA Turkey Biologist Jack Murrey said, " the preliminary
indications are that a lot of turkeys hatched and survived the summer
this year. The number of poults (young turkeys) surviving through the
summer was almost identical to 1999. The data collected up to the end of
July shows that the poult per hen ratio across Tennessee is 3.8. It
takes 2.7 poults per hen in August just to maintain a stable population.
Overall we had good poult production this year."
Early life is the most hazardous time for any wild animal. Many
young
turkeys die in the spring so the most important sign of whether or not
populations will increase, is indicated by the number which survive
through the end of summer. The statewide average poult per hen ratio of
3.8 should mean an increase for Tennessee's wild turkey populations.
The 2000 spring turkey harvest of 22,730 set a new record for
Tennessee. This passed the previous record of 16,593 set in 1999 and is
almost double of the number of birds taken four years ago in 1996 when
12,861 turkeys were harvested.
If the weather cooperates with turkey hunters in 2001, Tennesseans
should have a great turkey season.
The information above is
compiled by outdoor writer
Steve McCadams
Steve is a professional hunting and fishing guide
here in the Paris
Landing area and host of the The Outdoor Channel's television series
IN-PURSUIT.
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