Page 31 - Mar/Apr 2022 Outdoor Okahoma Magazine

In June 2021, Suttles and
Smith presented manage-
ment data, survey results WILDLIfEDEPArtmEnt.COm
and regulation change pro-
posals to the Oklahoma
Wildlife Conser vation
Commission, which ulti-
mately approved the new
regulations in a 5-2 vote.
Suttles said he takes
pride in the fact that
Commissioners challenged
the biologists on behalf of
Oklahoma’s hunters, and
that biologists were able
to respond with solid data
to support the proposals.
He believes the new regu- New turkey hunting regulations this spring require the use of shotguns only and allow the harvest of
one bearded turkey only.
lations not only benefit the
resource but also are simpler for hunters to understand. • Determine seasonal movement and habitat selec-
He also said the later season opener for most of the state is tion of wild turkey.
much better biologically for turkeys to increase in number.
However, Smith cautioned that nobody should expect • Determine survival of wild turkeys for breeding
the new hunting rules to have a major effect right away. and nonbreeding hens based on VHF data, and leg
He said any benefits will likely take several years to show bands will be used to estimate harvest rates for
up in the data. male turkeys.
What’s Going On? • Determine how fragmentation and landscape fea-
As 2019’s downward trend in bird numbers continued, tures influence gene flow and genetic diversity
the plight of the wild turkey in Oklahoma quickly became among turkey populations.
a priority for the Wildlife Department. It was time to study • Determine if any populations are isolated or have
what was causing the decline. “This was a high priority for low genetic diversity.
the Wildlife Division” in regards to research, Smith said.
Research Supervisor Kurt Kuklinski said the Department • Determine patterns of hybridization and introgres-
is emphasizing how important it is to learn about the wild sion between genetic stocks founded by the Rio
turkey’s status by embarking on a five-year research proj- Grande and Eastern wild turkey subspecies.
ect. “Just the fact that we’re willing to put almost $2 million
on the line for a five-year project, that shows at the admin- • Provide best management practices for wild turkey
istrative level that this was important.” management and incorporate research findings into
The ambitious research project, which kicked off Jan. public outreach and extension programs.
1, 2022, in the Southeast Region, is being conducted with
teams from Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M Researchers said they expect the project to define
University-Kingsville, funded by the Wildlife Department areas of the state where conservation and management
and the federal Wildlife Restoration Program. It is a three- of wild turkeys should be priorities. Data will shed light
pronged approach looking at wild turkey life cycles in the on turkey nesting success, poult survival, habitat needs,
Southeast Region and Southwest Region, and a study of and predation threats.
wild turkey genetics statewide. Suttles said relatively little research exists on turkeys
Stated research objectives are to: in Oklahoma, and he’s especially anticipating what the
project will reveal about poult behavior and survivabili-
• Evaluate nesting ecology of wild turkey, including ty. Smith said he’s hopeful the project can shed light on
nest initiation rates, clutch size, nest success, nest how various weather affects turkey populations.
site characteristics, and habitat selection of nesting In the end, this major research project will help pro-
wild turkey at two sites in southeastern and south- vide a better understanding into the cause of the cur-
western Oklahoma. rent wild turkey population decline, and will add to
the collective science and best management practices
• Evaluate brood ecology of wild turkey by monitor- for wild turkey management in Oklahoma and across
ing poult survival and habitat selection for wild tur- the nation.
key broods.

MARCH/APRIL 2022 29

2/16/2022 2:38:52 PM
OutdoorOK-2022-March-April.indd 29
OutdoorOK-2022-March-April.indd 29 2/16/2022 2:38:52 PM