1st Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium - 1959
Missouri Wild Turkey Population was 5,000 in 1959.
Information from the 1st National Wild Turkey Symposium in 1959 from these states New Mexico, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin, Texas, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama, Virginia, and Arizona.
Here some history from Proceedings from The 1st Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium - February 12 thru 13, 1959 - 206 Pages
This was the first National Wild Turkey Symposium which was held in Memphis, Tennessee in 1959
Since then, Symposia have been held at 5-year intervals. Proceedings have been published for all of the Symposia, and except for the second, they are cited as a series. The second Symposium was published by the University of Missouri Press in 1973 and titled "Wild Turkey Management, Current Problems and Programs." Copies of all National Wild Turkey Symposia, including the second, can be obtained from the National Wild Turkey
Federation, Edgefield, South Carolina
I recommend everyone start requesting copies
Some information about Wild Turkey you only told parts about - You will really enjoy!!!!!!
Status Map of the Wild Turkey in the United States from 1959
Page 10 – Population Estimates for each state Missouri was 4,000 Wild Turkeys in 1958
Page 12 – Population Change for each state in time periods of the Wild Turkeys
Missouri - 1947 – 3,289 Wild Turkeys
Missouri – 1956 - Wild Turkeys Decline to 3,100
MISSOURI
Missouri – Page 70 thru 74
1952 the lowest population of 2,400 Wild Turkeys
1959 the population had grown to 5,000 Wild Turkeys
Wild Turkey restoration started in the Southern Ozarks – 23,000 acres.
During a statewide turkey census in the winter of 1952, the population for this particular area was 9 birds. Two years later, in January of 1954 when the first permanent employee was working on the area, the population had increased to 32.
This particular area, known as the Peck Ranch Wildlife Area, may not be unique from a turkey management standpoint as far as other states are concerned, but in Missouri it is the first attempt to manage exclusively for wild turkeys on a large area.
The turkey population continued to build up on the area and during the winter of 1957-58 the first trapping efforts were started -- net results: 14 turkeys. To date this winter's trapping has yielded 15 birds.
A conservative estimate of the present population inside the 11,000 acre management area is 1 bird per 100 acres or approximately 100 birds. The population adjacent to the refuge and for some miles beyond has also increased during the past 4 years.
Since the recent restoration program was initiated in 1954, 6 areas have received turkeys. Two of these can be classed as successful and one is doubtful.
It is still too early to definitely appraise the 3 releases made last winter. Different numbers of birds have been used in an attempt to determine a satisfactory stocking combination. The normal stocking rate has been twelve birds (4 toms and 8 hens), but this hasn't been strictly adhered to.
One area stocked in the winter of 1955-56 received 24 birds. The present population in this area has been reported as up to 300 birds. This figure may be high, but reports of 20 to 30 birds being seen in several separate flocks aren't too uncommon and one farmer reported seeing over 40 birds in one field.
Alabama – Page 138 thru 145 – Nest Predators
A PRELIMINARY PROGRESS REPORT NEST PREDATION AS A LIMITING FACTOR IN WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS
James R. Davis
Alabama Department of Conservation
Studies conducted by Wheeler (1948) revealed that only 50 per cent of hens attempt to nest and approximately 50 per cent of these are successful. Therefore, the number of successful nests is one of the major limiting factors influencing wild turkey populations. If the number of successful nests could be increased, a definite management obstacle would be overcome.
RESULTS OF 107 "DUMMY" WILD TURKEY NESTS – 16 Nest Successful
Raccoon – 31 Nest Destroyed.
Skunks – 23 Nest Destroyed.
Opossum – 15 Nest Destroyed.
Snakes – 9 Nest Destroyed.
Crows – 6 Nest Destroyed.
Foxes – 2 Nest Destroyed.
Unknown – 2 Nest Destroyed.
Cattle – 1 Nest Destroyed.
Wild Hogs – 1 Nest Destroyed.
Dogs – 1 Nest Destroyed.
During discussion - I found a nest last year that apparently was destroyed by a bobcat, but it was the hen that the bobcat jumped on, and the eggs were eaten by crows. I think you can pretty well see that the cats aren't egg eaters.
The 1st Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium - February 12 thru 13, 1959 - 206 Pages
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