Final Report for W-183-R-6: Wild Turkey Responses to Forest Management

To better understand the response of wild turkeys to forest management activities and black flies, the objectives of Segment 6 of the Wild Turkey Responses to Forest Management research project were to: 1) Continue radio-tracking Wild Turkey hens captured during the previous segment and capture and affix radios to an additional 40 hens to enhance sample sizes across study sites; 2) Use micro-GPS telemetry to examine the effects of forest management, habitat and landscape features, and black flies on Wild Turkey habitat use, survival and reproductive success, emphasizing central and western Illinois sites; 3) Use micro-GPS telemetry, accelerometer data, and insect surveys during the breeding season to document potential effects of black flies on hen turkey incubation behavior, hen and nest mortality, and possibly poult survival; 4) Provide one popular article about this project to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by the grant end date. This article will be approximately 500 words in length with at least 2 pictures provided.