Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7722-1971

Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Department

Wildlife and Fisheries Resources

Committee Chair

Christopher Rota

Committee Member

Chadwick Lehman

Committee Member

John Edwards

Abstract

Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are an economically and culturally significantly game species throughout much of the United States. Within South Dakota, spring turkey hunting generates approximately $20 million in expenditures annually to local economies. Merriam’s wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo meriami) were reintroduced to the Missouri River Breaks of Gregory County, South Dakota, USA, between the 1950s and 1980s, and was one of the most successful reintroductions in the state. However, a recent decline in gobbler harvest suggests a potential decline in this population. To estimate survival and reproduction and evaluate nest site selection, we captured 121 wild turkey hens and fitted them with VHF transmitters during the winters of 2023 and 2024. We monitored wild turkey hens from January 2023-December 2024. We used Bayesian methods to model hen survival, nest survival, poult survival, clutch size, and nest site selection as a function of covariates. Annual survival probabilities were 0.28 for adults and 0.55 for yearlings during our study period. Adult hen survival was lower than previous studies in the Midwest and throughout much of the United States. We recorded 119 nesting attempts across 2023 and 2024, with 25 successful nests. The survival probability for nests incubated by adults was 0.22 and 0.18 for nests incubated by yearlings. The survival probability for poults reared by adults was 0.14 and 0.12 for poults reared by yearlings. The average clutch size for this study area was 9.87 eggs. We found that nest site selection for deciduous land cover decreased later in the nesting season. Managers may seek to improve hen and nest survival by carrying out activities that improve nesting habitat.

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