Wild Turkey Research as Important as Ever

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation is gearing up for the 12th National Wild Turkey Symposium next week in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Co-hosted by the NWTF and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the Symposium will assemble expert ecology researchers, academia, state and federal agencies, wildlife professionals and all-around wild turkey enthusiasts, all in the name of wild turkey conservation.

Areas of emphasis during the Symposium will include wild turkey habitat selection and movements, harvest dynamics, disease ecology, nesting ecology, population dynamics and human dimensions of turkey hunting.

“The National Wild Turkey Symposia have been essential in the wild turkey restoration story,” said Mark Hatfield, NWTF director of conservation services. “Just as it was when those first researchers assembled decades ago, sharing ideas and novel research is just as important today as we address population declines and many other questions surrounding wild turkey ecology.”

Since 1959, the National Wild Turkey Symposia have provided a platform for managers, researchers and academia to present current research updates on wild turkey ecology. 

Wild turkey research has been a foundational element in the NWTF’s conservation delivery since the organization’s beginning. Research continues to be a driving force in addressing new questions raised by ecologists. 

The NWTF recently welcomed research proposals through its Wild Turkey Research Request for Proposals that investigate the dynamics and drivers of the “post-restoration era” and address one or more of the following research priorities: disease, habitat, hunter influence/relationship, population estimates and survival.

The NWTF will soon be allocating funds to those projects, which were scored and ranked by NWTF staff and the NWTF Technical Committee on the applicability of the projects, scientific rigor, partner engagement and secured matching funds. 

In addition to the NWTF, Mossy Oak is a Premier Level sponsor of the 12th Symposium. Mossy Oak has heightened its investment in wild turkey research by pledging $375,000 to the NWTF over five years to support crucial wild turkey research projects throughout the country.

For 12th Symposium live coverage and daily recaps, stay tuned to NWTF’s digital channels.

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.3 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit a historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights. Today, the NWTF is focused on the future of hunting and conservation through its Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative. Since 2012, this 10-year initiative has already eclipsed goals of conserving or enhancing more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruiting or retaining more than 1.5 million hunters and opening access to more than 500,000 acres for hunting and other recreation opportunities. This critical work will continue to impact wildlife habitat and our great outdoors in the final year of the initiative.