Transcript Turkey’s

Turkeys in
Wisconsin
Description
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Wisconsin’s largest game bird
Ave. length Males are 48” & females 36”
Weight males 18-25 lbs.. Females 8-10lbs.
Body feathers are bronze, green, blue, red,
purple
• Body feathers are black tipped
• Wing and tail feathers are barred with dark
bands
MALE FEATURES
• Fleshy growth called
wattles
• Caruncles on the side
and back of neck
• Snood or dew bill is
fleshy growth across
bill
• Head is red, white or
blue
• When mating, wattle
turns bright red
• Mature males have a
beard
NESTING
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Leaf or grass litter.
Lightly spotted brown and black eggs.
She lays eggs for a period of 15-20 days.
Total of 10-15 eggs .
Hens stays on her nest for about 28days.
Hatching takes about 24-30 hours.
(Poults) remain in the nest 10-12 hours.
POULTS
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When hatched they can be 4-5 inches high.
They’re covered in down.
They can feed on insects.
Fly at seven days of age.
Hens stay with her young through winter.
They are sexually mature at one year of age.
FOOD MANAGEMENT
• Turkey s eat on whatever food is available.
• They feed on insects,berries, green leaves
and grass seed.
• Adult gobblers feed very little during
breeding season.
SENSES AND DEFENSES
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Run first and analyze later.
Incredible senses of sight and hearing.
Ability to spot even the slightest movement.
Sight to protect them from danger as well as
to locate hens.
• A turkey uses its ears to locating potential
mates by sound.
• Turkeys use their voices and their ears in
order to communicate and keep in touch
with the remainder of the flock.
• Turkeys with their long muscular legs are
well equipped and very capable runners.
• Like a rocket, they lift off in a short, yet
very powerful, burst of speed.
CURRENT STATUS IN
WISCONSIN
• Wisconsin wild turkeys population currently
numbers about 320,000
• The DNR hopes to further expand the
state’s wild turkey pop.
• In spring 1999 Wisconsin hunters received
a record of 111,792 permits and killed a
record of 33,168 birds.
• Spring of 1999 harvest ranked no.2 behind
only Missouri.
• Wisconsin turkey hunting also receives high
marks it produces some of the country’s
heaviest birds ..
• They also provide an uncrowded quality
hunting experience.
• It is not uncommon for WI gobblers to get
as big as 25 lbs.
NE and WC Wisconsin
• Northeastern
Wisconsin holds very
few turkeys.
• have a limited habitat
• West Central.
• Missouri Strain
turkeys were first
reintroduced in
Western Wisconsin
CENTRAL And SE
• Central
• Landowners provide
90% turkey hunting
land in the state
• High success rate
• Southeast
• Mild winter, plenty of
food has increased the
population.
WI FIELD REPORTS, SW
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Wisconsin can expect another excellent year
There was an increase in permits .
Some of the best turkey range in the state.
Landowners are willing to allow hunting.
Wisconsin hunters are finding success
during the afternoon.
NW WI
• Low population ,but is increasing each year
• TURKEYS have been planted.
THE BIG END
IF BEN FRANKLIN had his way the
turkey would have been our national
bird.
Today turkeys are an important
source of food.
The turkey is the main meal for
many family traditions
Turkey hunting keeps getting better