Captures, Translocation, Bulletins, Articles
"oh my!"
We are proud to call the Gould's Turkey our own here in Southeastern Arizona
Arizona Wildlife Views;
January-February 2018; By Alex Smallwood
The first time I ever laid eyes on a Gould’s Turkey was when I was 11 years old. It was a memory I will never forget. A casual squirrel hunting expedition turned in to a first-time encounter. The leaves had just begun to change color and the cool air on Mount Graham was a great escape from the everlasting heat of Safford, AZ. A quick drive up the mountain lead to my favorite hunting spot: Turkey Flat. Being 11 years old, I had yet to make connection between the name of turkey Flat and how it got its name.
We had just arrived and with the excitement rushing through my veins, I jumped out of the truck and slammed the door behind me. The door echoed off the canyon walls for what seemed like many minutes. At the end of that echo, I heard a new sound that was unique and unfamiliar to me. The only words to describe the sound would be a sheer gobble. I immediately turned and looked back at my father with a shock in my eyes and my jaw hanging at my feet. “is that a turkey,” I asked once I was finally able to gather my words. The minute my father said yes, I knew that this squirrel hunt was over and all I wanted to do was find the turkey. So off we set in the direction if the gobble on our new adventure. After what my dad would call miles and I would call seconds, I knew we were close. Turkey signs were prevalent throughout the area: feathers on the ground, tracks and droppings. But one thing was missing: a turkey! I wasn’t ready to give up. I let out the best turkey impression I could. My call was answered immediately from behind. I slowly turned my head to look over my shoulder. My eyes landed on the most magnificent bird I had ever seen. For the first time in my life, I saw a Gould’s turkey.
During my first encounter, I was fortunate enough to see an adult male Gould’s turkey during the mating season. In the breeding season, males can be found fanning their tail feathers and puffing out in hopes of attracting a mate. Males can be up to 49 inches tall and weigh close to 20 pounds. With numbers like those, their sheer size is breathtaking. The Gould’s iridescent feathers and red and blue coloration on their heads is unique, not something you would see in other species of turkeys. In fact, Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be a better choice for the national bird than the bald eagle. But despite this, little research had been conducted on the Gould’s turkey even to this day. Arizona Game and Fish, Louisiana State University and the National Wild Turkey Federation are determined to change this. During 2017, all three departments gathered together in support of collecting vital data surrounding Gould’s turkey.
Arizona has three subspecies of turkeys, Merriam’s, Rio Grande’s and Gould’s. While Merriam’s turkeys have been studies extensively in North America, there has been little research conducted on the Gould’s turkey. This is partially due to Gould’s only being found in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
Information such as what types of habitat Gould’s use for roosting, nesting and traveling as well as nesting behavior was previously a mystery. To answer these questions, LSU, NWTF and Game and Fish teamed together to gather substantial data on these turkeys. In 2017, LSU donated $ 80,000 to cover equipment, a summer technician position and data analysis. NWTF funded my intern position and telemetry flights. The department provided vehicles, equipment and additional staff time to complete the research.
Gould’s turkey occupy a unique ecological niche in the environment since they are both a predator and prey source for other species. Gould’s diet consists of insects, lizards, snakes, fruit, seeds, grass and forbs. Both adults and juveniles turkey (poults) are preyed upon by owls, hawks, falcons, eagles s well as carnivores such as foxes, mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes. Snakes, skunks and racoon also will steal eggs from the nest of turkeys. Having these resources available to predators provides much -needed of nutritional value.
During the early 20th century, populations of wildlife suffered great peril. Anthropogenic efforts put a heavy toll on wildlife resulting in the extinction of species such as the passenger pigeon and California Grizzly bear. Gould’s turkeys were no exception to this risk. In Arizona, Gould’s turkey was extirpated in the 1920s due to the overhunting. However, population of the Gould’s turkey still exist in Mexico. Because little research was conducted before Gould’s turkey were extirpated, there were many questions left unanswered. Questions such as: what habitat dynamics do Gould’s prefer, which mountain ranges are they native to in Arizona, how much cover do they need to avoid predation, how long is the incubation period and what are the dietary requirements. Without the answers to these questions, biologist had a long journey ahead before stable populations of Gould’s turkey could be found again in Arizona.
To counter the lose of Gould’s turkey, Game and Fish introduced 46 Merriam’s turkey from norther Arizona into the Huachuca Mountains in southern Arizona in 1950. Because of the differences in habitat and environmental conditions, the translocations were unsuccessful. In 1983, nine Gould’s turkey hens were reintroduced from Mexico to the Huachuca Mountains. Further monitoring revealed that the translocations were successful. Following the success of these translocation, 12 additional Gould’s (7 adult females, 5 adult males) were brought from Mexico to the Huachuca Mountains in 1987. To date, 876 Gould’s turkeys have been captured ad translocated in Arizona. These translocations have led to the rebound of Gould’s in Arizona. Currently, the Pinaleno, Chiricahua, Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains all have Gould’s turkeys with radio transmitters and are being monitored.
Since 1994, radio transmitter have been used to track and monitor movements and locations of Gould’s turkeys in southern Arizona. Currently, AZGFD has roughly 30 Gould’s turkeys fitted with radio transmitters. The transmitter are spread out among turkey populations in the Pinaleno, Chiricahua, Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains. These radios transmitters are equipped with VHF and GPS components. The VHF component allow the use of telemetry receivers to locate or triangulate the transmitters. The GPS component records location coordinates every hour between 6am and 2pm and then once at midnight. Coordinates are then downloaded using a handheld command unit from the ground or b fixed-wing aircraft. The radio transmitters are major components of research being conducted on Gould’s turkey today. Without transmitters, roost data, nesting data, brood surveys and monitoring of movement patterns would not be possible.
Roosting locations are identified from the GPS points taken at midnight. Roost trees are vital to the survival of the Gould’s turkeys because a quality roost tree provides escape habitat and shelter at night. Preliminary data indicates Gould’s turkey prefer to roost in oak trees.
During the 2017 nesting season, the 30 Gould’s turkeys fitted with radio transmitters and GPS were monitored for nesting attempts. Nest attempts were identified from GPS data. Once the GPS points clustered in a specific location, a ground survey was preformed to inspect the area. When a nest was confirmed, monitoring during the 28-day incubation period began. To ensure a non-evasive approach, great precautions were taken not to bump the hen from her nest. Biologist stayed out of site of the nesting hen, minimized all possible noises around the nest and downloaded the hen’s GPS data every few days instead of consecutively visiting the area. After the eggs hatched, the fun work began.
Total egg count and egg success were recorded. To determine the success of an egg, the presence or absence of the egg cap was used. When a turkey hatches from an egg, it pecks around the top of the egg to remove the “cap” then emerges by using his beak. At the end of the 2017 nesting season, 61 eggs were successfully hatched from the 30 Gould’s turkeys fitted with radio transmitters.
Visual surveys of poults and hens were conducted every third or fourth day if the nest was successful. These surveys involved honing in on transmitter location and then counting the number of poults seen with the hens. These observations were taken up to 15 days after the hatching. This data was then used to determined the survivorship of individuals within the brood.
The research collected the past summer will give Game and Fish a better understanding of Gould’s natural history. In turn this will help with future translocation management strategies. There are many potential management implementations for this data. Once habitat data is quantified, the department has potential to conserve areas that contain critical components for Gold’s survival such as roost trees. Other projects could include amplifying the number of available high-quality roosting trees and water sources. Further management applications may include altering hunting dates, available hunting units and the amount of tags given to hunters. The raw data is currently being analyzed by LSU and should be available to Game and Fish biologist in 2018.
- Alex Smallwood is currently studying Wildlife Management at the University of Arizona. He recently completed his internship with the department dedicated to Gould’s turkey research.
January-February 2018; By Alex Smallwood
The first time I ever laid eyes on a Gould’s Turkey was when I was 11 years old. It was a memory I will never forget. A casual squirrel hunting expedition turned in to a first-time encounter. The leaves had just begun to change color and the cool air on Mount Graham was a great escape from the everlasting heat of Safford, AZ. A quick drive up the mountain lead to my favorite hunting spot: Turkey Flat. Being 11 years old, I had yet to make connection between the name of turkey Flat and how it got its name.
We had just arrived and with the excitement rushing through my veins, I jumped out of the truck and slammed the door behind me. The door echoed off the canyon walls for what seemed like many minutes. At the end of that echo, I heard a new sound that was unique and unfamiliar to me. The only words to describe the sound would be a sheer gobble. I immediately turned and looked back at my father with a shock in my eyes and my jaw hanging at my feet. “is that a turkey,” I asked once I was finally able to gather my words. The minute my father said yes, I knew that this squirrel hunt was over and all I wanted to do was find the turkey. So off we set in the direction if the gobble on our new adventure. After what my dad would call miles and I would call seconds, I knew we were close. Turkey signs were prevalent throughout the area: feathers on the ground, tracks and droppings. But one thing was missing: a turkey! I wasn’t ready to give up. I let out the best turkey impression I could. My call was answered immediately from behind. I slowly turned my head to look over my shoulder. My eyes landed on the most magnificent bird I had ever seen. For the first time in my life, I saw a Gould’s turkey.
During my first encounter, I was fortunate enough to see an adult male Gould’s turkey during the mating season. In the breeding season, males can be found fanning their tail feathers and puffing out in hopes of attracting a mate. Males can be up to 49 inches tall and weigh close to 20 pounds. With numbers like those, their sheer size is breathtaking. The Gould’s iridescent feathers and red and blue coloration on their heads is unique, not something you would see in other species of turkeys. In fact, Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be a better choice for the national bird than the bald eagle. But despite this, little research had been conducted on the Gould’s turkey even to this day. Arizona Game and Fish, Louisiana State University and the National Wild Turkey Federation are determined to change this. During 2017, all three departments gathered together in support of collecting vital data surrounding Gould’s turkey.
Arizona has three subspecies of turkeys, Merriam’s, Rio Grande’s and Gould’s. While Merriam’s turkeys have been studies extensively in North America, there has been little research conducted on the Gould’s turkey. This is partially due to Gould’s only being found in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
Information such as what types of habitat Gould’s use for roosting, nesting and traveling as well as nesting behavior was previously a mystery. To answer these questions, LSU, NWTF and Game and Fish teamed together to gather substantial data on these turkeys. In 2017, LSU donated $ 80,000 to cover equipment, a summer technician position and data analysis. NWTF funded my intern position and telemetry flights. The department provided vehicles, equipment and additional staff time to complete the research.
Gould’s turkey occupy a unique ecological niche in the environment since they are both a predator and prey source for other species. Gould’s diet consists of insects, lizards, snakes, fruit, seeds, grass and forbs. Both adults and juveniles turkey (poults) are preyed upon by owls, hawks, falcons, eagles s well as carnivores such as foxes, mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes. Snakes, skunks and racoon also will steal eggs from the nest of turkeys. Having these resources available to predators provides much -needed of nutritional value.
During the early 20th century, populations of wildlife suffered great peril. Anthropogenic efforts put a heavy toll on wildlife resulting in the extinction of species such as the passenger pigeon and California Grizzly bear. Gould’s turkeys were no exception to this risk. In Arizona, Gould’s turkey was extirpated in the 1920s due to the overhunting. However, population of the Gould’s turkey still exist in Mexico. Because little research was conducted before Gould’s turkey were extirpated, there were many questions left unanswered. Questions such as: what habitat dynamics do Gould’s prefer, which mountain ranges are they native to in Arizona, how much cover do they need to avoid predation, how long is the incubation period and what are the dietary requirements. Without the answers to these questions, biologist had a long journey ahead before stable populations of Gould’s turkey could be found again in Arizona.
To counter the lose of Gould’s turkey, Game and Fish introduced 46 Merriam’s turkey from norther Arizona into the Huachuca Mountains in southern Arizona in 1950. Because of the differences in habitat and environmental conditions, the translocations were unsuccessful. In 1983, nine Gould’s turkey hens were reintroduced from Mexico to the Huachuca Mountains. Further monitoring revealed that the translocations were successful. Following the success of these translocation, 12 additional Gould’s (7 adult females, 5 adult males) were brought from Mexico to the Huachuca Mountains in 1987. To date, 876 Gould’s turkeys have been captured ad translocated in Arizona. These translocations have led to the rebound of Gould’s in Arizona. Currently, the Pinaleno, Chiricahua, Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains all have Gould’s turkeys with radio transmitters and are being monitored.
Since 1994, radio transmitter have been used to track and monitor movements and locations of Gould’s turkeys in southern Arizona. Currently, AZGFD has roughly 30 Gould’s turkeys fitted with radio transmitters. The transmitter are spread out among turkey populations in the Pinaleno, Chiricahua, Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains. These radios transmitters are equipped with VHF and GPS components. The VHF component allow the use of telemetry receivers to locate or triangulate the transmitters. The GPS component records location coordinates every hour between 6am and 2pm and then once at midnight. Coordinates are then downloaded using a handheld command unit from the ground or b fixed-wing aircraft. The radio transmitters are major components of research being conducted on Gould’s turkey today. Without transmitters, roost data, nesting data, brood surveys and monitoring of movement patterns would not be possible.
Roosting locations are identified from the GPS points taken at midnight. Roost trees are vital to the survival of the Gould’s turkeys because a quality roost tree provides escape habitat and shelter at night. Preliminary data indicates Gould’s turkey prefer to roost in oak trees.
During the 2017 nesting season, the 30 Gould’s turkeys fitted with radio transmitters and GPS were monitored for nesting attempts. Nest attempts were identified from GPS data. Once the GPS points clustered in a specific location, a ground survey was preformed to inspect the area. When a nest was confirmed, monitoring during the 28-day incubation period began. To ensure a non-evasive approach, great precautions were taken not to bump the hen from her nest. Biologist stayed out of site of the nesting hen, minimized all possible noises around the nest and downloaded the hen’s GPS data every few days instead of consecutively visiting the area. After the eggs hatched, the fun work began.
Total egg count and egg success were recorded. To determine the success of an egg, the presence or absence of the egg cap was used. When a turkey hatches from an egg, it pecks around the top of the egg to remove the “cap” then emerges by using his beak. At the end of the 2017 nesting season, 61 eggs were successfully hatched from the 30 Gould’s turkeys fitted with radio transmitters.
Visual surveys of poults and hens were conducted every third or fourth day if the nest was successful. These surveys involved honing in on transmitter location and then counting the number of poults seen with the hens. These observations were taken up to 15 days after the hatching. This data was then used to determined the survivorship of individuals within the brood.
The research collected the past summer will give Game and Fish a better understanding of Gould’s natural history. In turn this will help with future translocation management strategies. There are many potential management implementations for this data. Once habitat data is quantified, the department has potential to conserve areas that contain critical components for Gold’s survival such as roost trees. Other projects could include amplifying the number of available high-quality roosting trees and water sources. Further management applications may include altering hunting dates, available hunting units and the amount of tags given to hunters. The raw data is currently being analyzed by LSU and should be available to Game and Fish biologist in 2018.
- Alex Smallwood is currently studying Wildlife Management at the University of Arizona. He recently completed his internship with the department dedicated to Gould’s turkey research.