Episodes

  • Does rain impact nest predation risk? | #165

    Does rain impact nest predation risk? | #165
    Jan 5 2026
    Does water on a hen make it more susceptible to predation? In this episode, we comb through the literature on olfactory camouflage, dissecting studies assessing correlations between nest survival, weather, and environmental conditions, and divulging into the complicated web of ecology dynamics. Strap on your science boots for this one, it's gonna be dense… Research papers referenced: Bakner, N. W., et al. (2019). Incubation recess behaviors influence nest survival of Wild Turkeys. Ecology and Evolution, 9(24), 14053-14065. Boone, W. W., et al. (2024). Robust assessment of associations between weather and eastern wild turkey nest success. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 88(2), e22524. Braun, M. S., et al. (2018). Birds, feather-degrading bacteria and preen glands: the antimicrobial activity of preen gland secretions from turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) is amplified by keratinase. FEMS microbiology ecology, 94(9), fiy117. Conover, M. R. (2007). Predator-prey dynamics: the role of olfaction. CRC Press. Fluen, T. (2008). A comparative analysis of evolutionary changes in island birds. MSc Thesis, University of Canterbury, Christchurch. Grieves, L. A., et al. (2020). Food stress, but not experimental exposure to mercury, affects songbird preen oil composition. Ecotoxicology, 29, 275-285. Grieves, L. A., et al. (2022). Olfactory camouflage and communication in birds. Biological Reviews, 97(3), 1193-1209. Lehman, C. P., et al. (2010). Ground roost resource selection for Merriam's wild turkeys. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 74(2), 295-299. Lowrey, D. K., et al. (2001). Influences of selected weather variables on predation of wild turkey females and nest success. In Proceedings of the National Wild Turkey Symposium (Vol. 8, pp. 173-178). Potier, S., et al. (2018). Preen oil chemical composition encodes individuality, seasonal variation and kinship in black kites Milvus migrans. Journal of Avian Biology, 49(7), e01728. Reneerkens, J., et al. (2002). Sandpipers (Scolopacidae) switch from monoester to diester preen waxes during courtship and incubation, but why?. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 269(1505), 2135-2139. Reneerkens, J., et al. (2005). Switch to diester preen waxes may reduce avian nest predation by mammalian predators using olfactory cues. Journal of Experimental Biology, 208(22), 4199-4202. Reneerkens, J., et al. (2006). Discerning adaptive value of seasonal variation in preen waxes: comparative and experimental approaches. Acta Zoologica Sinica, 52, 272-275. Reneerkens, J., et al. (2007a). Parental role division predicts avian preen wax cycles. Ibis, 149(4), 721-729. Tuttle, E. M.,et al. (2014). Variation in preen oil composition pertaining to season,sex, and genotype in the polymorphic white-throated sparrow.Journal of ChemicalEcology40, 1025–1038. Whelan, R. J., et al. (2010). Short-chain carboxylic acids from gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) uropygial secretions vary with testosterone levels and photoperiod. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 156(3), 183-188. Webb, S. L., et al. (2012). Landscape features and weather influence nest survival of a ground-nesting bird of conservation concern, the greater sage-grouse, in human-altered environments. Ecological Processes, 1, 1-15. Episodes referenced: Effectiveness of trapping across game bird species | #08 Which vital rates are most important to turkey populations? | #13 Brooding and nesting cover (Part 1/2) | #29 Brooding and nesting cover (Part 2/2) | #30 Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here! Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This...
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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Wild Turkey Symposium Takeaways | #164

    Wild Turkey Symposium Takeaways | #164
    Dec 29 2025
    In this episode, we review papers that stood out to each of us from the 2025 Wild Turkey Symposium. Resources: Collier, B. A., & Chamberlain, M. J. (2025). The Notorious PIG: wild pigs are not primary predators of wild turkey nests. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e1618. Danks, Z. D., et al. (2025). A national standardized wild turkey brood survey: The first 6 years. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e164 Moscicki, D. J., et al. (2025). Multi‐scale evaluation of eastern wild turkey nest‐site selection and nest survival. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e1635. Ogawa, R., et al. (2025). Is wild turkey habitat selection spatially consistent? A three‐decade meta‐analysis in Mississippi. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e70000. The Wildlife Society Bulletin - Wild Turkey Symposium Thogmartin, W. E. (2001). Home-range size and habitat selection of female wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Arkansas. The American Midland Naturalist, 145(2), 247-260. Ulrey, E. E., et al. (2025). Use of LiDAR to examine habitat selection by incubating female wild turkeys in South Carolina. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e1628. What does wild turkey nesting cover look like? (Video) Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here! Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Turkeys in Wisconsin : A success story | #163

    Turkeys in Wisconsin : A success story | #163
    Dec 22 2025
    Wisconsin gamebird ecologist Taylor Finger joins us to breakdown the status of turkeys in the state. Join as he shares details on how Wisconsin has achieved successful turkey populations unlike any other state in the country. Resources: Lashley, M. A., et al. (2025). Decreased female survival may explain wild turkey decline. bioRxiv, 2025-05. Legends of turkey research | #50 Pollentier, C. D., et al. (2021). Gobbling across landscapes: Eastern wild turkey distribution and occupancy–habitat associations. Ecology and Evolution, 11(24), 18248-18270. Ogawa, R., et al. (2025). Is wild turkey habitat selection spatially consistent? A three‐decade meta‐analysis in Mississippi. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e70000. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here! Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    51 mins
  • Turkeys and Grouse | #162

    Turkeys and Grouse | #162
    Dec 15 2025

    Dr. Ben Jones, CEO of RGS & AWS, joins us to explore how active forest stewardship - from prescribed fire to targeted timber harvests and new wood markets - can restore age-class diversity and habitat for ruffed grouse and wild turkey across eastern forests.

    Resources:

    EQUIP

    Food Plots, Feed or Fire: The Real Costs Per Pound of Deer Forage (NDA article)

    Ruffed Grouse Society

    Dr. Ben Jones benj@ruffedgrousesociety.org

    Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

    Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here!

    Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!

    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

    Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

    Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow

    UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube

    Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund

    Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!

    Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!

    Watch these podcasts on YouTube

    Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!

    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube

    Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!

    Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!

    This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.

    Music by Artlist.io

    Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Why to Science | #161

    Why to Science | #161
    Dec 8 2025

    Strap in for a philosophical episode as we sit with Dr. Dwayne Elmore and explore the complex nature of critically evaluating information in an age of information overload.

    Resources:

    Pre-Print: Lashley et al. (2025) Female Wild turkey survival meta-analysis

    Dr. Dwayne Elmore - Tall Timbers, Publications

    Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

    We've launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history, and heritage! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here!

    Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!

    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

    Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

    Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow

    UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube

    Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund

    Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!

    Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!

    Watch these podcasts on YouTube

    Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!

    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube

    Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!

    Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!

    This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.

    Music by Artlist.io

    Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • NEW Online Wild Turkey Training | #160

    NEW Online Wild Turkey Training | #160
    Dec 1 2025

    We've launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history, and heritage! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here!

    Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

    We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!

    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

    Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

    Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow

    UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube

    Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund

    Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!

    Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!

    Watch these podcasts on YouTube

    Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!

    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube

    Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!

    Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!

    This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.

    Music by Artlist.io

    Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    42 mins
  • AL results on LPDV in wild turkeys | #159

    AL results on LPDV in wild turkeys | #159
    Nov 24 2025
    We dive into Will's recent research assessing the effects and prevalence of Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus (LPDV) in wild turkeys in Alabama. Resources: Alger, K., et al. (2017). Risk factors for and spatial distribution of lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in New York State, USA. Journal of wildlife diseases, 53(3), 499-508. Goodwin, C. C., et al. (2024). Experimental infection of domestic turkeys with lymphoproliferative disease virus of North American origin. Veterinary Pathology. Shea, S. A. (2021). Retroviral infection dynamics in Maine's wild turkeys. The University of Maine. Thomas, J. M., et al. (2015). Molecular surveillance for lymphoproliferative disease virus in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) from the eastern United States. PLoS One, 10(4), e0122644. Ostrander, K. N., et al. (2025). Histomonosis and Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus in Male Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Alabama, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    39 mins
  • Landscape level habitat corridor sustains turkeys | #158

    Landscape level habitat corridor sustains turkeys | #158
    Nov 17 2025
    In this episode, we discuss our recent paper quantifying turkey abundance, highlighting the Florida Wildlife Corridor and exploring how this project preserves turkey habitat amidst increasing development pressures. Paper will be linked as soon as it is released. Resources: Citizen science for turkeys Ep119 https://youtu.be/LEbFvaRhNKA?si=a1Mvzya561e0o52B eBird https://ebird.org/home Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/ FWC Summer Brood Survey https://myfwc.com/hunting/turkey/brood-survey/ iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/ Merlin Bird ID https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ Snapshot USA https://www.snapshot-usa.org/ 00:00 Introduction to the Conversation 01:23 Exploring Turkey Management and Habitat 02:48 The Impact of Human Population on Turkey Habitats 05:47 Florida Wildlife Corridor: A Case Study 11:38 Quantifying the Effects of the Corridor on Turkeys 20:47 Characterizing the Landscape for Turkeys 22:49 Understanding Turkey Occupancy and Abundance 25:09 The Impact of Human Population on Turkey Habitats 28:42 The Role of the Wildlife Corridor 31:19 Challenges Facing Osceola Turkey Populations 37:33 Management Strategies for Turkey Habitats 41:47 The Importance of Collaborative Conservation Efforts Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research! Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com! Watch these podcasts on YouTube Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you! Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support! Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear! This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
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    47 mins