Wild Turkey Longevity

[PAHunter]

Read an interesting article awhile back by turkey guru,Lovett E.Williams,and thought I'd share it for those who never read it.He conducted a study to figure the odds of a wild turkey surviving from the egg stage.The odds were based on unsucessful nestings due to predators,deaths from weather,harvests from hunting and poaching.He stated,disease was seldom a serious problem in wild turkeys,as they are in captive birds.The oldest known captive turkey lived to be 12 years old,wild turkeys aren't as lucky.

The odds of a wild turkey surviving were stated as follows:Starting from the egg,less than half the eggs will hatch.Only 30% of the poults will live another two weeks and begin to fly up to roost.From that point,there is only a 50% chance of a bird living one more year.So,for every 1,000 turkey eggs laid,457 will hatch,137 poults will reach 2 weeks,and 69 will reach one year.Of the 69,only 34 will become 2 years old,17 will become 3 years old,and 9 will become 4 years old.

So a typical turkey population turns over every 4 years.An unproductive turkey population would be nearly extinct in only 5 years.If you calculated the longevity of the average turkey,beginning with the egg stage,the mean life span would be only a few days.

I thought that was pretty interesting,which really shows how fortunate you really are,when you bag one of those rare 3 or 4 year olds.

 

[Shredder]

Seems about the same for a buck from fawning to 4.5 years

 

[PAHunter]

Never thought of that Shredder,probably true in most cases.Although probably more like fawning to 2.5 here.

 

[Scott]

To me those numbers seem a little off. As fast as turkey numbers explode from year to year its hard to believe that many of them are killed before they reach a year. I remember areas just 4 or 5 years ago that never had a turkey on them, and today they are so over run its ridiculous. As for deer, that seems about right.

 

[PAHunter]

I'm sure the figures could be off from area to area.It was just a study where he used averages with what he came up with.I don't think someone like Williams is just going to make figures up,just to write something,this is this guys life.Just like some estimated deer herds vary from figures,just a crude way to guesstimate.

All further complaints should be directed to [email protected].

 

[hershy]

...ScottI.C., for the cause of turkey science I would like to examine the validity of these areas that have experienced such dramatic growth in a turkey population in such a short time...if you would be so kind to inform me of the locations of these turkey overrun areas I would be willing to conduct some 4th season research...

 

[PAHunter]

Hershy,Scott will probably give you some farout story like.Out of the 500 birds that were there,50% were eaten by coyotes.60% of the remaining 50%,died from starvation.70 birds were poached,27 were hit by vehicles and the neighbors dog killed 1 bird.Which leaves two birds remaining,so you can't hunt there.

 

[Scott]

Hershy, if you could kill 50 birds, I would be more than happy! They screw up my deer hunting.

Im all for opening a season on hens in the spring, Quality Turkey Managment.

We are doing nothing to stop the population by shooting a couple of longbeards.

 

[PAHunter]

I was wrong Hershy,looks like an open invitation with no bag limit.