We concluded line-transect–based distance sampling from roads is an efficient, effective, and inexpensive technique for monitoring Rio Grande wild turkey populations across large scales. During winter surveys, power was sufficient (≥0.80) to detect a 10–25% change in population density in 8–12 years using ≥100 16-km transects or ≥80 32-km transects. Winter surveys tended to have less bias, lower relative variability, and greater power than did autumn surveys. Such bias occurred because of incomplete detectability of flocks near roads. Simulations suggested that population density may be underestimated by 12% during winter and 29% during autumn. We conducted computer simulations to evaluate the performance of line-transect–based distance sampling and examined the power to detect trends in population change. The detection probability of decoy flocks was similar to wild turkey flocks during winter (decoy flock, 69.3 ± 6.2% wild turkey flock, 62.2 ± 18.3%) and autumn (decoy flock, 44.1 ± 5.1% wild turkey flock, 44.7 ± 25.6%), which suggested that using decoys was appropriate for evaluating detectability of wild turkey flocks from roads. Charles Ruth - Turkey Project Supervisor. We also conducted surveys from roads for wild turkeys during November 2004–January 2006. Wildlife - Wild Turkeys Map of Wild Turkey Density Distribution in South Carolina. Our modeling effort suggested that distance to a flock and flock size played important roles in flock detectability. We evaluated detectability of flocks using logistic regression models. Low numbers in the southwest provide only limited hunting. The key habitat needs to sustain wild turkey populations is well documented in Texas. The Rio Grande subspecies dominates the western two-thirds of the state. Today, huntable populations of turkeys exist in nearly every county. We used inflatable turkey decoys during autumn (Aug–Nov) and winter (Dec–Mar) 2003–2005 at 3 study sites in the Texas Rolling Plains, USA, to simulate Rio Grande wild turkey ( M. Wild turkeys were reintroduced into Kansas in the 1960s, and the program has been a great success.
Management/Monitoring recommendations:Continue current management and harvesting practices (limited spring harvesting, Wild Turkey brood survey).Line-transect–based distance sampling has been used to estimate density of several wild bird species including wild turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo).Causes of change since first Atlas: Continued expansion of population following earlier reintroduction program.VT’s role in North American range: VT is in the northeastern corner of the range.The 2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer is a web map application that includes data from the 2020 Census at the state, county, and census tract levels. Other atlases: NY: 133% PA: 48% MD: 211% Changes since 2010 can be calculated using the 2010 Census data.Data from other research: No additional data for VT.Greatest increases in Northern Green Mountains and Northern Vermont Piedmont. Second, the overall prevalence of HPAI H5N1 virus found in wild bird populations was very low, usually < 1 ( 8 ). Status in VT: Increased by 314% (35 to 145 blocks).Vermont Center for Ecostudies – Vermont Atlas of Life. Retrieved from.
Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Vermont, 2003-2007.