Files
Abstract
I modeled 13,177 gobbles, behavioral data from 84 females during the reproductive season, and daily harvest of males to examine relationships between gobbling activity, hunting, and reproductive behaviors (laying, incubating) of females. I found gobbling activity on one day negatively influenced gobbling activity the following day. As the proportion of reproductively active females increased, predicted daily gobbling activity increased. Hunting activity negatively influenced predicted gobbling activity and the effect of hunting activity was disproportionately greater than the positive effect of female reproductive behaviors. I used spatial data from males to evaluate roost site selection and fidelity relative to habitat selection and hunting. I found males selected roost sites in pine and hardwood areas prior to hunting, but avoided pine after hunting began. Roost site fidelity was low prior to and during hunting. My findings suggest hunting may influence behavior in wild turkeys by suppressing gobbling activity and altering roost selection.