Im not a fan of NWTF, but if they want to spend some of their millions on legit research, I'm all in favor of that!... what UT (and hopefully NWTF) are starting to focus on is what types of habitat are most attractive for nest site selection, but then comparing nest site selection vs what actually results in a successful incubation and hatch. THEN you get to study those nests that hatched to see what habitats produce the best brood habitat success rates of getting poults to survive until August.
It's all very frustrating... we went all out and hammered the coyotes and raccoons since Nov. Actually had a comeback in rabbits we haven't seen in 2 decades on 1 farm. Bushhogged the winter plots to get ready for summer plots and rabbits running everywhere. And then 4 hawks moved in while bushhogging and destroyed the young rabbits

we need to lift the federal ban on raptors!!!!