AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
Which is few and far between and quite interesting, imo. I know many of us, including some researchers, really want to say "trap predators and all will be good" or something along those lines. Unfortunately, not much proof exist. Long term speaking.
Take this study done in the 1970's ( cannot find a more recent one). Intense predator management was conducted, to include poisoning(which simply will not happen in todays world) and the intensity of such trapping/poison is something 99% of us just simply couldn't do nor do we have access to such large swaths of land. The intensity of this type predator control is wild. Placing poisoned eggs every 300 yards, over 5,000 trapping nights from March to June and areas ranging in size from 1,800 acres to 4,700 acres.
In a nut shell, trapping did work....for nesting/hatching success. Unfortunately, poults per hen when "poults were large enough to be seen from a vehicle" was negligible. Heavily trapped area had 6 poults/hen while the control are had 5.7 poults/hen.
IMO, this shows how important habitat is. Nesting, brooding and nutrition.
Take this study done in the 1970's ( cannot find a more recent one). Intense predator management was conducted, to include poisoning(which simply will not happen in todays world) and the intensity of such trapping/poison is something 99% of us just simply couldn't do nor do we have access to such large swaths of land. The intensity of this type predator control is wild. Placing poisoned eggs every 300 yards, over 5,000 trapping nights from March to June and areas ranging in size from 1,800 acres to 4,700 acres.
In a nut shell, trapping did work....for nesting/hatching success. Unfortunately, poults per hen when "poults were large enough to be seen from a vehicle" was negligible. Heavily trapped area had 6 poults/hen while the control are had 5.7 poults/hen.
IMO, this shows how important habitat is. Nesting, brooding and nutrition.
Speake, Daniel W. "Predation on wild turkeys in Alabama." 4th National Wild Turkey Symposium. Little Rock, Arkansas (USA). 2-5 Mar 1980.. 1980. | PDF Host
PDF Host read free online - Speake, Daniel W. "Predation on wild turkeys in Alabama." 4th National Wild Turkey Symposium. Little Rock, Arkansas (USA). 2-5 Mar 1980.. 1980.
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