Photo by NWTF Staff.

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — A new wild turkey research project in New Hampshire is on the horizon. Thanks in part to funding provided by the NWTF through its 2025 investment in wild turkey research, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is gearing up to start an innovative wild turkey research project that will investigate wild turkey survival and harvest rates in New Hampshire to produce a more accurate population estimate.

This research project will strengthen the NHFG management decision-making process in pursuit of its primary turkey management goal, which is to regionally manage wild turkey populations using the best available science while balancing social, economic and ecological factors with environmental realities.

“We will have three consecutive winters of trapping and leg banding, and we're shooting for about 300 male birds statewide per winter season, which is a total of 900 birds,” said Dan Ellingwood, NHFG turkey project leader. “We’ll be tracking leg band recovery through mandatory reporting of harvested birds during both the spring and fall seasons. Regionally, we’ll be able to estimate the percentage of the male population that's being harvested each spring, and how those harvest rates vary.”

The NHFG has a small staff of game bird biologists and plans to collaborate with NWTF volunteers during the wild turkey trapping process. When the time permits this upcoming winter, agency biologists will be seeking help with identifying and managing bait sites, as well as field assistance to support agency staff. This will be a unique opportunity for volunteers to gain a hands-on experience with wild turkeys and see research first-hand.

The New Hampshire NWTF State Chapter has already expressed enthusiasm in supporting this project and anticipates a willingness for active volunteer participation from the local chapters.

NHFG will also be able to collect data for a host of other wild turkey population parameters in the state through band recovery, including seasonal movements, dispersal from winter areas and disease prevalence.

During the trapping and banding process, agency staff are planning to collect samples for disease testing to see if diseases pose a risk to long-term population stability. Diseases of primary interest include lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) and avian influenza. The sampling may consist of cloacal swabs, throat swabs and blood samples based upon disease-specific testing requirements. Samples will be sent to be tested through the University of New Hampshire’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

“There has been limited field work over the last 20 years to quantify wild turkey population parameters here in New Hampshire,” Ellingwood said. “Turkeys were successfully reintroduced to the state 50 years ago, and we’re excited to further our understanding of how things have changed since those early days.”

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 24 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.