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SOUTH DAKOTA WILD TURKEY MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016 ̶ 2020 Photo by Chad Lehman SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF GAME, FISH AND PARKS PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA WILDLIFE DIVISION REPORT 2017 ̶ 01 JANUARY 2017 This document is for general, strategic guidance for the Division of Wildlife (DOW) and serves to identify the role that the DOW plays, how we function, and what we strive to accomplish related to Wild Turkey Management. By itself this document is of little value; the value is in its implementation. This process will emphasize working cooperatively with interested publics in both the planning process and the regular program activities related to wild turkey management. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This plan is a product of substantial discussion and input from many wildlife professionals and the South Dakota Wild Turkey Stakeholder Group. In addition, those comments and suggestions received from private landowners, hunters, and those who recognize the value of wild turkeys and their associated habitats were also considered. Management Plan Coordinators – Chad Lehman and Travis Runia, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP). SDGFP Wild Turkey Management Plan Team that assisted with plan writing, data review and analyses, critical reviews and/or edits to the 2016 Wild Turkey Management Plan – Nathan Baker, Paul Coughlin, Josh Delger, Shelly Deisch, Jacquie Ermer, Keith Fisk, John Kanta, Tom Kirschenmann, Cynthia Longmire, Mark Norton, Tim Olson, Alex Solem, and Chad Switzer. Those who served on the South Dakota Wild Turkey Stakeholder Group during this planning process included: Neil Bien (Northeast SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel), John Cooper (SDGFP Commission Chair); Mark DeVries (South Dakota Stockgrowers); Chris Hesla (South Dakota Wildlife Federation); Mike McKernan (National Wild Turkey Federation); Terry Mayes (Western SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel); Dean Schueler (National Wild Turkey Federation); Leonard Spomer (Central SDGFP Regional Advisory Panel); and Collin Smith (National Wild Turkey Federation). All text and data contained within this document are subject to revision for corrections, updates, and data analyses. This document is the first revision of the original South Dakota Turkey Management Plan 2016-2020 (Completion Report 2016-01). Updates to hunting statistics, unit objectives, and hunting unit boundaries have been included so implementation of the plan can be tracked. Recommended Citation: South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. 2017. South Dakota Wild Turkey Management Plan 2016 ̶ 2020. Completion Report 2017 ̶ 01. South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Pierre, South Dakota, USA. - ii - - iii - TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... x LIST OF ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ....................................................................... 2 WILD TURKEY HUNTING ............................................................................................................... 4 Historical Harvest and Licenses .......................................................................................... 4 Hunter Access ..................................................................................................................... 8 POPULATION SURVEYS ................................................................................................................ 9 Trend Surveys and Indices of Population Demographics ................................................... 9 Winter Flock Composition ............................................................................................. 9 Wild Turkey Brood Survey ........................................................................................... 10 Matrix Modeling ......................................................................................................... 10 Harvest Surveys ................................................................................................................. 13 Fall Season Feather Data Collection ........................................................................... 13 Wild Turkey Harvest Survey ........................................................................................ 13 WILD TURKEY RESEARCH IN SOUTH DAKOTA ............................................................................ 13 Resource Selection ............................................................................................................ 14 Tree Roost Sites .......................................................................................................... 14 Ground Roost Sites...................................................................................................... 14 Winter Resource Selection .......................................................................................... 14 Nesting Season Resource Selection ............................................................................ 15 Brood Rearing Resource Selection .............................................................................. 16 Habitat Capability and Suitability Modeling .............................................................. 17 Home Range and Movements .......................................................................................... 18 Home Range Size ........................................................................................................ 18 Dispersal and Movements .......................................................................................... 21 Survival .............................................................................................................................. 23 Female Survival and Mortality .................................................................................... 23 Male Survival and Mortality ....................................................................................... 23 Poult Survival and Mortality ....................................................................................... 25 - iv - Reproduction .................................................................................................................... 26 Nest Chronology ......................................................................................................... 26 Clutch Size ................................................................................................................... 26 Nest Survival and Factors Influencing Outcomes of Nests ......................................... 27 Diet .................................................................................................................................... 30 Behavioral Research ......................................................................................................... 34 Additional Research .......................................................................................................... 36 Future Research Needs ..................................................................................................... 36 PUBLIC LAND and PRIVATE LAND MANAGEMENT .................................................................... 36 Custer State Park............................................................................................................... 36 Other State Parks and Recreation Areas .......................................................................... 38 Black Hills National Forest ................................................................................................ 38 Area and Vegetation ................................................................................................... 38 Wild Turkeys and Black Hills National Forest Planning .............................................. 41 Norbeck Wildlife Preserve ........................................................................................... 41 Custer Gallatin National Forest ......................................................................................... 42 Area and Vegetation ................................................................................................... 42 Wild Turkeys and Custer Gallatin National Forest Planning ..................................... 46 Bureau of Land Management ........................................................................................... 48 Game Production Areas .................................................................................................... 49 Private Lands ..................................................................................................................... 49 CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT AND OUTREACH .................................................................................. 51 Wild Turkey Stakeholder Group ......................................................................................