Wild Turkey Report Table of Contents Spittin’ & Drummin’

Spittin’ Drummin’

2021 MISSISSIPPI WILD TURKEY& REPORT

MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES, AND PARKS Photo by Steve Gulledge

GAME CHECK IS NOW IN EFFECT During the 2021 spring season, turkey hunters are required to report their gobbler harvests to Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks by 10 p.m. ON THE DAY OF HARVEST. THERE ARE 3 WAYS TO REPORT: 1. MDWFP APP 2. Online at mdwfp.com/gamecheck 3. Call 1-800-BE-SMART

To learn more about Game Check, visit mdwfp.com or call (601) 432-2400 Supported by NWTF Spittin’ Drummin’ 2021 MISSISSIPPI WILD TURKEY& REPORT

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks 1505 Eastover Drive | Jackson, MS 39211 Governance and Administration Spittin’ & Drummin’

Governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann

Senate Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Committee Neil S. Whaley, Chairman Benjamin Suber, Vice-Chairman Chris Caughman Kathy L. Chism Sampson Jackson II Tyler McCaughn Chris McDaniel J. Walter Michel Derrick T. Simmons Daniel H. Sparks Chuck Younger

House of Representatives Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Committee Bill Kinkade, Chairman Shane Barnett, Vice-Chairman C. Scott Bounds Chris Brown Lester Carpenter Bob Evans Abe Hudson Robert L. Johnson III John Thomas “Trey” Lamar, III Johnathan Ray Lancaster Vince Mangold Carl Mickens Tom Miles Ken Morgan Karl Oliver

Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Robert Taylor, Chairman Billy Mounger, Vice-Chairman Clay Wagner Bill F. Cossar Scott Coopwood

Administration Sam Polles, Ph.D., Executive Director Lynn Posey, Chief of Staff Larry Pugh, Director of Technical Programs Brian Ferguson, Director of Support Services Jennifer Head, Budget Administrator Col. Steve Adcock, Chief, Law Enforcement Russ Walsh, Chief of Staff, Wildlife

4 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Table of Contents Spittin’ & Drummin’

GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION...... 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS...... 5 LIST OF FIGURES...... 6-7 LIST OF TABLES...... 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...... 9 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...... 10 POPULATION STATISTICS...... 12-25 Statewide...... 14-15 Region 1: North MS...... 16-17 Region 2: Delta...... 18-19 Region 3: East-Central MS...... 20-21 Region 4: Southwest MS...... 22-23 Region 5: Southeast MS...... 24-25 GAME CHECK...... 26-31 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA SUMMARIES...... 32-33 WILD TURKEY RECORDS...... 34-37 Top Scoring Typical...... 34 Top Scoring Non-Typical...... 35 Longest Beard...... 35 Longest Spurs...... 36 Heaviest...... 36 Records Registration Form...... 37 WILD TURKEY RESEARCH...... 38-39 PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT...... 40 DISEASED WILD TURKEYS...... 41 SPRING GOBBLER HUNTING SURVEY...... 42

Did you know?

Hunting license sales support 2021 Mississippi Sportsman License JOHN DOE 1234 NOWHERE DR. wild turkey management, NO CITY, MS 39200 Customer #: 123456789 DOB: 01/01/0000 population surveillance, Exp. Date: 06/30/22

Hunter Ed #: 0000000 Paul Brown T. and research that benefits MB SW WF WMA Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks all Mississippians.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report ? 5 List of Figures Spittin’ & Drummin’

List of Figures

Figure 1. Wild turkey management regions of the Mississippi Figure 21. Region 2 (Delta) turkey observations per 100 Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks...... 13 hours hunted...... 19

Figure 2. Statewide poults per total hens....... 14 Figure 22. Region 2 (Delta) jake observations per 100 hours hunted...... 19 Figure 3. Statewide harvest per 100 hours hunted...... 14 Figure 23. Region 3 (East-Central) poults per total hens...... 20 Figure 4. Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested statewide...... 14 Figure 24. Region 3 (East-Central) harvest per 100 hours hunted...... 20 Figure 5. Statewide gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year...... 15 Figure 25. Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 3 (East-Central)....... 20 Figure 6. Statewide gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by week...... 15 Figure 26. Region 3 (East-Central) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year...... 21 Figure 7. Statewide turkey observations per 100 hours hunted ...... 15 Figure 27. Region 3 (East-Central) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by week...... 21 Figure 8. Statewide jake observations per 100 hours hunted...... 15 Figure 28. Region 3 (East-Central) turkey observations per 100 hours hunted...... 21 Figure 9. Region 1 (Northeast) poults per total hens...... 16 Figure 29. Region 3 (East-Central) jake observations per Figure 10. Region 1 (Northeast) harvest per 100 100 hours hunted...... 21 hours hunted...... 16 Figure 30. Region 4 (Southwest) poults per total hens...... 22 Figure 11. Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 1 (Northeast)...... 16 Figure 31. Region 4 (Southwest) harvest per 100 hours hunted...... 22 Figure 12. Region 1 (Northeast) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year...... 17 Figure 32. Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 4 (Southwest)...... 22 Figure 13. Region 1 (Northeast) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by week...... 17 Figure 33. Region 4 (Southwest) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year...... 23 Figure 14. Region 1 (Northeast) turkey observations per 100 hours hunted...... 17 Figure 34. Region 4 (Southwest) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by week...... 23 Figure 15. Region 1 (Northeast) jake observations per 100 hours hunted ...... 17 Figure 35. Region 4 (Southwest) turkey observations per 100 hours hunted...... 23 Figure 16. Region 2 (Delta) poults per total hens...... 18 Figure 36. Region 4 (Southwest) jake observations per 100 Figure 17. Region 2 (Delta) harvest per 100 hours hunted.... 18 hours hunted...... 23

Figure 18. Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested Figure 37. Region 5 (Southeast) poults per total hens ...... 24 in Region 2 (Delta)...... 18 Figure 38. Region 5 (Southeast) harvest per 100 Figure 19. Region 2 (Delta) gobblers and gobbles heard per hours hunted...... 24 10 hours hunted by year...... 19 Figure 39. Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested Figure 20. Region 2 (Delta) gobblers and gobbles heard per in Region 5 (Southeast)...... 24 10 hours hunted by week...... 19

6 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report List of Figures Spittin’ & Drummin’

List of Figures

Figure 40. Region 5 (Southeast) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year...... 25

Figure 41. Region 5 (Southeast) gobblers and gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by week...... 25

Figure 42. Region 5 (Southeast) turkey observations per 100 hours hunted...... 25

Figure 43. Region 5 jake observations per 100 hours hunted...... 25

Figure 44. Distribution frequency of reporting methods by Game Check and Wildlife Management Area users in Mississippi’s 2020 spring turkey season...... 26

Figure 45. Residency status of successful Game Check users in 2020...... 26

Figure 46. Breakdown of Game Check users (by percentage) who reported one, two, and three gobblers to the Game Check system in 2020...... 27

Figure 47. Total spring gobbler harvest numbers, by county, reported to the Game Check system in 2020...... 27

Figure 48. Statewide landownership breakdown for turkeys reported to Game Check in 2020...... 28

Figure 49. Wild turkey abundance in Mississippi based on average Game Check harvest, standardized by county size in 2019-2020...... 28

Figure 50. Relative change in turkey abundance from 2019 to 2020 based upon reported harvest to Game Check...... 28

Figure 51. Number of gobbler harvests reported statewide and on Wildlife Management Areas, by date, throughout Mississippi’s 2020 spring season ...... 29

Figure 52. A comparison of Mississippi’s estimated wild turkey harvest since 2000 with 2019-2020 Game Check harvest...... 29

Figure 53. MDWFP offers spring turkey hunting on 37 WMAs throught the state. Seasons frameworks vary by WMA...... 32

Figure 54. Counties in red represent areas from which MDWFP received diseased turkey reports during 2020...... 41

Figure 55. Number of hunts recorded, by county, from participants in the Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey during 2020...... 41

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 7 List of Tables Spittin’ & Drummin’

List of Tables

Table 1. Gobbler harvest totals reported by county to Game Check in Mississippi during the 2020 season...... 30

Table 2. Spring 2020 and decade-long average turkey harvest and man-day figures for 37 MDWFP WMAs offering spring turkey hunting...... 32

Table 3. All-time top 10 typical-scoring turkeys harvested in Mississippi, by total score...... 34

Table 4. All-time top 10 non-typical scoring turkeys harvested in Mississippi, by total score...... 35

Table 5. All-time top 10 turkeys harvested in Mississippi, ranked by total beard length...... 35

Table 6. Top turkeys harvested in Mississippi, ranked by longest spur...... 36

Table 7. All-time top 10 turkeys harvested in Mississippi, ranked by total weight...... 36

8 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Acknowledgments Spittin’ & Drummin’

For over two and a half decades, the annual Spittin’ and Drummin’ Wild Turkey Report has been a highly anticipated product of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP). The report is a true citizen-science endeavor. It would not be possible without the hundreds of volunteer Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey (SGHS) participants whose observations and shared data form the backbone of the report. Their willingness to provide MDWFP with real-world data on the wild turkeys from their own backyard speaks volumes to their commitment to the bird and its conservation.

Numerous individuals within MDWFP assist the Wild Turkey Program each year to help make Spittin’ and Drummin’ possible. Michael McRae and his bright staff produce and service technologies which house the voluminous SGHS dataset. Ms. Linda Taylor is an instrumental part of the annual SGHS and Spittin’ and Drummin’ process. Her organization and attention to detail is crucial to ensuring success. For the last few years, Matt Goss’s creativity has helped make this publication much more inviting to readers. Mr. Steve Gulledge takes turkey pictures which are as fine as any wildlife photographer in the country. His longtime contributions to Spittin’ and Drummin’ make this publication so much more than just charts and data, and we are indebted to his willingness to provide his photos so generously.

Over the past decade, MDWFP has added biologists in many roles throughout the Wildlife Bureau who are turkey fanatics. It is fair to say that the Wild Turkey Program has never enjoyed as broad support amongst the staff as it does today. These individuals work each day to improve turkey habitat on public lands or engage private landowners and hunting clubs in management aimed toward the bird’s betterment throughout Mississippi. Likewise, MDWFP continues to have one of its strongest partners in the National Wild Turkey Federation. Their steadfast support allows MDWFP to accomplish more for the wild turkey than we could achieve on our own.

The leadership of the MDWFP Wildlife Bureau, Russ Walsh and Amy Blaylock, are always supportive of any wild turkey-related projects. Their steadfast support of the Wild Turkey Program does not go unnoticed. Likewise, MDWFP’s Executive Director, Dr. Sam Polles, has always shown a passion for the wild turkey. His vision and trust have helped achieve many recent big-picture wins for wild turkey management in Mis- sissippi, not the least of which being the 2019 initiation of Game Check.

Adam B. Butler MDWFP Wild Turkey Program Coordinator [email protected] Office: (601) 432-2079

FEDERAL AID IN WILDLIFE A PITTMAN-ROBERTSON RESTORATION FUNDED PROJECT

This report is produced by the Technical Guidance Project, Statewide Wildlife Development Project and Statewide Wildlife Investigations Project and is primarily funded by Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 9 Executive Summary Spittin’ & Drummin’

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) annually monitors wild turkey populations throughout the state using a combination of brood surveys, hunter observations, post-season questionnaires, and mandatorily reported harvest. These data allow the agency to provide the state’s sportsmen and women with a detailed picture of what to expect when they hit the woods each spring. This document summarizes these findings for those interested in the status of Mississippi’s turkey population.

The COVID-19 virus created an unusual situation during the 2020 spring season where- in many hunters found themselves with more time to spend afield. While this change did express itself in a modest increase in man-days and harvest on MDWFP Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), both reported and estimated harvest for the entire state were similar to recent years. Despite this, hunters had to work harder for the toms they brought home. Harvest per unit of effort reported by participants in the Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey fell to 2.7 toms taken per 100 hours hunted; this constituted the third lowest this value has measured in the past 25 years. Brood data and observations of juvenile gobblers suggests hunters in the northern half of the state should expect a 2021 spring like last year, whereas hunters further south may likely notice their local flocks have grown.

Given the wild turkey’s popularity in Mississippi, MDWFP devotes considerable resources to the bird’s management. Thirty-seven WMAs offer hunting opportunities to all those who seek it. Considerable resources are devoted to managing these lands for turkeys and other wildlife. The National Wild Turkey Foundation has begun projects in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service which will create better turkey habitat on popu- lar public hunting areas. Research has begun to evaluate Mississippi’s current spring season framework and estimate how changes to the season structure and bag limit may impact turkey numbers and hunter satisfaction. Despite many challenges, much work continues to occur in the Magnolia State to ensure the wild turkey will remain a prominent fixture of the state’s outdoor culture.

10 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Know your Wild TurkeySpittin’ & Drummin’ Considered among the grandest of game birds, the American wild turkey has many characteristics that distinguish it from other fowl. The unmistakable snood, caruncles, head coloring and beard truly set it apart.

BACK AND BODY TAIL FEATHERS OR RECTRICES FEATHERS There are usually 18 present, but a gobbler can lose a few when fighting. Provide insulation Tan- to brown-tipped on Eastern, Rio Grande and Osceola subspecies; ivory-tipped on Merriam’s and Gould’s. and shed water. When upraised they refract EAR OPENING sunlight to add to a No flap to funnel sounds, but a gobbler hears extremely well. strutting gobblers HEAD CROWN grandeur. Predominantly white during the spring, sometimes with a reddish tint. TAIL COVERTS Tip colors vary with EYE subspecies. Set into the side of the head for monocular vision; a slight turn of the head allows a 360-degree field BREAST FEATHERS of vision. Black tips give a gobbler a coal-black appearance. SNOOD Long and prominent on a mature PRIMARY WING gobbler, but no known function. FEATHERS Marked by distinctive MAJOR CARUNCLES white bars (less barring Large and fleshy. Engorged with blood during on the Osceola). Gobblers the spring. rub off wing tips with extended strutting. BEARD Three to 4 inches on a jake; SPUR 7 to 9 inches on a 2-year-old; Most spurs are black, some have red and 10 inches or longer on a 3-year-old gobbler. or blond tints. They appear as a short Thickness varies. Some gobblers have button on a jake; just less than a 1-inch multiple beards. straight spur on a 2-year-old; and as a FOOT 1 1 sharp, curved, 1-inch or longer spur on Three long toes. The middle toe measures 2 ⁄2 to 3 ⁄2 inches on a gobbler. a 3-year-old gobbler.

Know the Difference Between Hens & Gobblers It’s easy to distinguish a gobbler from a hen by differences in their size, color, heads and other characteristics.

FEATHERED HEAD SNOOD MINOR WHITE CROWN The hen’s overall look is CARUNCLES for concealment and SNOOD GRAY-BLUE protection. She is smaller VARIOUS COLOR The gobbler is most easily recognized by and more drab than the REDS, WHITES the long beard growing from his chest and colorful gobbler, so & BLUES the pronounced spurs, sometimes as long as 2 she can sit on her nest inches, found on the back of his legs. A gobbler DEWLAP HEN well camouflaged. appears larger, darker, shinier and more colorful GRAY-BROWN Likewise, her head

GOBBLER DEWLAP than a hen. His head can alternately appear red, MAJOR PLUMAGE CARUNCLES has more feathers to white and blue. He often “puffs up” and struts during CARUNCLES add to her camouflaged DARK PLUMAGE spring to attract hens for breeding. APPEARS TO BE BLACK appearance.

The American wild turkey now thrives in 49 states, Canada and Mexico thanks to the efforts of state wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its supporters!

Graphic used with permission from the NWTF. 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 11 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’

Mississippi Wild Turkey Population Statistics Based on Spring Gobbler Hunting and Brood Surveys

THE SPRING GOBBLER HUNTING SURVEY (SGHS) WAS INITIATED IN 1995 TO PROVIDE MISSISSIPPI Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) biological information about the state’s wild turkey resource. Each year, cooperating hunters record information about their spring gobbler hunts. The database obtained from this survey assists MDWFP in monitoring populations and making management decisions in the best interest of the turkey resource and turkey hunters. MDWFP appreciates the data collection efforts and comments from all hunters and hunting clubs who participate in the SGHS. All turkey hunters, regardless of their ability or experience, are encouraged to participate. This is an opportunity to be directly involved in the conservation and management of the wild turkey in Mississippi. An application for participation in the SGHS is provided at the end of this report.

Private land data from the 1995–2020 SGHSs are presented graphically in the following statewide and regional summaries. The remainder of this introduction describes how the data were collected and summarized, along with important points to consider during interpretation. Most parameters are expressed as an average number per every 10 or 100 hours of hunting. Standardizing values by a specific number of hours hunted allows the rates to be compared among regions and years, even though hunter effort varies.

Reproduction During June, July, and August, the annual wild turkey brood survey (initiated in 1994) is conducted by personnel from MDWFP, Mississippi Forestry Commission, U.S. Forest Service, and other cooperators. Brood surveys provide indices to reproduction and are valuable in monitoring turkey population trends. Hens observed with at least one poult are considered successful. Hens without poults are considered unsuccessful and either did not attempt to nest, abandoned their nest, lost their nest to predation or human disturbance or had no poults survive. Average brood size is the total number of poults divided by number of successful hens and is an index to poult survival. “Poults per total hens” is defined as the number of poults observed divided by total number of hens seen. “Poults per total hens” is the most practical reproductive index because it considers successful hens, unsuccessful hens and poult survival. Poults observed during the brood survey were assigned to an estimated age class which allowed for back dating the estimated incubation and hatch dates.

Turkey Observations Turkey observations are classified as gobblers, jakes, hens, or unknowns. Observation rates are reported as the average number of gobblers, jakes, or hens seen during 100 hours of hunting. Total observations combine all turkeys seen, including unknowns. Observation rates provide indices to sex ratios, gobbler age ratios, population size, and population trends. Jake observations reflect the recruitment of males into the population from the previous year’s hatch and provide an index to the potential number of 2-year-old gobblers in the population during the next spring turkey season.

12 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’

Gobbling Activity The number of individual gobblers heard and the total number of gobbles heard are used as indices to gobbling activity. Gobbling activity is reported as the average number of gobblers and gobbles heard during 10 hours of hunting. Gob- bling activity is considered an indicator of hunting quality and may show a trend reflecting the number of gobblers in the population.

Harvest Rates and Age Structure Harvest rates provide an index to hunter success and population size. Spur lengths generally increase with age and therefore provide an index to age structure of harvested gobblers. Spur lengths are classified into four length categories based on the longer of the two spur measurements for each harvested gobbler. Spurs less than half an inch long are classified as jakes or 1-year-old gobblers. Lengths between a half and one inch are generally 2-years-old. Gobblers with spurs one to one and a quarter inch are considered 3-years-old, while birds with spur lengths over inch and a quarter are considered 4-years-old or older. Monitoring spur length distribution should reflect changes in gobbler age structure over time. If age structure is increasing, a higher percentage of gobblers harvested should be in the larger spur length categories. Spur length distributions are used to monitor the impact of harvest on the gobbler population and to evaluate season lengths and bag limits.

Figure 1: Wild Turkey Management Regions of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

North

Delta

East-Central

Southwest CLARKE

Southeast

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 13 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’ Statewide BENTON DESOTO ALCORN MARSHALL TIPPAH

TATE PRENTISS TUNICA TISHOMINGO PANOLA UNION LEE STATEWIDE PRIVATE LAND DATA WERE COLLECTED DURING THE 2020 ITAWAMBA LAFAYETTE PONTOTOC

COAHOMA QUITMAN

YALOBUSHA CALHOUN season by more than 61 hunting clubs and approximately 476 individual TALLAHATCHIE CHICKASAW MONROE

BOLIVAR GRENADA CLAY SUNFLOWER WEBSTER LEFLORE MONT- hunters participating in the Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey. GOMERY LOWNDES CARROLL CHOCTAW OKTIBBEHA

WASHINGTON HUMPHREYS HOLMES NOXUBEE ATTALA WINSTON

NESHOBA SHARKEY YAZOO LEAKE KEMPER

ISSAQUENA MADISON

NEWTON WARREN SCOTT LAUDERDALE HINDS Reproduction RANKIN SMITH CLARKE JASPER During the summer of 2020, the MDWFP and its part- CLAIBORNE COPIAH SIMPSON

JEFFERSON COVINGTON WAYNE JONES ners observed 1,755 total hens during the annual turkey LINCOLN FRANKLIN JEFF DAVIS LAWRENCE FORREST ADAMS PERRY MARION brood survey. Approximately 43% of these were seen with LAMAR GREENE AMITE PIKE WILKINSON WALTHALL

GEORGE young, a nearly 10% increase in nest success over the PEARL STONE RIVER

JACKSON previous summer. A total of 2,897 poults were observed, HARRISON HANCOCK translating into 1.7 poults per total hens (PPH; Figure 2). This value was 13% above the 5-year average. The average brood contained approximately 4 poults. More so than most years, the 2020 hatch varied dramatically across the state, with east-central and southeast Mississippi, along 2.7 with portions of the Delta, showing strong reproduction, 2.6 2.3 2.3 while northern and southwestern regions faltered. 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 Harvest Rates & Age Structure 1.4 1.4 In 2020, statewide hunter success was the second lowest 1.3 1.1 recorded in the 26-year history of the SGHS. For every 1.0 100 hours hunted, participants bagged 2.7 gobblers (Fig- ure 3). This was 10% fewer than the 5-year average and Hen Poults Per 23% below the long-term average. Statewide, 711 gobblers were harvested by SGHS hunters. The percentage

of older gobblers in the harvest declined from 57% of the 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 total in 2019 to 53% in 2020 (Figure 4).

Figure 2: Statewide poults per total hens.

5 4.7 100% 6 7 7 4.5 9 8 11 9 8 10 10 8 9 10 4.4 15 12 15 12 12 15 12 12 12 13 13 12 12 4.2 90% 4.0 4 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.8 80% 3.6 3.6 33 3.5 34 35 3.4 3.4 3.4 39 39 38 3.3 70% 37 44 40 40 45 42 38 3.2 3.2 42 43 39 42 41 3.1 43 38 43 41 45 3.0 42 41 45 2.9 2.9 2.9 3 2.8 60% 2.7 2.5 50%

40% 42 2 48 30% 57 PERCENT OF HARVEST 51 50 52 50 49 49 45 45 48 47 48 48 44 45 46 43 43 45 44 45 20% 41 40 42 1 SPUR LENGTH CLASSES HARVEST PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER HARVEST 10% 19 9 1 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1

0% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0.1-0.5" 0.5-1.0" 1.0-1.25" >1.25" Figure 3: Statewide harvest per 100 hours hunted. Figure 4: Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested statewide.

14 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Statewide Spittin’ & Drummin’ Gobbling Activity The average number of individual gobblers heard per 10 hours hunted fell to its lowest statewide value since 1996 (4.3; Figure 5). This was about 10% below the 5-year average. Conversely, the total number of gobbles heard changed little, with hunters hearing about 60 total gobbles per 10 hours hunted. Gobbling activity peaked relatively early in the season. The total number of individual gobblers heard was highest (7.1 per 10 hours hunted) during the youth week (7–14 March). During the regular season, both the number of gobblers and gobbles heard peaked at 4.8 and 68.5 per 10 hours hunted, respectively, during the week of March 29th to April 4th (Figure 6).

100 10 80 8

80 8 60 6

60 6

40 4

40 4 Gobblers Gobbles Gobbles Gobblers 20 2 20 2

Figure 5: Statewide gobblers & gobbles heard per 10 Figure 6: Statewide gobblers & gobbles heard per hours hunted by year. 10 hours hunted by week.

Turkey Observations After holding relatively steady for the prior four seasons, total turkey sightings dropped nearly 20% in 2020. Hunters saw about 63 total turkeys, including 25 gobblers (including jakes) and 32 hens, per 10 hours hunted (Figure 7). Jake observations also declined. Hunters only saw 10.5 jakes per 10 hours hunted as compared to an average of 14 with the same amount of effort during the preceding five years (Figure 8). 160 25

140 20.6 20.0 120 20 18.8 18.7 18.4 17.8 17.6 17.3 16.9 16.6 100 16.6 14.5 15 14.3 14.3 13.9 13.8 13.5

80 13.1 12.9 11.9 11.3

60 10.5 9.6

10 9.3 8.5 40 7.19

20 5 OBSERVATIONS PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER OBSERVATIONS Jake Observations Hunted Observations Hours Jake 100 Per 2000 2002 2005 2017 2020 2011 2014 2016 2019 2007 2018 1997 2013 2010 2001 2004 1996 1999 2006 2008 2009 1998 2003 2015 0 2012 1995

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Gobblers (Includes Jakes) Hens Total (Includes Unknowns)

Figure 7: Statewide turkey observations per 100 Figure 8: Statewide jake observations per 100 hours hunted. hours hunted.

2021 Season Forecast In most years, the incoming 2-year-old gobbler cohort is the key determinant for what kind of turkey season may be at hand. Available data suggests for most of the state this incoming gobbler group will be smaller in 2021. Coming on the heels of a lackluster 2019 hatch, all regions of Mississippi saw jake observations drop in 2020. In most areas, jakes observations were in the bottom fifth of rates recorded since the SGHS’s inception. Based on these numbers, most Mississippi hunters should prepare themselves for fewer gobblers in 2021. The exception may be southeast Mis- sissippi, where data suggests turkey populations are rallying thanks to two very good hatches in the last three years.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 15 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’ Turkey Region 1 TURKEY REGION 1 CONSISTS OF 21 COUNTIES IN NORTH-CENTRAL

BENTON DESOTO ALCORN MARSHALL and northeast Mississippi. The two primary forest types in Region 1 are oak- TIPPAH TATE PRENTISS TUNICA TISHOMINGO PANOLA UNION LEE ITAWAMBA hickory and oak-pine. The oak-hickory forest type is located on the western LAFAYETTE PONTOTOC

COAHOMA QUITMAN

YALOBUSHA CALHOUN side of the region and in association with the Blackland Prairie. While this TALLAHATCHIE CHICKASAW MONROE BOLIVAR GRENADA CLAY SUNFLOWER WEBSTER LEFLORE MONT- GOMERY forest type is dominated by various oaks and hickories, it also includes LOWNDES CARROLL CHOCTAW OKTIBBEHA

WASHINGTON HUMPHREYS HOLMES NOXUBEE beech, black cherry, and yellow poplar. The oak-pine forest type runs along ATTALA WINSTON NESHOBA SHARKEY YAZOO LEAKE KEMPER the Alabama state line and in the central portion of the region. Here, upland ISSAQUENA MADISON NEWTON WARREN SCOTT LAUDERDALE HINDS RANKIN oaks comprise about 50% of the forest community and are mixed with mi- SMITH CLARKE JASPER CLAIBORNE COPIAH SIMPSON

JEFFERSON COVINGTON nor amounts of loblolly and shortleaf pines. WAYNE JONES LINCOLN FRANKLIN WRENCE JEFF DAVIS LA FORREST ADAMS PERRY MARION LAMAR GREENE AMITE PIKE WILKINSON WALTHALL

GEORGE PEARL STONE RIVER

JACKSON HARRISON Reproduction HANCOCK Last summer, turkey reproduction improved slightly in northern Mississippi. Eight-hundred forty-seven hens were observed with 1,149 poults. Approximately 41% of the hens were accompanied by a brood. Nonetheless, at 1.4 PPH (Figure 9), overall reproduction still lagged the region’s long-term average (1.8 PPH) and was probably insufficient for population growth. 3.4 3.2 3.0

2.6 2.4 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 Harvest Rates & Age Structure 2.2

Harvest rates in 2020 were the second lowest on record 1.9 1.8 1.6 for Region 1. Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey participants 1.6 1.5 1.4 took 2.6 toms per 100 hours hunted (Figure 10). This was 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.1 1.1 roughly 20% under the 5-year average. Following several 0.9 0.9 1.0 Poults Per Hen Poults Per 0.9 years of suppressed reproduction, 2-year-old gobblers, or those with ½ to 1-inch spurs, declined from slightly over half the harvest to only 44%. “Limb hanger” gobblers ≥1¼ inch spurs accounted for 1 in every 10 (Figure 11). 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Figure 9: Region 1 poults per total hens.

7 100% 0 2 6 4 4 6 6 6 5 5 9 7 7 8 10 8 8 10 10 10 10 13 11 14 11 11 6 90% 24

80% 31 33 5.1 31 38 34 5 37 35 43 38 42 42 34 39 43 45 70% 38 44 38 38 4.5 39 42 44 4.3 46 4.2 47 60% 4 38 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 70 3.3 50% 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.0 3.0 3.0 37 3 2.9 2.9 2.8 40% 2.5 2.6 46 65 30% 58 53 59 54 49 57

PERCENT OF HARVEST 51 50 2 51 53 52 51 51 48 51 49 45 51 43 44 20% 37 38 SPUR LENGTH CLASSES 28 HARVEST PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER HARVEST 1 10% 17 17

0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 4 0 2 2 1 2 2

0% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 0 2016 2017 2018 2019 0 2020 0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0.1-0.5" 0.5-1.0" 1.0-1.25" >1.25"

Figure 10: Region 1 harvest per 100 hours hunted. Figure 11: Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 1.

16 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Region 1 Spittin’ & Drummin’ Gobbling Activity As with many other indices from northern Mississippi, gobbling activity dropped considerably in 2020. Hunters heard an average of 3.5 individual gobblers and 47.5 total gobbles per 100 hours hunted (Figure 12). This was the fewest individual gobblers heard since 1996. Within the 2020 season, gobbling activity had a pronounced midseason peak. During the week of April 5 – 11, hunters heard 4.3 individual gobblers and 62.4 total gobbles per 10 hours hunted (Figure 13).

80 8 80 8

60 6 60 6

40 4 40 4 Gobbles Gobbles Gobblers 20 2 20 2 Gobblers

Figure 12: Region 1 gobblers & gobbles heard per Figure 13: Region 1 gobblers & gobbles heard per 10 Hhours hunted by year. 10 hours hunted by week.

Turkey Observations Turkey observations in Region 1 were similar to recent years. For every 100 hours hunted, SGHS participants observed 94 turkeys, of which 31 were gobblers and 56 were hens (Figure 14). Jake sightings, while still 20% below the 5-year average, increased slightly to 15 seen per 10 hours hunted (Figure 15).

200 40 37.0 180 35 160 32.1 30 140 27.7 25 120 25 21.4 21.3 21.1 21.0 20.6

100 19.7

20 18.7 18.0 17.9 17.9 17.9 16.9 16.7

80 16 15.4 15.0 14.4

15 13.6

60 12.3 12.0 11.7 10.4 40 10

Observations 100 Per Hours Hunted 5 2007 2001 2004 2010 2006 2008 2009 2003 2000 2015 2012 2017 1995 2002 2005 2020 2011 2014 2016 2019 2018

0 1997 2013 1996 1999 1998 OBSERVATIONS PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER OBSERVATIONS

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Gobblers (Includes Jakes) Hens Total (Includes Unknowns)

Figure 14: Region 1 turkey observations per 100 Figure 15: Region 1 jake observations per 100 hours hunted. hours hunted.

2021 Season Forecast Mississippi’s north-central counties are home to some of its most abundant turkey populations and this trend is not likely to change anytime soon. Nonetheless, brood surveys have suggested poor reproduction in three of the last five years. Jake observations from 2019 and 2020 were the lowest combined two-year stretch in the region’s history. Last season’s Spittin’ and Drummin’ forecast predicted hunters in northeast Mississippi should anticipate a chal- lenging spring. The 2021 forecast suggests more of the same. The 2021 harvest should be below what hunters in the region have come to expect, although it may offer a slight improvement over 2020.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 17 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’ Turkey Region 2

BENTON DESOTO ALCORN MARSHALL TIPPAH

TATE PRENTISS TUNICA TURKEY REGION 2 COMPRISES THE TEN DELTA COUNTIES AND IS SUBJECT TO TISHOMINGO PANOLA UNION LEE ITAWAMBA LAFAYETTE PONTOTOC extensive, annual spring flooding that has a major impact on turkey reproduction. The COAHOMA QUITMAN YALOBUSHA CALHOUN TALLAHATCHIE CHICKASAW MONROE dominant forest type in the Delta is oak-gum-cypress. This region can be subdivid- BOLIVAR GRENADA CLAY SUNFLOWER WEBSTER LEFLORE MONT- GOMERY LOWNDES ed into the batture lands (west of the mainline Mississippi River levee) and the inte- CARROLL CHOCTAW OKTIBBEHA WASHINGTON HUMPHREYS HOLMES NOXUBEE rior floodplain. The batture area is dominated by sugarberry, sycamore, cottonwood, ATTALA WINSTON NESHOBA SHARKEY YAZOO LEAKE KEMPER sweetgum, elm, and cypress. Pecan is the only hard mast producer of any significance. ISSAQUENA MADISON NEWTON WARREN SCOTT LAUDERDALE

HINDS RANKIN The interior Delta consists of extensive agricultural areas containing fragmented hard- SMITH CLARKE JASPER CLAIBORNE COPIAH SIMPSON

wood forests interspersed with cypress swamps. The major tree species include over- JEFFERSON COVINGTON WAYNE JONES LINCOLN FRANKLIN WRENCE JEFF DAVIS LA FORREST ADAMS PERRY cup oak, nuttall oak, water oak, green ash, sweetgum and cottonwood. MARION LAMAR GREENE AMITE PIKE WILKINSON WALTHALL

GEORGE PEARL STONE RIVER Region 2 is unique in that most of the turkey habitat in the interior Delta is on public JACKSON HARRISON lands (national forest, wildlife management areas, and wildlife refuges), and the vast HANCOCK majority of the private land habitat is located in the batture lands west of the Mississippi River levee. Therefore, data from the annual brood survey is biased by the majority of turkey observations coming from public lands in the interior Delta, while all the other information in this section is almost exclusively from private lands between the levees.

Reproduction Only 32 hens were observed in the Delta as part of the 2020 brood survey. This constituted a very low sample 3.3 size from which to draw any conclusions about the re- 3.2 gion’s hatch, nonetheless, over half the observed hens

2.6 2.6 had broods, yielding a 3.2 PPH ratio (Figure 16). 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.0 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.6

1.3 1.3 Harvest Rates & Age Structure 1.2 1.2

Only 3% of all statewide SGHS hunts occurred in the Hen Poults Per

Delta, yielding a limited sample which may bias indices 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 derived from this region’s data. Nonetheless, hunters who 0.4 0.1 0.1 recorded data had a good year. Delta hunters tallied 3.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 harvests per 100 hours hunted (Figure 17). This figure is 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 the highest since 2014 and is over 30% above the 5-year average. Of the 36 harvests logged for the region, half (50%) had spurs between ½ and 1-inch (Figure 18). Figure 16: Region 2 poults per total hens.

7 100% 0 0 0 5 7 7 6 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 11 10 11 11 11 15 16 16 17 17 17 6 90% 20 14 80% 5.0 35 30 48 49 5 34 44 44 42 38 33 70% 39 40 4.5 44 31 4.4 38 48 33 54 4.2 44 51 51 46 4.1 60% 82 4 3.8 52 3.7 3.5 50% 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.0 3 2.8 40% 80 2.7 55 2.5 2.2 2.2 30% 57 52 61 2.1 59 54 56 50 1.9 PERCENT OF HARVEST 44 51 49 50 52 51 49 50 2 37 44 20% 32 41 1.5 37 36 38

SPUR LENGTH CLASSES 31 1.1 HARVEST PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER HARVEST 10% 18 1 2 4 3 4 4 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 0 2014 2015 0 2016 0 2017 0 2018 0 2019 2020 0

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0.1-0.5" 0.5-1.0" 1.0-1.25" >1.25"

Figure 17: Region 2 harvest per 100 hours hunted. Figure 18: Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 2.

18 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Region 2 Spittin’ & Drummin’ Gobbling Activity Despite the marked increase in harvest rate, Delta gobbling activity plummeted in 2020. The average number of gobblers heard was cut in half from 5.6 gobblers per 10 hours hunted in 2019 to only 3.3 in 2020. The total number of gobbles heard also declined nearly 30% to 53 per 10 hours hunted (Figure 19). Gobbling activity peaked during the third week of the regular season (29 March – 04 April). The number of individual gobblers heard also rose sharply at this time and remained relatively stable through mid-April (Figure 20).

100 10 100 10

80 8 80 8

60 6 60 6

40 4 40 4 Gobbles Gobbles Gobblers Gobblers 20 2 20 2

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 0 0 0 YOUTH MARCH MARCH MAR 29 - APRIL APRIL APRIL APR 26 - WEEK 15 - 21 22 - 28 APR 4 5 - 11 12 - 18 19 - 25 MAY 1 Gobbles Gobblers Gobbles Gobblers Figure 19: Region 2 gobblers & gobbles heard per Figure 20: Region 2 gobblers & gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year. 10 hours hunted by week.

Turkey Observations Following the heels of 2019’s record flood, total turkey sightings crashed in 2020. Delta hunters averaged 48 turkey sightings per 100 hours hunted (Figure 21). This was only 44% of the 5-year average (108 per 100 hours hunted) and the second lowest value on record. Jake sightings were also very low. Hunters only saw 4.5 per 100 hours hunted (Figure 22). This was an 80% decline from the previous year.

180 70

160 60 59.7 140 50 120

100 40 37.8 34.9 80

30 28.5 25.1 60 24.6 22.4 21.9

20 18.9 16.6 40 16.4 15.6 15.2 14.3 14.0 14.0 12.7 11.7 11.3 20 10 6.1 Observations 100 Per Hours Hunted 5.7 5.4 5.1 4.5 3.6 1.9 OBSERVATIONS PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER OBSERVATIONS 2000 2002 2005 2017 2020 2011 2014 2016 2019 2007 2018 1997 2013 2001 2004 2010 1996 1999 2006 2008 2009 0 1998 2003 2015 2012 1995

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Gobblers (Includes Jakes) Hens Total (Includes Unknowns) Figure 21: Region 2 turkey observations per 100 Figure 22: Region 2 jake observations per 100 hours hunted. hours hunted. 2021 Season Forecast A great unknown coming into last spring was the effect the record-setting 2019 flood would have on the standing turkey flock. Floodwaters obviously impact nesting and reproduction, but generally do not influence survival of adult birds. However, the 2019 flood was unique and kept large swaths of the Batture and the south Delta inundated for over eight months. Based on data collected from SGHS participants in 2020, it appears the 2019 flood wreaked havoc on the population. The 51% drop in total turkey sightings from 2019 to 2020 is a strong indicator that Delta populations were decimated by the flood. This, in combination with a near complete reproductive failure, spells trouble for Delta hunters in 2021. One silver lining is that last summer’s hatch seems better, which may provide some boost, however, brood survey sample size was limited, and results should be viewed appropriately. 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 19 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’ Turkey Region 3

BENTON DESOTO ALCORN MARSHALL TIPPAH

TATE PRENTISS TUNICA

TURKEY REGION 3 IS THE 21 COUNTY AREA LOCATED IN EAST-CENTRAL TISHOMINGO PANOLA UNION LEE ITAWAMBA LAFAYETTE PONTOTOC Mississippi. The two major forest types in this region are loblolly-shortleaf pine, COAHOMA QUITMAN YALOBUSHA CALHOUN TALLAHATCHIE CHICKASAW MONROE

BOLIVAR GRENADA CLAY

which occurs on the drier, more sandy soils, and oak-pine. Loblolly and short- SUNFLOWER WEBSTER LEFLORE MONT- GOMERY LOWNDES leaf pines constitute more than 50% of the commercial trees in this forest CARROLL CHOCTAW OKTIBBEHA WASHINGTON HUMPHREYS HOLMES NOXUBEE ATTALA WINSTON

NESHOBA SHARKEY type. Upland hardwoods, primarily various oaks and hickories, make up the LEAKE KEMPER YAZOO

ISSAQUENA MADISON

NEWTON rest of the forest community. In the oak-pine type, upland oaks make up more WARREN SCOTT LAUDERDALE HINDS RANKIN SMITH CLARKE JASPER than 50% of the trees with the remaining species including hickories, sweet- CLAIBORNE COPIAH SIMPSON

JEFFERSON COVINGTON WAYNE JONES LINCOLN gum, black gum, loblolly, and shortleaf pines. FRANKLIN WRENCE JEFF DAVIS LA FORREST ADAMS PERRY MARION LAMAR GREENE AMITE PIKE WILKINSON WALTHALL

GEORGE PEARL STONE RIVER

JACKSON HARRISON HANCOCK Reproduction East-central Mississippi posted a very solid hatch during 2020. A total of 488 hens were observed in the region as a part of MDWFP’s brood survey. Of these, 47% were accompanied by poults, yielding 1.9 PPH (Figure 23), which is above the 5-year average. Observed broods were com- posed of roughly 4 poults.

2.7 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 Harvest Rates & Age Structure 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.0 Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey participants spent over 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 9,500 hours afield in East-central Mississippi during 2020. 1.6 1.5 They took 227 gobblers, yielding 2.5 gobblers per 100 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 hours (Figure 24). While like the previous year, this was 1.0 10% below the 5-year average. Gobblers with character- Hen Poults Per istics indicative 2-year-olds (spurs between ½ and 1-inch) jumped from 39% of the harvest in 2019 to 47% in 2020.

The proportion of gobblers with spurs ≥1¼ inch was like 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 recent years (Figure 25).

Figure 23: Region 3 poults per total hens.

100% 6 7 7 10 8 11 11 9 8 11 8 9 12 13 14 14 15 12 12 12 12 14 12 13 13 6 90% 17

5.3 80% 32 5 4.7 34 36 35 35 70% 35 44 37 43 41 36 4.5 40 40 45 39 4.3 33 37 38 38 4.2 47 46 45 4.1 47 42 47 4.0 46 3.9 60% 4 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.3 3.3 3.3 50% 3.1 3.0 2.9 3 2.9 2.9 40% 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.5 40 2.3 46 60 30% 46 54 PERCENT OF HARVEST 50 55 52 2 49 50 48 50 47 48 48 45 46 47 47 20% 38 36 40 42 42 42 39 SPUR LENGTH CLASSES

HARVEST PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER HARVEST 10% 1 16 7 10 2 1 2 0 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1

0% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 0 2017 0 2018 2019 2020

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0.1-0.5" 0.5-1.0" 1.0-1.25" >1.25"

Figure 24: Region 3 harvest per 100 hours hunted. Figure 25: Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 3.

20 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Region 3 Spittin’ & Drummin’ Gobbling Activity During 2020, hunters in Region 3 heard roughly 4 gobblers and 53 total gobbles per 10 hours hunted (Figure 26). Both these values were equivalent to recent years. The number of individual gobblers heard was greatest during the youth week (7 – 14 March), although overall gobbling activity appeared to have two mid-season peaks from March 29th to April 4th and again from the 12th to the 18th of April (Figure 27).

120 12 80 8

100 10

60 6 80 8

60 6 40 4

40 4 Gobblers Gobbles Gobblers Gobbles 20 2 20 2

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 0 0 0 YOUTH MARCH MARCH MAR 29 - APRIL APRIL APRIL APR 26 - WEEK 15 - 21 22 - 28 APR 4 5 - 11 12 - 18 19 - 25 MAY 1 Gobbles Gobblers Gobbles Gobblers Figure 26: Region 3 gobblers & gobbles heard per Figure 27: Region 3 gobblers & gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year. 10 hours hunted by week.

Turkey Observations Overall turkey observations in East-central Mississippi fell during 2020. Hunters saw 54 total turkeys, including 27 hens and 23 gobblers for every 100 hours afield (Figure 28). These values were 20-30% below the averages of the prior decade. Observations of young gobblers were also down in 2020. Just under 9 jakes were seen per 100 hours hunted (Figure 29). This was the least number of jakes seen since 2014.

160 25

140 20.5 20 18.9 18.6

120 18.3 17.8 17.6 17.3 17.3 15.7

100 15.1 15 15.0 13.5 12.9 12.7 12.5

80 12.3 11.9 11.8 11.1 11.0 10.7 10.3 60

10 9.1 8.6 7.0 40 6.9

5 20

OBSERVATIONS PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER OBSERVATIONS 0 2000 2002 2005 2017 2020 2011 2014 2016 2019 2007 2018 1997 2013 2010 2001 2004 1996 1999 2006 2008 2009 1998 2003 2015 2012 1995 Jake Observations Hunted Observations Hours Jake 100 Per

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Gobblers (Includes Jakes) Hens Total (Includes Unknowns)

Figure 28: Region 3 turkey observations per 100 Figure 29: Region 3 jake observations per 100 hours hunted. hours hunted.

2021 Season Forecast Following a good 2020 hatch, hunters should encounter more birds across central Mississippi this spring. While this news is the upside of 2021, the downside is that carryover from last season was poor with a greatly reduced class of incoming 2-year-olds. The combination of these two datapoints suggest the number of mature, legal gobblers will probably decline and most birds hunters encounter will be older toms. With an abundance of young hens and fewer subordinate gobblers around, central Mississippi’s turkey hunters should expect frustrations.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 21 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’ Turkey Region 4

BENTON DESOTO ALCORN MARSHALL TIPPAH

TATE PRENTISS TUNICA TISHOMINGO TWELVE COUNTIES IN THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE STATE PANOLA UNION LEE ITAWAMBA LAFAYETTE PONTOTOC

COAHOMA QUITMAN

comprise Turkey Region 4. The oak-hickory forest type is located along YALOBUSHA CALHOUN TALLAHATCHIE CHICKASAW MONROE

BOLIVAR GRENADA CLAY SUNFLOWER WEBSTER the loess hills bordering the Mississippi River floodplain. Adjacent to the LEFLORE MONT- GOMERY LOWNDES CARROLL CHOCTAW OKTIBBEHA

WASHINGTON HUMPHREYS loess hills is a narrow transition zone consisting of the oak-pine forest HOLMES NOXUBEE ATTALA WINSTON

NESHOBA SHARKEY YAZOO LEAKE KEMPER

type. The eastern and southern section of the region is made up of the ISSAQUENA MADISON

NEWTON WARREN SCOTT LAUDERDALE loblolly-shortleaf pine forest community. Descriptions for these forest HINDS RANKIN SMITH CLARKE JASPER types are provided in previous regions. CLAIBORNE COPIAH SIMPSON JEFFERSON COVINGTON WAYNE JONES LINCOLN FRANKLIN WRENCE JEFF DAVIS LA FORREST ADAMS PERRY MARION LAMAR GREENE AMITE PIKE WILKINSON WALTHALL

GEORGE PEARL STONE RIVER

JACKSON HARRISON HANCOCK Reproduction During the 2020 brood survey, 197 hens were observed in southwest Mississippi. Approximately 34% of these had a brood. A total of 273 poults were seen, yielding 1.4 PPH (Figure 30). This value was nearly 30% under the 5-year average. 3.8

2.7

2.3 2.1 2.1 Harvest Rates & Age Structure 2.1 2.1 2.0 In 2020, harvest rates for Region 4 increased over the pre- 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.7 vious year. Hunters brought home 3.1 gobblers per 100 1.5 1.5 hours hunted (Figure 31). This value was near average for 1.4 1.2 1.0 1.0

recent years. Most gobblers taken in the region were from Hen Poults Per 0.8 older age classes. Sixty-one percent had spurs at least 1-inch (Figure 32). 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Figure 30: Region 4 poults per total hens.

7 100% 7 6 6 7 9 11 10 12 10 8 9 10 11 9 13 15 16 16 16 13 14 6 90% 20 17 18 17 17

5.3 80% 32 5 34 34 4.7 35 44 70% 38 39 44 47 42 43 52 44 4.3 44 48 37 4.2 43 42 39 43 48 41 47 4.1 42 45 3.9 3.9 4.0 60% 4 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.7 45 3.6 3.5 3.3 50% 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.1 3 2.8 40% 40 2.6 2.6 41 30% 44 PERCENT OF HARVEST 55 51 50 47 2 48 49 42 44 45 42 46 40 47 40 20% 42 41 40 40 41 38 36 38 SPUR LENGTH CLASSES 32

10% 16 21

HARVVEST PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HUNTED HOURS 100 PER HARVVEST 1 7 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 2 1 0 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 2

0% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0.1-0.5" 0.5-1.0" 1.0-1.25" >1.25"

Figure 31: Region 4 harvest per 100 hours hunted. Figure 32: Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 4.

22 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Region 4 Spittin’ & Drummin’ Gobbling Activity Although the average number of gobblers heard (5.9 per 10 hours hunted) was like recent years, the number of total gobbles heard increased to just under 90 per 10 hours hunted (Figure 33). The youth week (7 – 14 March) exhibited substantially greater gobbling activity than at any other point within the season. During that week, hunters in southwest Mississippi heard roughly 11 individual gobblers gobble 117 times (Figure 34). Beyond the youth week, the third week of the regular season (29 March – 4 April) offered a secondary peak of gobbling.

120 12 120 12

100 10 100 10

80 8 80 8

60 6 60 6

40 4 40 4 Gobbles Gobbles Gobblers Gobblers

20 2 20 2

Figure 33: Region 4 gobblers & gobbles heard per Figure 34: Region 4 gobblers & gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year. 10 hours hunted by week.

Turkey Observations Turkey observations in Region 4 have been generally declining for the past seven years. Correspondingly, total turkey sightings dipped in 2020 to 48 turkeys observed per 100 hours hunted (Figure 35). This was the lowest observation rate since 1996. Jake sightings were also dramatically reduced to 8.4 per 100 hours hunted (Figure 36). This was more than 30% below the average of the prior decade.

160 30

140 25.5 25 120 20.1

20 18.9 18.5

100 18.4 17.2 17.2 16.4

80 15.3 14.7 14.2

15 13.9 13.1 12.9 12.0 11.7 11.6

60 11.3 11.2 10.7 9.4

10 9.0 8.4 40 8.2 6.9 5.1 20 5 OBSERVATIONS PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER OBSERVATIONS 2000 2020 2005 2017 2002 2011 2014 2016 2018 2019 1997 2007 2013 2001 2010 2004 2006 2009

0 1996 1998 1999 2008 2003 2012 2015 1995 Jake Observations Hunted Observations Hours Jake 100 Per

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Gobblers (Includes Jakes) Hens Total (Includes Unknowns)

Figure 35: Region 4 turkey observations per 100 Figure 36: Region 4 jake observations per 100 hours hunted. hours hunted.

2021 Season Forecast Three summers ago, southwest Mississippi posted one of its best hatches in years. This cohort of gobblers from the 2018 hatch translated into higher harvest rates last year. Despite this, overall turkey numbers sank and jake sightings were below average. These conditions suggest the fate of the 2021 season in Region 4 will likely depend heavily upon carryover of 3-year-old gobblers. Sightings from summer surveys suggest Region 4 fared well in gobbler carryover, nevertheless, chances are good that 2021 will be an average season at best for hunters in the southwestern corner of the Magnolia State.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 23 Population Statistics Spittin’ & Drummin’ Turkey Region 5 BENTON DESOTO ALCORN MARSHALL TIPPAH

TATE PRENTISS TUNICA TISHOMINGO PANOLA UNION LEE TURKEY REGION 5 CONSISTS OF 18 COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST ITAWAMBA LAFAYETTE PONTOTOC

COAHOMA QUITMAN

YALOBUSHA CALHOUN Mississippi. Forests in Region 5 are dominated by longleaf and slash pine. TALLAHATCHIE CHICKASAW MONROE BOLIVAR GRENADA CLAY SUNFLOWER WEBSTER LEFLORE MONT- GOMERY This habitat type includes the pine flatwoods of the coastal counties and LOWNDES CARROLL CHOCTAW OKTIBBEHA

WASHINGTON HUMPHREYS HOLMES NOXUBEE the adjoining, rolling, pine hills. Longleaf pine and slash pine compose at ATTALA WINSTON NESHOBA SHARKEY YAZOO LEAKE KEMPER least 50% of the forest community. Other common tree species include ISSAQUENA MADISON NEWTON WARREN SCOTT LAUDERDALE

HINDS RANKIN dogwood, beech, magnolia, and sweet bay along creek bottoms and SMITH CLARKE JASPER CLAIBORNE COPIAH SIMPSON

blackjack oak, post oak, and southern red oak on drier sites. JEFFERSON COVINGTON WAYNE JONES LINCOLN FRANKLIN WRENCE JEFF DAVIS LA FORREST ADAMS PERRY MARION LAMAR GREENE AMITE PIKE WILKINSON WALTHALL

GEORGE PEARL STONE RIVER

JACKSON HARRISON HANCOCK Reproduction Results from MDWFP’s brood survey suggest southeast Mississippi produced its second bumper hatch in the past three years during the summer of 2020. Over half of the 164 hens observed during the survey period were accompanied by a brood. Three hundred eighty-eight total poults were seen, yield 2.4 PPH (Figure 37). This was above the 5-year average and well beyond the rate considered necessary to fuel population growth. On average, 3.7 most broods contained approximately 5 poults. 3.6 3.5

2.9 2.8

2.6 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.4 Harvest Rates & Age Structure 2.3 2.1 During 2020, hunters in southeast Mississippi harvest- 2.0 2.1

1.7 1.8 1.8 ed 2.3 gobblers per 100 hours hunted (Figure 38). This 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 was a full gobbler below the 2019 average for the same 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.1 amount of effort and was a lower harvest rate than any 1.1 Poults Per Hen Poults Per other region in 2020. Ninety-two total gobblers were taken 0.8 by SGHS participants. Of these, 54% were likely 2-year- olds with between ½ and 1-inch spurs. The percentage

of “limb hanger” gobblers with ≥1¼ spurs shrank to less 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 than 10% of the harvest (Figure 39).

Figure 37: Region 5 poults per total hens.

100% 3 4 3 5 6 4 7 6.1 9 9 9 9 11 9 10 8 11 9 14 12 14 13 15 6 90% 18 17 17 5.6 5.4 26 30 80% 43 33 5 41 34 34 30 44 31 25 38 39 37 38 36 70% 50 43 4.4 4.4 4.4 40 52 4.3 40 34 42 40 4.1 4.1 44 60% 48 4 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.6 50% 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.1 53 2.9 29 3 2.8 40% 2.6 2.5 2.5 59 2.3 62 56 62 2.2 PERCENT OF HARVEST 30% 56 56 58 0 53 53 51 53 53 53 54 2 46 35 45 45 48 48 42 45 SPUR LENGTH CLASSES 20% 39 32 28

HARVEST PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HUNTED HOURS 100 PER HARVEST 10% 18 1 7 7 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 4 2 1 3 3 1

0% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 0 2009 0 2010 0 2011 0 2012 2013 0 2014 2015 2016 0 2017 0 2018 0 2019 2020

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

0.1-0.5" 0.5-1.0" 1.0-1.25" >1.25"

Figure 38: Region 5 harvest per 100 hours hunted. Figure 39: Spur length distributions from gobblers harvested in Region 5.

24 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Region 5 Spittin’ & Drummin’ Gobbling Activity The number of individual gobblers heard in Region 5 has held relatively stable since 2006. Hunters heard 3.8 gobblers and 51.0 total gobbles per 100 hours hunted in 2020, which were both down slightly from 2019, but in line with the recent average (Figure 40). The number of individual gobblers hunters heard exhibited a declining trend throughout the 2020 season. Hunters heard the most individual gobblers (3.9 per 100 hours hunted) during the youth week (7 – 14 March) and the fewest (3.0 per 100 hours hunted) during the final week (26 April – 1 May; Figure 41). Overall gobbling peaked midseason (29 March – 4 April) with 55.3 gobbles heard per 100 hours hunted.

100 10 60 6

80 8

40 4 60 6

40 4

20 2 Gobblers Gobbles Gobbles Gobblers 20 2

Figure 40: Region 5 gobblers & gobbles heard per Figure 41: Region 5 gobblers & gobbles heard per 10 hours hunted by year. 10 hours hunted by week.

Turkey Observations After a 2-year spike in 2018 and 2019, total turkey observations in Region 5 dropped nearly 25% in 2020. Hunters saw 62 total turkeys, including 31 hens and 27 gobblers per 100 hours hunted (Figure 42). Jake observations also declined from the previous year to 12.5 observed per 100 hours hunted (Figure 43), however, this value was still better than 6 of the past 10 years.

160 35

140 30.1 30

120

25 23.7 100 21.5

20 18.8 18.1 80 18.1 17.2 17.1 16.6

15 14.2 60 13.6 13.1 12.8 12.7 12.5 12.2 11.9 11.3 11.0

40 10.0

10 8.9 8.5 8.1 8.1 7.9 7.7 20 5 2000 2005 2017 2002 2020 2011 2014 2018 2016 2019 1997 2007 2013 2001 2010 2004 2006 2009 1996 1998 1999 2008 2003 2015 0 2012 1995 OBSERVATIONS PER 100 HOURS HUNTED HOURS 100 PER OBSERVATIONS Jake Observations Observations HOurs Hunted Jake 100 Per

0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Gobblers (Includes Jakes) Hens Total (Includes Unknowns) Figure 42: Region 5 turkey observations per 100 Figure 43: Region 5 jake observations per 100 hours hunted. hours hunted.

2021 Season Forecast Following last summer’s bumper hatch, the piney woods of southeast Mississippi should be filled with more turkeys this spring then they have been in many years. Although brood data and jake observations from last season indicate 2021’s 2-year-old crop may not be overly abundant, gobbler carryover in last summer’s survey appeared good. The overall increase in birds should give the region’s hunters much to crow about, even if luring a legal bird into range may be a bit more difficult than normal.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 25 Game Check Spittin’ & Drummin’

The 2020 spring turkey season in Mississippi represented the second year of Game Check, a mandatory harvest reporting system created to log harvests by all resident and nonresident turkey hunters. Following on Game Check’s inaugural mobile-app-focused success in 2019, MDWFP launched a Wildlife Management Area check-in app for 2020. Statewide harvest reported through Game Check in 2020 was similar to the previous year, whereas harvest on WMAs increased 10%. Based on harvest data, turkey populations appear most abundant throughout portions of north- central Mississippi, however, areas of southern Mississippi and counties along the Mississippi River showed substantial year-over-year gains from 2019.

Reporting Methodology Through Game Check, hunters had three options to report their harvest: smartphone app, website, or by calling 1-800-BE- SMART. Hunters on WMAs had two options: smartphone app or physical check station. Both user groups overwhelmingly chose reporting via smartphone app (Figure 44).

Figure 44: Distribution frequency of reporting methods by Game Check and Wildlife Management Areas users in Mississippi’s 2020 spring turkey season.

Individual Users and Harvest Game Check A total of 8,069 users reported 12,005 turkey harvests to Game Check during the 2020 spring season (Table 1, page 30). This represented declines of 8% and 5%, respectively, for unique users and harvests. Several different post hoc estimates suggest Game Check is captur- ing just below 50% of all harvests, which would indicate the true total statewide harvest is near 25,000 turkeys.

Like 2019, the average Game Check user in 2020 was 39 years of age. Nine percent of harvests reported to Game Check were by non- residents (Figure 45). The percentage of successful Game Check users who reported the 3-bird state bag limit increased approximately Figure 45: Residency status of successful twenty percent to 11.5% of all hunters in 2020 (Figure 46). Game Check users, 2020.

26 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Game Check Spittin’ & Drummin’

Wildlife Management Areas A total of 457 turkeys and 12,977 man-days were reported on MDWFP WMAs. These respectively represented increases of 9.6% and 3.9% over 2019 (Table 2, page 33). The 2020 harvest was nearly identical to the average total WMA harvest of the past decade (462), whereas total man days were 12.0% below their 10-year average. Most successful WMA turkey hunters only harvested one turkey (Figure 46).

Figure 46: Breakdown of successful Game Check and WMA users (by percentage) who reported one, two, and three gobblers in 2020.

Geographic Distribution of Harvest

One of the most important functions of mandatory harvest reporting is to provide the MDWFP with localized data. With two years of Game Check information available, interest- ing patterns have begun to emerge. The top five counties for total harvest in 2020 were nearly identical to those in 2019. They were Attala (333), Lafayette (324), Copiah (310), Marshall (302), and Adams (273; Figure 47, Table 1). Eighty- six percent of Game Check harvests were from private land (Figure 48). Estimated relative turkey abundance was created by correcting raw harvest totals for county size. Counties in north-central Mississippi, along with a few southwestern counties, have the highest estimated turkey abundance (Figure 49). By comparing harvest totals from 2020 to the previous year, MDWFP can determine the relative increase or decrease in turkey populations. Generally, turkey numbers in the southern half of the state appeared to increase in 2020, with large relative increases in extreme southeast- ern counties. On the other hand, numbers across most of the northern Mississippi declined (Figure 50). These trends corroborated brood survey data from previous years (see Population Statistics section, pages 12-25).

Figure 47: Total spring gobbler harvest numbers, by county, reported to the Game Check system in 2020.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 27 Game Check Spittin’ & Drummin’

Figure 48: Statewide landownership breakdown for turkeys reported to Game Check, 2020.

Figure 49: Wild turkey abundance in Mississippi based on Figure 50: Relative change in turkey abundance from average Game Check harvest, standardized by 2019 to 2020 based upon reported harvest county size, 2019-2020. to Game Check.

28 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Game Check Spittin’ & Drummin’

Timing of Turkey Harvest

Game Check data is useful for evaluating the timing of harvest throughout Mis- sissippi’s spring season. For the second year, the opening day of the regular season (March 14th) received more reported harvest than any other day (921). In fact, the opening day accounted for twice as many harvested turkeys as the next clos- est day (March 15th). Statewide, approximately 50% of the total harvest occurred before March 28th (Figure 51). Interest- ingly, the distribution of harvest on WMAs differed. More turkeys were reported from WMAs on April 1st than any other date. The WMA system reached the 50th per- centile in harvest six days later than the statewide average. Differences between harvest distributions on WMA vs. state- Figure 51. Number of gobbler harvests reported statewide (Game Check; wide averages is likely due to regulatory left axis, blue) and on Wildlife Management Areas (right axis, restrictions on WMAs which include early orange), by date, throughout Mississippi’s 2020 spring season. season draw hunts and delayed opening dates (Figure 51).

50,000 Game Check vs. Long-term ESTIMATED HARVEST GAME CHECK Harvest Estimates 45,000 39,810

40,000 38,165 For over 40 years, MDWFP has annually 34,922 34,000 33,484 estimated harvest and hunter participation 35,000 33,424 through a post-season survey in which a 31,284 30,000 29,116 27,899 27,747 27,483 random sample of licensed hunters were 27,456 25,639 25,513 24,763 24,716 23,916

questioned about their harvests. These 23,808 25,000 23,377 findings were then extrapolated based on 22,123 the entirety of licensed hunters. Total esti- 20,000 19,171 mated harvest for the 2020 spring season 15,000 12,627 was 24,716, which was in line with recent 12,005 years. There were 12,005 gobblers report- 10,000 ed to Game Check, suggesting mandatory Harvest Gobbler Spring reporting achieved an approximate 50% 5,000 compliance rate (Figure 52). 0 2011 2017 2015 2013 2012 2014 2016 2019 2018 2010 2001 2007 2005 2003 2002 2020 2004 2006 2009 2008 2000

Figure 52. A comparison of Mississippi’s estimated wild turkey harvest since 2000 with the 2019-20 Game Check harvest.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 29 Game Check Spittin’ & Drummin’

Table 1. Turkey harvest totals reported by county to Game Check in Mississippi during the 2020 Mississippi spring season.

Reported Reported County County Harvest Harvest Adams 273 Leflore 9 Alcorn 154 Lincoln 221 Amite 253 Lowndes 90 Attala 333 Madison 155 Benton 188 Marion 175 Bolivar 108 Marshall 302 Calhoun 183 Monroe 228 Carroll 234 Montgomery 153 Chickasaw 167 Neshoba 184 Choctaw 183 Newton 180 Claiborne 199 Noxubee 208 Clarke 172 Oktibbeha 159 Clay 117 Panola 247 Coahoma 42 Pearl River 112 Copiah 310 Perry 108 Covington 104 Pike 87 DeSoto 86 Pontotoc 170 Forrest 74 Prentiss 170 Franklin 263 Quitman 1 George 43 Rankin 205 Greene 73 Scott 186 Grenada 152 Sharkey 0 Hancock 7 Simpson 175 Harrison 25 Smith 264 Hinds 216 Stone 78 Holmes 235 Sunflower 0 Humphreys 2 Tallahatchie 81 Issaquena 10 Tate 160 Itawamba 157 Tippah 141 Jackson 32 Tishomingo 159 Jasper 223 Tunica 15 Jefferson 191 Union 133 Jeff Davis 139 Walthall 69 Jones 169 Warren 119 Kemper 238 Washington 2 Lafayette 324 Wayne 93 Lamar 99 Webster 92 Lauderdale 166 Wilkinson 176 Lawrence 123 Winston 195 Leake 213 Yalobusha 190 Lee 92 Yazoo 162

30 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Game Check

HARVEST-REPORTING MANDATORY FOR ALL TURKEY HUNTERS

By reporting your turkey harvests, you will aid the future of wild turkey conservation in Mississippi. Reporting through the MDWFP Game Check system is quick and easy, and it is MANDATORY for ALL TURKEY HUNTERS. The basics of Game Check are outlined below.

STEP BEFORE YOU GO HUNTING Obtain a hunting license (unless exempt) and harvest record. Two types of harvest records are acceptable, 1 a digital record or a printed form. Digital record keeping may be done through the Game Check feature found within the free MDWFP app. Register in the app and it will be your official harvest record. If you pre- fer a printed form, the form below will suffice.

STEP WHEN YOU HARVEST A TURKEY The reporting process must begin BEFORE you move the turkey from its harvest location. Using the Game 2 Check feature, click the REPORT TURKEY button and complete and submit an entry. If there is no cellular coverage where you hunt, the app will automatically upload your harvest when coverage resumes. Using the printed form method, notch the corresponding month bubbles.

STEP AFTER YOUR HUNT Using the Game Check feature, you have no additional requirements. Using the printed form, you must report 3 the harvest through the MDWFP website or by calling 1-800-BE-SMART before 10 p.m. on the day of harvest. THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO REPORT:

1: MDWFP app 2: Online at mdwfp.com/gamecheck 3: Call 1-800-BE-SMART

Once you complete the harvest-reporting process, you will receive a confirmation number. This number must be documented on the harvest record.

SPRING TURKEY2019 Spring HARVEST Turkey Harvest RECORD Reporting Record Name: License No: Name: Address: License No: Address: Telephone: Phone: Instructions: All hunters must have a current harvest reporting record in their possession while spring turkey hunting. Before moving a turkey from the point of harvest, hunters must document the harvest on Instructions:their harvest All reporting hunters record. must To document have aa harvest, current punch harvest out the appropriate record bubblesin their for possessionmonth and date. whileHunters mustturkey report hunting. their harvest If byyou 10PM are on theusing day of the harvest. MDWFP Harvests canapp be reportedto report via your harvestthe you MDWFP do smartphone not need app, this MDWFP form. website, Before or by callingmoving 1-800-BE-SMART. a turkey Oncefrom the the harvest point has been of harvest,reported, hunters hunters are required should to record document the corresponding the harvest confirmation using number the on MDWFPthe appropriate app or on theirline harvest of the harvest record. reporting To record. document a harvest on this form, punch out the appropriate bubbles for month and date. Hunters must report their harvest by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest. Harvests can be reported via the MDWFP app, MDWFP website, or by calling 1-800-BE-SMART. Once the harvest has beenTurkey reported, 1 record the corresponding confirmationTurkey number 2 on the appropriate line of the harvest record.Turkey 3

MAR APR MAY MAR APR MAY MAR APR MAY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TURKEY 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 TURKEY 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 TURKEY 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 2 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 3 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 29 30 31

ConfirmationConfirmation No: No: ConfirmationConfirmation No: No: ConfirmationConfirmation No: No: HARVEST REPORTING IS MANDATORY! REPORT YOUR HARVEST: SMART PHONE: MDWFP HUNT/FISH APP | ONLINE: WWW.MDWFP.COM | PHONE: 1-800-BE-SMART HOW TO GET YOUR CONFIRMATION NO: MDWFP app • MDWFP.com/gamecheck • 1-800-BE-SMART

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 31 WMA Summaries Spittin’ & Drummin’

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Management Areas Mississippi has tremendous turkey hunting opportunities on public lands scattered throughout the Magnolia State. MDWFP allows spring turkey hunting on 37 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) scattered from the north Mississippi to the Gulf Coast. Season frameworks on these areas vary. Some mirror the statewide framework, whereas hunting on others may be by permit draw-only throughout part, or all, of the season (Figure 53).

During the 2020 spring season, 470 gobblers were harvested during 13,389 man-days on MDWFP WMAs. These values represent 3.9% and 9.6% respective increases over 2019, although both figures lagged their 10-year averages. Across all WMAs, there were approximately 33 man-days per gobbler harvested, which represented a slight increase from the previous year. Wildlife Man- agement Areas in Northeast Mississippi produced the highest hunting success at 22 man-days per harvest and yielded the greatest harvest density at a bird per 1,237 acres (Table 2).

Desoto County Alcorn County

Marshall Benton County County Tishomingo Figure 53: TUSCUMBIA WMA County

UPPER Tippah County Tunica County SARDIS WMA MDWFP offers spring turkey Tate County DIVIDE Pr en tiss SECTION County CHARLES WMA RAY NIX WMA Union County hunting on 37 WMAs throughout HELL CREEK WMA the state. Season frameworks Lafayette Panola County County Lee County SARDIS WATERFOWL Itawamba County vary by WMA. Quitman Pontotoc Coahoma JOHN BELL County County County WILLIAMS WMA

CHICKASAW WMA

Yalobusha County

Tallahatchie County Calhoun Chickasaw CANAL Table 2: (p.33) County County SECTION Monroe County MALMAISON WMA WMA Bolivar Spring 2020 and decade-long County Grenada County CALHOUN COUNTY WMA Clay County average turkey harvest and man- Webster Sunflower County County JOHN W. Leflore County STARR WMA Montgomery day figures for 37 MDWFP WMAs County Lowndes Carroll County County Oktibbeha County offering spring turkey hunting. Choctaw CHOCTAW WMA County Washington County Humphreys County YOCKANOOKANY WMA

SUNFLOWER WMA Noxubee Holmes County Attala County County Winston BLACK County PRAIRIE WMA NANIH TWIN OAKS WMA WAIYA WMA

Sharkey County Issaquena Kemper County County Yazoo County Neshoba Leake County County OKATIBBEE WMA

Madison County BIENVILLE WMA

PEARL RIVER Warren County WMA Lauderdale Newton County County Scott County

Hinds County Rankin County

CANEY CANEMOUNT WMA COPIAH CREEK COUNTY TALLAHALA WMA WMA Smith County WMA Jasper County Clarke County Claiborne County

Simpson County Copiah County

Jefferson CHICKASAWHAY Natchez SP County WMA

Covington Jones County Wayne County County Lincoln Jefferson CASTON County Lawrence Davis County MASON CREEK County CREEK WMA Adams County Fr an klin WMA County MARION COUNTY WMA

SANDY Lamar County CREEK Marion County Forrest Greene County WMA Wilkinson Amite County Pike County Walthall County County Perry County County LEAF RIVER WMA

LITTLE BILOXI WMA

George County

OLD RIVER WMA WOLF DESCRIPTION RIVER WMA Stone County

Pearl_River Early Season Draw/Open after March 28th County

Draw Only RED CREEK WMA PASCAGOULA WMA Jackson County Statewide Season Harrison Hancock County County Youth Draw Only WARD BAYOU WMA April 1 - May 1 Season

Extended Draw/Open after April 17

Season Closed National Geographic, Esri, Garmin, HERE, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA, METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, increment P Corp.

32 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report WMA Summaries Spittin’ & Drummin’

2020 Spring Season 10-Year Averages

WMA Acres Total ManDays Total Harvest ManDays/ Harvest Acres/ Harvest Avg Total ManDays Avg Total Harvest Avg ManDays/ Harvest Avg Acres/ Harvest Calhoun County 7,545 189 9 21 838 192 8 28 1,178 Canal Section - 35,300 825 23 36 1,535 1,044 33 32 1,147 John Bell Williams Charles Ray Nix 3,812 37 7 5 545 27 5 6 790 Chickasaw 28,000 1,185 51 23 549 1,000 38 27 781 Divide Section 15,300 553 21 26 729 638 22 32 763 Hell Creek 2,336 22 1 22 2,336 22 1 22 2,336 Sardis Waterfowl 3,016 7 2 4 1,508 11 3 4 1,144 Tuscumbia 2,600 52 2 26 1,300 108 3 38 1,049 NORTHEAST Upper Sardis 50,485 1,150 35 33 1,442 1,257 47 28 1,228 Northeast Total 146,058 4,432 164 4,808 173 Northeast Average 18,257 492 18 22 1,237 534 19 26 1,203 Sunflower 60,000 0 0 116 6 19 6,115 Twin Oaks 5,700 0 0 22 1 13 3,483 Delta Total 65,700 0 0 138 7

DELTA Delta Average 32,850 0 0 69 4 16 4,799 Bienville 26,136 601 22 27 1,188 701 21 41 1,587 Black Prairie 5,673 13 5 3 1,135 16 3 7 2,443 Caney Creek 28,000 602 16 38 1,750 776 25 34 1,297 Choctaw 24,500 652 21 31 1,167 736 24 33 1,114 John Starr 8,244 275 16 17 515 191 7 41 1,926 Malmaison 9,483 211 6 35 1,581 348 12 33 1,060 Nanih Waiya 8,064 93 1 93 8,064 121 3 46 3,100 Okatibbee 6,883 81 3 27 2,294 61 1 35 4,261 Tallahala 28,120 727 37 20 760 1,031 36 30 825 Yockanookany 2,379 100 1 100 2,379 38 1 34 1,894 EAST-CENTRAL East-Central Total 147,482 3,355 128 4,019 133 East-Central Avg 14,748 336 13 39 2,083 402 13 33 1,951 Canemount 3,500 60 7 9 500 53 4 19 1,266 Caston Creek 27,785 876 30 29 926 917 24 45 1,394 Copiah County 6,583 494 16 31 411 550 11 57 686 Natchez State Park 3,425 30 1 30 3,425 36 2 23 2,226 Pearl River 6,925 193 3 64 2,308 155 2 87 3,911 Sandy Creek 16,407 540 20 27 820 654 22 32 852 Southwest Total 64,625 2,193 77 2,365 65

SOUTHWEST Southwest Avg 10,771 366 13 32 1,398 394 11 44 1,723 Chickasawhay 35,000 598 22 27 1,591 692 17 44 2,279 Leaf River 41,411 640 26 25 1,593 1,008 21 54 2,498 Little Biloxi 15,622 349 6 58 2,604 416 6 129 4,989 Marion County 7,200 466 11 42 655 409 9 53 1,007 Mason Creek 27,272 191 11 17 2,479 360 10 66 5,378 Old River 15,000 69 0 144 5 35 4,354 Pascagoula River 37,000 302 11 27 3,364 484 8 74 6,964 Red Creek 23,000 256 7 37 3,286 295 5 76 6,330 Ward Bayou 13,234 41 2 21 6,617 52 2 26 6,564

SOUTHEAST Wolf River 10,801 497 5 99 2,160 441 8 76 2,143 Southeast Total 225,540 3,409 101 4,301 91 Southeast Avg 22,554 341 10 39 2,705 430 9 63 4,251

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 33 Wild Turkey Records Spittin’ & Drummin’

The Magnolia Turkey Records Program

ALL WILD TURKEYS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TROPHIES, BUT SOME ARE MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN OTHERS. Hunters annually contact Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) to find out how their bird compares to those harvested by others. Due to the interest from turkey hunters, MDWFP has a database for gobblers harvested in Mississippi. The purpose for maintaining turkey records is to allow sportsmen to recognize and fully appreciate the quality of individual turkeys.

Turkey records are presented for the following categories:

Top Scoring Typical, Top Scoring Non-typical, Longest Beard, Longest Spurs, and Heaviest. Non-typical turkeys have multiple beards. Total score is obtained by adding the turkey’s weight plus 10 times the combined length of both spurs plus 2 times beard length. Weight should be measured to the nearest ounce on certified scales. Beards are measured in 1/16 inch increments from the center point of the beard’s base where it attaches to the skin to the end of the longest bristle. Spurs are measured in 1/16 inch increments along the outside center of the spur from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur. All weights and measurements should be converted to deci- mals. A registration form is provided in this report for those who wish to have their harvested gobbler included in the Mississippi Wild Turkey Re- cords. For a complete listing of records, visit the Agency’s website at mdwfp.com/turkey.

Table 3. All-time top 10 typical-scoring turkeys harvested in Mississippi, by total score.

TOP SCORING TYPICAL

Rank Total Score Date Harvested County Harvested Hunter

1 80.64 April 8, 2005 SMITH Amp Frith 2 80.40 April 11, 2009 PANOLA Lauren Kaye Russell 3 79.20 April 18, 2003 COPIAH Doug Borries 4 78.69 March 22, 2014 PEARL RIVER Terry Burge 5 78.50 March 31, 2009 LAFAYETTE Greg Vaughan 6 77.75 March 29, 2007 ALCORN Mike Suitor 7 77.00 March 28, 1987 KEMPER Robby Ellis 8 76.93 April 24, 2019 LINCOLN Connor Douglas 9 76.88 March 23, 2019 RANKIN Daniel Blake Sassar 10 76.70 April 13, 2005 PEARL RIVER Kris Collins

34 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Wild Turkey Records Spittin’ & Drummin’

This impressive bird, taken by Don Marascalo in Lauderdale County during 2007, still holds the record for longest spurs at 1.88 inches.

Actual size

Table 4. All-time top 10 non-typical scoring turkeys harvested in Mississippi, by total score.

TOP SCORING NON-TYPICAL Total Total Beard Length Date County Hunter Rank Score Beards (inches) Harvested Harvested 1 157.06 9 60.25 April 8, 2010 PONTOTOC Don Shumaker 2 151.06 7 57.25 March 17, 2008 TISHOMINGO Jerrell Keele 3 148.30 7 52.69 March 28, 2002 AMITE James Scheer 4 143.17 9 53.26 March 20, 2000 MARION Andy Stringer 5 141.63 6 48.99 April 12, 2011 CLAIBORNE J.R. Robinson 6 139.50 5 46.50 April 29, 2008 SIMPSON Bobby Tebo 7 139.25 5 52.70 March 23, 1998 SCOTT Richard Latham 8 138.65 8 48.63 April 13, 2013 TIPPAH Thomas Wood 9 137.13 6 51.69 March 24, 2009 TISHOMINGO Lee Oaks 10 135.72 9 52.86 April 14, 2005 TISHOMINGO Jerry Smith Table 5. All-time top 10 turkeys harvested in Mississippi, ranked by total beard length.

LONGEST BEARD Beard Length Rank (inches) Date Harvested County Harvested Hunter 1 17.94 April 29, 2019 WARREN R. Shane Knighton 2 17.25 April 30, 2001 MONROE Monty Roberts 3 16.25 April 8, 2001 SMITH Amp Frith 4 16.0 April 6, 2002 MONROE Monty Roberts 5 15.5 April 19, 2012 TIPPAH Dan Glover 6 15.0 March 28, 2003 MARSHALL Carlton Gibson 7 14.75 April 4, 2007 CLAIBORNE Dale Collins 8 14.63 March 23, 2019 RANKIN Daniel Blake Sassar 9 14.19 April 10, 2003 MONROE Charles Langley 10 14.13 March 19, 1989 WILKINSON Todd D’Aquin

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 35 Wild Turkey Records Spittin’ & Drummin’

Table 6. Top turkeys harvested in Mississippi, ranked by longest spur.

LONGEST SPURS Longest Spur Rank (inches) Date Harvested County Harvested Hunter 1 1.88 April 16, 2007 LAUDERDALE Don Marascalo 2 1.875 April 18, 2015 LEAKE James Ellis 1.875 April 15, 2016 KEMPER Billy Joe Hedgepeth 4 1.813 March 31, 2009 LAFAYETTE Greg Vaughan 5 1.81 April 30, 1990 CLAIBORNE Marvin Muirhead 6 1.75 April 24, 2019 LINCOLN Connor Douglas 1.75 April 13, 2005 PEARL RIVER Kris Collins 1.75 March 24, 2007 CLAIBORNE James Greer 1.75 April 8, 2000 LEAKE Ronald Coleman 1.75 April 2, 2003 JEFFERSON Thomas McAlpin, Jr. 1.75 March 18, 2012 CLAIBORNE Paul Davis 1.75 April 5, 2000 COPIAH Rickey Thompson 1.75 April 17, 2004 CHICKASAW Mike Soper

Table 7. All-time top 10 turkeys harvested in Mississippi, ranked by total weight.

HEAVIEST Weight Rank (pounds) Date Harvested County Harvested Hunter 1 26.25 March 19, 2015 RANKIN David Evans 2 25.61 April 2, 2015 MARSHALL Daniel Favazza 3 25.27 April 11, 2009 PANOLA Lauren Kaye Russell 4 25.25 March 30, 2004 NEWTON Hunter Hayes 5 25.19 March 26, 2004 NESHOBA John Robb 6 24.87 March 26, 2019 TIPPAH Ben Cox 7 24.68 April 18, 2003 COPIAH Doug Borries 8 24.44 April 2, 2005 NESHOBA Chad Young 9 24.00 March 16, 2009 FORREST Matthew Saucier 24.00 March 18, 2008 ADAMS Chasen Gann

36 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Applications/Forms ✁ Wild Turkey Records Spittin’Spittin’ & & Drummin’Drummin’ Mississippi Wild Turkey Records Registration Form

Hunter’s Name: ______Address: ______City: ______State: ______Zip: ______Phone Number: ______(Work) ______(Home) Hunting License Number: ______

■ How to measure your turkey: Weight should be measured to the nearest ounce on certified scales. Beards are measured in 1⁄16 inch increments from the center point of the beard’s base where it attaches to the skin to the end of the longest bristle that is fully attached to the skin. Spurs are measured in 1⁄16 inch increments along the outside center of the spur from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur.

**Weight of Turkey (in pounds and ounces): ______Total Beard Length (measure in 1⁄16 inch increments): ______For multiple beards: Beard 1: ______Beard 2: ______Beard 3: ______Beard 4: ______Beard 5: ______Beard 6: ______Spur Length (measure in 1/16 inch increments): Left: ______Right: ______Date of Harvest: ______County of Harvest: ______

■ Certification by Hunter: I hereby certify that the above information is correct and that I harvested this wild turkey in the spirit of fair chase and in compliance with all applicable wildlife laws. I further certify that this turkey was a wild and free-ranging bird, was not confined by any artificial barrier, and was not released for the purpose of commercial hunting.

Hunter’s Signature: ______Date: ______

**Turkeys weighing over 21 pounds must be weighed to the nearest ounce on certified scales. Turkeys with a weight of over 21 pounds, spurs greater than 1.25 inches or beard length greater than 12 inches must be wit- nessed by a current employee of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

Signature of MDWFP Employee: ______Date: ______Printed Name: ______Phone Number: ______

Mail to: Wild Turkey Records / 1505 Eastover Dr. / Jackson, MS 39211 ✁

20122021 Mississippi Mississippi Wild Turkey Turkey Report Report 8337 Wild Turkey Research in Mississippi Spittin’ & Drummin’

EVALUATING CHANGES TO MISSISSIPPI’S SPRING TURKEY SEASON: A Population Analysis and Structured Decision Approach

Project Collaborators: Zoe Nhleko1, Adam Butler2, Dana Morin1, and Mark McConnell1 1Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University 2Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP)

One of the primary functions of a state wildlife agency like MDWFP is estab- lishing and evaluating hunting seasons and bag limits for game species like wild turkeys. As more and more hunters have expressed concerns over turkey populations, calls to address Mississippi’s turkey season have increased. Despite this, wise management depends upon data-driven decisions where all available information is used to forecast the likely implica- tions of policy decisions before they are made. MDWFP has collected numerous long-term indices on turkeys across the state. These datasets, along with published results from previous field-based wild turkey studies, are being used to evaluate two underlying sets of questions needed to make informed decisions if changes to Mississippi’s wild turkey hunting season are to be made. First, what, if any, effect does the timing of spring turkey season have on the bird’s reproduction and recruitment? Secondly, how would various changes to the season be expected to influence the number of future turkeys available to hunters? Some of the various alternatives being evaluated include: delayed opening dates, variations in season length, changes to the bag limit, bag limit splits, mid-day closures, etc.

Results from this project will have direct application to the management of Mississippi’s turkey population by assessing whether a change to the spring season will be in the best interest of the state’s turkey hunters, and if so, will provide guidance on which alterations will yield the greatest ben- efit. This project is being conducted as a partnership between MDWFP and researchers from the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University. This study will continue through 2023. Initial project results are not currently available.

Photos (Top): Researchers from Mississippi State University and MDWFP are evaluating how spring hunting frameworks may determine the number of turkeys available in subsequent years. (Left): Only a smart, data-driven approach to hunting season management can be ensured to produce the greatest benefits for future generations of hunters.

38 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Wild Turkey Research in Mississippi Spittin’ & Drummin’

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CAUSE OF A WILD TURKEY MORTALITY IN MISSISSIPPI

Project Collaborators: Rachel Thiemann1, Adam Butler2, and Natalie Armour1 1Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Patho- biology and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University 2Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP)

In response to reports of disease mortality in Mississippi wild turkey flocks, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, B Fisheries, and Parks partnered with Mississippi State University’s Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory to perform a mortality survey on turkeys which had died naturally in the wild or had been euthanized because they were sick. Necropsy examinations and diagnostic testing were performed on 13 fresh dead or frozen turkeys that had been collected between 2016 to 2021.

The most common diagnosis made was Avian pox in 9 out of 13 cases. Avian pox, a viral disease commonly transmitted by mosquitoes, has two disease presentations: nodular lesions that affect the skin of the C head and neck or plaque-like lesions in the oral cavity and upper gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Typically, Avian pox alone is not associated with significant mortality. However, when lesions are as severe as those observed in the turkeys in this study, there is concern for co- infections with other viral agents, particularly those capable of produc- ing immune suppression, and potentially leading to an increased sus- ceptibility and disease course in affected birds. Interestingly, all birds positive for poxvirus had a dual infection with Reticuloendotheliosis Virus (REV), which has been demonstrated to suppress immunity in turkeys. Additionally, there was a large portion of the sample population (8/13) with triple infection with poxvirus, REV, and Lymphoproliferative D Disease Virus (LPDV). Little is currently understood about LPDV at this time; however, it is suspected to also cause immune suppression.

Adult female turkeys were most commonly affected. Interestingly, there were two predominant geographic clusters of birds in the northern and southern regions of the state of Mississippi. In conclusion, our mortality survey demonstrated a high incidence of viral infections associated with mortality in wild turkeys in Mississippi. Continued monitoring of wild turkey populations for these and other diseases is important to better understand the true incidence of these diseases and their effect on wild turkey populations in the state.

Photos (A and B): Turkeys affected with the cutaneous or dry form of avian pox. Proliferative, wart-like skin nodules cover the head and obscure the eyes, ears, and nares. (C): An example of the diphtheritic or wet form of avian pox that produces lesions in the oral cavity and upper gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Lesions were so severe in several cases, it prevented birds from eating, leading to emaciation and death. (D): Diagnosis of avian pox relies on evaluation of affected tissues under the microscope for identification of viral inclusion bodies within the cytoplasm of infected cells (denoted by yellow circles). Photo courtesy of Dr. Heidi Rose.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 39 Partnership Spotlight Spittin’ & Drummin’

The Mississippi Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation

The National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) mission is the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage. Since the organization’s founding in 1973, it has been one of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ (MDWFP) most steadfast conservation partners.

Each year, the NWTF raises money to support the conservation and management of wild turkeys at fund raising banquets held around the state. These funds are then ap- plied on-the-ground in association with partner organizations like MDWFP. Since 1985, the Mississippi Chapter of the NWTF has provided MDWFP with over $1.9 million dollars in assistance with managing Missis- sippi’s wild turkey population.

Recently, the NWTF has collaborated with the Tombigbee and Bienville National Forests to im- plement two Stewardship Projects to improve wildlife habitat. Stewardship Contracting is an authority granted to the U.S. Forest Service by Congress and allows the Forest Service and its partners to use revenue generated through timber sales to complete important habitat restoration and enhancement activities.

The Bienville National Forest Healthy Forest Restoration Thinning-West Project includes 1,614 acres of timber harvest, hundreds of acres of mechanical and herbicide treatments to control unwanted and non-native species, planting of pine seedlings, and hazardous fuel reduction.

The Tombigbee National Forest Healthy Forest Restoration Project will include 1,047 acres of timber harvests, over 2,700 acres of wildlife stand improvements using mechanical and herbicide treatments, planting of 500 acres of shortleaf pine seedlings, and cedar removal on 50 acres to restore native prairie.

The Mississippi Chapter of the NWTF has committed Super Fund dollars to both projects.

40 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Diseased Wild Turkeys Spittin’ & Drummin’

DESOTO BENTON ALCORN O G N I

Sightings of Sick Turkeys MARSHALL TIPPAH M O TATE PRENTISS S H TUNICA I T in Mississippi UNION PANOLA LAFAYETTE LEE ITAWAMBA COAHOMA PONTOTOC QUITMAN

YALOBUSHA CHICKASAW MDWFP documents cases of wild turkeys found to TALLAHATCHIE CALHOUN MONROE BOLIVAR be sick, diseased, or otherwise ill. Monitoring re- ER GRENADA

Y O WEBSTER CLAY

M ported cases provides information to assess the im- N LEFLORE

G N LOWNDES

O CARROLL OKTIBBEHA

N T CHOCTAW

O pacts of disease and better manage the wild turkey G

I Y S

SH E

A resource. Sportsmen can play an important role by R W HOLMES NOXUBEE

P H ATTALA WINSTON M U H

reporting sick or dead turkeys and assisting MDW- E Y K R A YAZOO FP with obtaining birds for examination. If you find S H LEAKE NESHOBA KEMPER any sick or dead wild turkey, please follow the pro- ISSAQUENA MADISON cedures listed below. If you are unable to collect the WARREN SCOTT NEWTON LAUDERDALE carcass, reporting details about the dead birds will HINDS RANKIN

CLARKE provide valuable information. Also, please contact SMITH JASPER CLAIBORNE SIMPSON MDWFP if you observe or have previously observed COPIAH JEFFERSON

SO S COVINGTON WAYNE a sharp decline in a local turkey population. N JONES

ER LINCOLN A

ADAMS W

FRANKLIN EF

Contacting MDWFP: Contact Turkey Program Coordina- LAMAR GREENE MARION E S T WILKINSON AMITE PIKE R

R PERRY

tor Adam Butler at 601.695.6795 as soon as possible. If are O WALTHALL F unable to contact Adam, please call the Jackson Office at GEORGE 601.432.2199 or contact your local MDWFP District Office. PEARL_RIVER STONE

HARRISON JACKSON Obviously sick turkeys may be humanely dispatched only after HANCOCK communication with MDWFP. The proper authorities will provide guidance on how to proceed given the context of the situation. Figure 54: Counties in red represent areas from Handling Turkeys: Carcasses should be cooled as soon as which MDWFP received diseased turkey reports possible by refrigeration or by putting the bird on ice in a cool- during 2020. er. It is best not to freeze the turkey and to submit the bird as soon as possible. If the turkey cannot be obtained by MDWFP within 48 hours, it can be frozen if necessary.

Supplemental feeding is not a recommended practice for wild turkey management. If a diseased turkey is found, it is highly encouraged that supplemental feeding for all wildlife be dis- continued immediately in the vicinity.

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 41 Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey Spittin’ & Drummin’

Join Our Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey Team Help MDWFP with the conservation & management of turkeys in Mississippi.

The driving force behind the Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey (SGHS) is Mississippi’s turkey hunters. Every day of the season, hundreds of turkey hunters throughout the state take to the woods and record information about what they see and hear while hunting. Participation in this process allows Mississippi hunters a unique opportunity to directly contribute to the conservation and management of turkeys in Mississippi. All sportsmen who hunt turkey anywhere in Mississippi, on public or private lands, are eligible and encouraged to participate.

Benefits of Participating in the SGHS

BENTON ALCORN DESOTO 103 10 O

• The information you collect will be made available to you within the MDWFP G

30 N I

MARSHALL 8 M TIPPAH 1 1 Turkey Program’s annual report, Spittin’ and Drummin’ which is available online at 136 O TATE 163 S H 32 PRENTISS I mdwfp.com/turkey. This report discusses turkey population trends in each region. TUNICA 2 T 27 UNION 83 • You’ll receive an individualized report that summarizes the data you sent us. PANOLA LAFAYETTE 265 ITAWAMBA 198 LEE 0 These reports will allow you to see trends in activity from the time you, or your PONTOTOC 81 COAHOMA QUITMAN 138 hunting club, spent turkey hunting. This information can be used to tailor 158 0 YALOBUSHA management decisions for your specific property. TALLAHATCHIE 77 CALHOUN CHICKASAW MONROE 56 108 63 BOLIVAR 152 54 GRENADA 74 CLAY • You will help gather evidence that stands for or against questions such E R

Y WEBSTER

W 77 118

ER O 0 L

as should season dates be set earlier, later, or left the same? Should LEFLORE M F

9 N 22 N

G 1 LOWNDES

T O

we allow a controlled fall season in areas with high turkey densities? S U OKTIBBEHA T CARROLL N CHOCTAW 52 G

O 166

N 125 4

M Will certain regulations improve hunting quality, carry-over more gob- I 88 S H Y S A E R blers, or increase gobbling activity? W HOLMES 8 NOXUBEE

5 ATTALA WINSTON

2 182

P H 221 159 205 M U

EY H

A YAZOO NESHOBA

SH KEMPER 173 LEAKE 102 150 110 ISSAQUENA MADISON How can I Participate? 0 221

SCOTT NEWTON LAUDERDALE WARREN 162 82 If you turkey hunt anywhere in Mississippi, you are eligible and encour- 134 99 HINDS RANKIN aged to participate. There will be absolutely no cost to you to 306 305

CLARKE take part in the program. The only thing that we will ask of you SMITH JASPER 35 CLAIBORNE 131 192 is to take approximately a minute or two of your time follow- 189 COPIAH SIMPSON ing every hunt to record information on what you observed. 228 157 N

JEFFERSON O

N T 218 E JONES WAYNE 0 G C

S 0

N 85 N

0 1 I 109 9

VI E

6 V

LINCOLN 4

1 R 1

F New SGHS Participants can enroll ADAMS O FRANKLIN 165 D W C

82 EF 167 A

J online at mdwfp.com/turkey or by L

L MARION PERRY

L calling MDWFP at (601) 432-2199. A 107 LAMAR 44 GREENE

EST

H WILKINSON AMITE PIKE 5

29 3

2 T 70

5 205 134 L 5 R

GEORGE 48 PEARL RIVER STONE < 50 110 Figure 55: Number of hunts 142 50 - 99 recorded, by county, from par- JACKSON 100 - 199 HARRISON 10 ticipants in the Spring Gobbler HANCOCK 7 Hunting Survey during 2020. > 199 15

42 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey CUT HERE Spittin’ & Drummin’

Spring Gobbler Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey Application Hunting Survey Application

he mississippi Department of wilDlife, fisheries anD parks is lookinG for inDiviDual T hunters and huntinghe clubs mississippi interested inDepartment participating inof the w annualilDlife, spring fisheries Gobbler h untinganD p sarksurvey. isCooperators lookin Gare for inDiviDual asked to record variousT informationhunters and about hunting their clubs spring interested gobbler inhunts. participating harvest andin the population annual s pringdata provided Gobbler byhunting cooperators survey. Cooperators are will be used to monitorasked and to recordmanage various mississippi’s information wild turkey about resource.their spring results gobbler will hunts. be summarized harvest and in thepopulation annual mdataississippi provided by cooperators wild turkey report.will a becopy used of tothis monitor report willand managebe sent tom ississippi’sall cooperators. wild turkey hunting resource. clubs also results will willreceive be summarized a summary reportin the annual mississippi for their individualw property.ild turkey report. a copy of this report will be sent to all cooperators. hunting clubs also will receive a summary report for their individual property. if your hunting club or any individual members are interested, please complete and return the application below. if you participated in the surveyif your last hunting year, youclub will or automaticallyany individual receive members data are collection interested, materials please andcomplete do not and have return to complete the application below. if this application. thisyou isparticipated an opportunity in the to survey be directly last year, involved you will with automatically conservation receive and managementdata collection of materials the wild andturkey do notin have to complete mississippi. please tencouragehis application. other tturkeyhis is huntersan opportunity to participate. to be directly this application involved withmay beconservation copied. Data and collection management instruc- of the wild turkey in tions and materials,m alongississippi. with p thelease turkey encourage program other report turkey will hunters be sent toto participate.you prior to t springhis application gobbler season.may be copied. Data collection instructions and materials, along with the turkey program report will be sent to you prior to spring gobbler season.

name: ______name: ______address: ______address: ______phone: (Home) ______( Office) ______phone: (Home) ______( Office) ______

Please complete the following information only if your hunting club wants to participate. Please complete the following information only if your hunting club wants to participate. Club name: ______Club name: ______County: ______County: ______forested acres: (including food plots) ______forested acres: (including food plots) ______estimate total number of hunts anticipated on this property During the turkey season: ______estimate total number of hunts anticipated on this property During the turkey season: ______■ Mail application to: Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey / 1505 Eastover Dr. / Jackson, MS 39211-6322 ■ You can also register■ Mail online application at mdwfp.com/turkey to: Spring Gobbler or byHunting calling Survey MDWFP / 1505 at (601) Easto 432-2199ver Dr. / Jackson, MS 39211-6322 ■ You can also register online at mdwfp.com/turkey or by calling MDWFP at (601) 432-2199

2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report 43 Spittin’ Drummin’ 2021 MISSISSIPPI WILD TURKEY& REPORT

The 2021 Mississippi Wild Turkey Report is a cooperative effort between the MDWFP Turkey Program and the Mississippi Chapter of the NWTF.

Photography by: Steve Gulledge

MDWFP is an equal opportunity employer and provider of programs and services. If anyone believes they have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of political affiliation, race, color, national origin, marital status, sex, religion, creed, age, or disability, they may file a complaint alleging discrimination with either the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Office of Administrative Services, P.O. Box 451, Jackson, MS 39205-0451, or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1801 L. Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20507.