Wild Turkey Project

New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife

Wild Turkey Restoration Project

Wild turkeys occupy 2300 square miles of habitat in 20 New Jersey counties. Their numbers are estimated at 14,000 birds. Transfer of turkeys from thriving populations into the primary range has been completed. Future efforts will be directed at building populations in outer coastal plain forests.

Trap and transfer operations continued in 1997 to supplement populations in outer coastal plain forests. Five transfers of a total of 100 turkeys were completed: three augmented transfers made the previous year (Gloucester, Morris and Middlesex counties); another was to a new site (Burlington County); and one at a site where turkeys were released fifteen years earlier but the population seemed to have faltered (Atlantic County). Supplementary releases appear to have bolstered struggling populations in the Pinelands and this technique will be continued for the next two winters. Project personnel have live-trapped 1,523 wild turkeys since 1979 and have transferred 1,079 to 39 release sites in 16 counties. Fifty-nine wild turkeys have been shipped to other states or Canadian provinces for release.

Wild Turkey Harvest

Spring gobbler hunting is increasing in popularity. The 1997 season had the potential to provide more than 58,000 recreation days to 11,203 hunters. The overall hunter success rate was 18%. Turkey hunters spent an average of $257 each on items related to turkey hunting. It is estimated that turkey hunting generated more that $2.7 million in commerce in New Jersey in 1997.

Wild Turkey Survival and Productivity

A study utilizing radio telemetry to monitor wild turkey survival and productivity in Cape May and Cumberland counties was completed after three field seasons. The first two years of work were done cooperatively with Rutgers University with funding provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the South Jersey Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation. The final field season was financed by the NJ Wild Turkey Super Fund.

Telemetry data enabled researchers to document habitat preferences, hen survival, nesting success and survival of young. Losses of hens to predators was variable but substantial. The density of understory vegetation and brood habitat characteristics seem to affect the survival of young wild turkeys in the region. Turkey habitat management recommendations include supplemental releases of turkeys and controlled burning of predominantly oak timber stands which may make the future for wild turkeys in the Pinelands a little brighter.