Bring Back Turkeys With Better Habitat

Descripción

Wild turkey numbers rise and fall for a lot of reasons, but better brood habitat may be one of the most practical things landowners can influence right now. In this episode of Blazin’ Grazin’ and Other Wild Things, Dr. Mark Turner, Oklahoma State University Extension wildlife specialist, joins John Weir and Dr. Laura Goodman to talk through what turkeys need after nesting season. They cover poult survival, forb-rich brood cover, cedar encroachment, roost trees, grazing, fescue control, prescribed fire, predator pressure, and why landowners can have a bigger impact than regulation changes alone. Key takeaways: * Nest success matters, but low poult survival may be a bigger bottleneck for turkey populations. * Good brood cover is open at ground level, rich in forbs and insects, and tall enough to hide poults while letting hens see predators. * Cedar and other woody encroachment can reduce roosting value, limit visibility, and hurt hen survival. * Thick grass monocultures, fescue, bermudagrass, and Old World bluestem can make poor turkey and quail habitat. * Prescribed fire, grazing, patch burning, and targeted introduced-grass control can help landowners create better turkey country. Detailed timestamped rundown 00:00–02:14 — Opening and setup The episode opens with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission sponsorship message, show introduction, host introductions, and the main topic: wild turkeys, turkey numbers, and habitat management. 02:14–04:41 — Why turkeys are timely right now Mark explains that spring turkey seasons are wrapping up and many poults are hitting the ground. He frames the conversation around turkey population declines, ongoing research, and why brood survival deserves more attention. 04:41–05:19 — Nest success versus brood survival The group discusses why nest survival often gets the spotlight, even though brood survival may be a bigger limiting factor. Mark notes that many studies show nest success around 20% to 30%, while brood survival is often still low. 05:19–07:48 — Rio Grande and Eastern turkey differences John asks about differences between Rio Grande and Eastern turkeys. Mark explains that Eastern turkeys, especially in the Southeast, appear to be doing worse overall, while Rio Grande turkeys often have better brood conditions where rainfall produces forbs and open grassland structure. 07:48–09:12 — What good brood cover looks like Mark describes the ideal brood habitat: open plant communities dominated by forbs, some bare ground for movement, and knee- to waist-high structure that hides poults while allowing hens to watch for predators. 09:12–12:54 — Grazing, forbs, and the grass monoculture problem John and Laura explain how grazing, bare ground, and plant diversity influence forb production. Laura pushes back on the idea that the best pasture is always the thickest grass stand, emphasizing that forbs provide insects, seeds, and wildlife value. 12:54–14:23 — Burning season and patch-burn diversity John explains that repeated spring burning can favor warm-season grasses and reduce forbs. He recommends mixing burn timing, including growing-season and early dormant-season burns, and using patch burning to create habitat diversity. 14:23–19:56 — Fescue and introduced grass control Mark and Laura discuss fescue, Old World bluestem, bermudagrass, and other introduced grasses. Fescue is described as one of the easier problems to treat, especially after frost when native warm-season plants are dormant. 19:56–22:19 — Woody encroachment and hen survival Mark shifts to cedar and woody encroachment, explaining that the issue is not just roost loss. Heavy woody cover can reduce hen survival, especially during vulnerable nesting periods. 22:19–24:02 — Real-world cedar control success John shares an example from his son’s property, where cedar work, burning, and opening creek and roost areas coincided with a major increase in wintering turkeys. 24:02–28:10 — Predators, exposure, heat, and poults The group discusses poult vulnerability during the first two weeks of life. Mark explains that poults cannot roost in trees early on, face predator pressure, and can die from cold rain or extreme heat. 28:10–31:33 — Shade, airflow, and roost tree structure Laura asks what poults and hens may seek during hot weather. Mark says open, shaded woods with airflow may matter, and then explains that roost trees are usually selected more for structure and open ground conditions than species alone. 31:33–34:27 — Why turkey numbers can bounce back John notes seeing more turkeys this year. Mark connects better recent harvests to improved conditions a couple of years earlier, including weather, productivity, and possibly insect availability like cicada hatches. 34:27–35:26 — Habitat is predator management Laura summarizes a key idea: predator management may have a role, but habitat that helps turkeys feed, move, hide, and thermoregulate is foundational. Mark says habitat management is, in many ways, predator management. 35:26–38:40 — The closest thing to a key action John asks for the one best thing landowners can do. Mark says reducing understory woody cover and promoting forbs is critical, and prescribed fire is hard to beat. He recommends more frequent burning in eastern Oklahoma than many properties currently receive. 38:40–40:47 — Private landowners drive the outcome Mark explains that agencies can manage public lands, but private landowners control much of the habitat. John adds that more landowners are now listing wildlife habitat as a major reason for burning. 40:47–42:46 — Resources and closing The group closes by mentioning OSU Extension fact sheets on converting introduced grasses, Rio Grande wild turkey management, Eastern wild turkey management, and prescribed fire. Find all resources at BlazinGrazinWildThings.com

Eastern Redcedar: Why Oklahoma Is Acting

Eastern redcedar control is becoming one of Oklahoma’s biggest land, water, and wildfire issues—and this episode explains how the Oklahoma Conservation Commission is turning concern into action. John Weir, Laura Goodman Ph.D., and Mark Turner Ph.D. visit with Trey Lam and Trampas Tripp about the Terry Peach North Canadian Watershed Restoration Pilot Project, a program designed to reduce invasive woody species, protect rural communities, improve rangeland health, and put more water back into Oklahoma soils and streams. The conversation covers how cedar control moved from years of talk to funded work on the ground, including brush-free zones around towns and infrastructure, prescribed fire training with rural fire departments, cost-share programs for landowners, and research measuring soil moisture, forage recovery, wildlife response, and wildfire risk. The episode makes one thing clear: managing cedars is not just about removing trees—it is about protecting rural lives, homes, grasslands, water supplies, wildlife habitat, and the future of working lands. Top 10 takeaways 1. Cedar control is public safety work. Removing dense cedars near towns, homes, propane tanks, fertilizer plants, towers, and roads can give firefighters safer access and slow wildfire spread. 2. The Terry Peach Project turned years of talk into action. Oklahoma had studied eastern redcedar for decades, but the combination of drought, wildfire, water concerns, and available funding finally produced a funded program. 3. Brush-free zones are a practical first step. The program is not always trying to clear entire properties; it often starts by creating strategic fire breaks and access corridors. 4. Rural fire departments are key partners. The program is helping firefighters understand when prescribed fire can reduce future wildfire risk instead of treating all fire the same. 5. Prescribed fire and “controlled burns” are not the same thing. A prescribed fire has a plan, weather parameters, trained people, equipment, and a go/no-go decision process. 6. Cedars cost landowners forage. Dense cedar stands can shade out grass, reduce grazing capacity, and lower the productive value of rangeland. 7. Cedars are a water issue. Guests discussed early findings showing major soil moisture differences between dense cedar areas, treated areas, and open native range. 8. Wildlife responds when cedars are removed. The episode highlights benefits for quail, deer, and especially wild turkeys when cedar-choked areas are reopened and roost trees are protected. 9. Landowner demand is high. The new cedar-removal cost-share pilot received more than 500 applications, showing that many Oklahomans are ready to act. 10. The next challenge is scaling statewide. Oklahoma’s cedar problem varies by region, and future work may need to address salt cedar, mesquite, mountain juniper, and other invasive woody species with different control strategies. Detailed timestamped rundown 00:00:00 — Sponsor and episode setup The episode opens with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission sponsor message and frames the conversation around cedar control, safer towns, healthier rangeland, and water conservation. 00:02:16 — Guest introductions John Weir welcomes Trey Lam and Trampas Tripp from the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The hosts set up the episode as a discussion of one of the state’s most visible conservation programs. 00:03:20 — Trampas Tripp’s background Trampas explains his path from college and early work with the Corps of Engineers into the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, where he now leads the Land Management Division. 00:04:16 — Trey Lam’s conservation roots Trey shares his background growing up on a southern Oklahoma farm and becoming involved in conservation districts before becoming executive director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. 00:05:02 — How the Terry Peach Project began Trey explains that Oklahoma had talked about eastern redcedar for years, but drought, wildfire, water disputes, and state funding finally aligned to create action. 00:07:46 — The original three-part approach The project began with research, prescribed fire training, and brush-free zones. The goal was to measure water, soil moisture, grass production, wildlife response, and wildfire mitigation benefits. 00:12:15 — Rural fire departments join the effort Trampas describes how the program works with fire departments to shift from only reacting to wildfire toward using prescribed fire and fuel reduction as prevention tools. 00:13:22 — Fighting Fire with Fire workshops John and Trampas discuss the workshops that combine classroom training with hands-on burning when conditions allow. Around seven workshops had been held, with strong interest from across the state. 00:14:00 — Ada workshop draws major attendance The Ada training brought about 100 attendees and 25 fire departments, including some from Kansas, showing regional interest in Oklahoma’s prescribed fire model. 00:15:32 — Brush-free zones and mitigation crews Trampas explains that 14 technicians are working across the state to remove volatile woody fuels near communities, infrastructure, and high-risk areas. 00:16:07 — Protecting infrastructure in Woodward Trey gives the example of work near a fertilizer plant on the southwest side of Woodward, where cedar removal created safer access and reduced wildfire risk. 00:17:34 — Towers, propane tanks, and rural hazards Laura and Trampas discuss examples near communication towers and propane infrastructure where cedar removal created safer zones around critical facilities. 00:19:51 — Burn plans and prescribed fire cost-share The group discusses growing demand for prescribed burn plans and a $20-per-acre prescribed fire cost-share program for landowners. 00:21:13 — Prescribed fire versus wildfire The hosts emphasize that prescribed fire is planned, weather-dependent, staffed, and equipped—very different from wildfire or informal “controlled burns.” 00:22:55 — “Controlled burn” confusion Trey and John explain how media and public language often blur prescribed fire with escaped brush-pile or trash burns, which creates misunderstanding. 00:25:29 — Why cedars are such a large problem Trey lays out the impacts of cedars on wildfire behavior, water use, grass production, quail, deer, and other wildlife habitat. 00:26:08 — Wildlife impacts and turkey roosts Mark explains how cedars can eliminate cottonwoods and other roost trees, creating long-term habitat losses for wild turkeys. 00:27:11 — Soil moisture findings Trey discusses early findings showing dense cedar areas with very low soil moisture compared with native range and treated areas. 00:30:03 — Rainfall interception and runoff John and Laura discuss research showing how dense cedar canopy can prevent rainfall from reaching the ground and how restored grasslands can improve cleaner runoff. 00:33:21 — Health, ticks, mosquitoes, and public awareness The conversation expands to the human-health and public-comfort impacts of cedar-dominated areas, including pollen, ticks, mosquitoes, and smoke particulates. 00:34:52 — Legislative support and changing attitudes Trey explains how cedar control has moved into mainstream policy discussions, with lawmakers increasingly recognizing the scale of the issue. 00:40:27 — New cost-share demand Trampas says a pilot cost-share program received more than 500 applications, showing strong landowner interest in cedar removal. 00:42:17 — How landowners access the program The first step is contacting the local conservation district. Applications are ranked by acreage, density, removal method, management approach, and other factors. 00:43:41 — Targeted priority areas Trey explains why the program focuses on specific high-impact areas, including Beckham County to Altus Lugert, the Panhandle, Payne-Lincoln-Pawnee, Eufaula, and the Blue River. 00:45:14 — Community mitigation work Trampas describes technicians working with emergency managers and communities to build defensible spaces and demonstration areas. 00:47:27 — Cedar rows as wildfire fuses Trey describes abandoned railroad corridors and other unmanaged strips as “fuses” that can carry fire directly into rural towns. 00:48:20 — Future expansion Trey discusses hopes to expand the program statewide and adapt it to other invasive woody species, including salt cedar, mesquite, mountain juniper, and eastern Oklahoma invasives. 00:49:36 — Wrap-up The episode closes with thanks to Trey, Trampas, and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission for supporting the podcast and advancing cedar-control work across Oklahoma. Find all resources at BlazinGrazinWildThings.com

5 de may de 202650 min

Bring Back Turkeys With Better Habitat

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