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How to start: Step by step to managing pine timber | #145

Wild Turkey Science

Release Date: 08/18/2025

Are turkeys eating quail? | #169 show art Are turkeys eating quail? | #169

Wild Turkey Science

Is the cause of quail decline because turkeys are eating them? Join us as we sit down with Dr. Mark McConnell to bust this myth…   Resources:   Check out Dr. McConnell’s Gamebird Podcast ()! Dr. Mark McConnell () MSU Gamebird Extension () () () We got bug problems | Ep 73 ()   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   We’ve launched our second online wild turkey course  ! Enroll in  to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions,...

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Debunking the Drowning Poults | #168 show art Debunking the Drowning Poults | #168

Wild Turkey Science

Sometimes, the best stories are embellished but grounded in a little bit of truth… Join as we peel back the myth that poults drown when they look up at rainfall.   Resources:              Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   We’ve launched our second online wild turkey course  ! Enroll in  to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions, and historical context of wild turkeys. This course is...

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How often you burn matters more than when | #167 show art How often you burn matters more than when | #167

Wild Turkey Science

We discuss how repeated fire disturbance influences plant structure, fuel loads, and wildlife use, and why focusing on timing alone often misses the point.   Resources:   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up !   Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple...

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Are fire ants causing the turkey decline? | #166 show art Are fire ants causing the turkey decline? | #166

Wild Turkey Science

We explore the myths surrounding fire ants and their negative impacts on nests, hens, and poults.   Resources:         t       Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up !   Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions...

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Does rain impact nest predation risk? | #165 show art Does rain impact nest predation risk? | #165

Wild Turkey Science

Does water on a hen make it more susceptible to predation? In this episode, we comb through the literature on olfactory camouflage, dissecting studies assessing correlations between nest survival, weather, and environmental conditions, and divulging into the complicated web of ecology dynamics. Strap on your science boots for this one, it’s gonna be dense… Research papers referenced: Episodes referenced:   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:  ...

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Wild Turkey Symposium Takeaways | #164 show art Wild Turkey Symposium Takeaways | #164

Wild Turkey Science

In this episode, we review papers that stood out to each of us from the 2025 Wild Turkey Symposium.   Resources:                   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up !   Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple...

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Turkeys in Wisconsin : A success story | #163 show art Turkeys in Wisconsin : A success story | #163

Wild Turkey Science

Wisconsin gamebird ecologist Taylor Finger joins us to breakdown the status of turkeys in the state. Join as he shares details on how Wisconsin has achieved successful turkey populations unlike any other state in the country.    Resources:           Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up !...

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Turkeys and Grouse | #162 show art Turkeys and Grouse | #162

Wild Turkey Science

Dr. Ben Jones, CEO of RGS & AWS, joins us to explore how active forest stewardship - from prescribed fire to targeted timber harvests and new wood markets - can restore age-class diversity and habitat for ruffed grouse and wild turkey across eastern forests.   Resources: (NDA article)   Dr. Ben Jones   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   Coming Soon: Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage! Our newest online wild turkey training is launching soon! Be the first to know when our new...

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Why to Science | #161 show art Why to Science | #161

Wild Turkey Science

Strap in for a philosophical episode as we sit with Dr. Dwayne Elmore and explore the complex nature of critically evaluating information in an age of information overload.   Resources:   Dr. Dwayne Elmore - ,   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   We’ve launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history, and heritage! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up !   Be sure to check out our comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring...

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NEW Online Wild Turkey Training | #160 show art NEW Online Wild Turkey Training | #160

Wild Turkey Science

We’ve launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history, and heritage! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up !   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here:   We’ve launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours!     Dr. Marcus Lashley , Dr. Will Gulsby , Turkeys for Tomorrow   UF...

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More Episodes

In this episode, we are joined by forest manager Michael Heatherly who walks us through the steps landowners should take when managing pine timber on their properties. 

 

Michael Heatherly mheatherly@sizemore1949.com

Sizemore & Sizemore https://sizemoretimber.com/

 

Resources:

Association of Consulting Foresters

Society of American Foresters

 

00:00 Introduction to Forest Management and Wildlife Objectives

03:12 Understanding Landowner Objectives and Initial Steps

05:59 The Role of Thinning and Clear Cutting in Habitat Management

09:03 Timber Harvesting: Economic Considerations and Market Dynamics

11:45 Long-Term Management Strategies for Landowners

14:59 Navigating Timber Sales and Contracts

17:45 Ensuring Compliance and Quality During Harvesting

20:41 The Importance of Consulting Foresters

23:33 Building Long-Term Relationships with Landowners

36:43 Maximizing Timber Revenue

39:30 Landowner-Forester Collaboration

44:30 Navigating Market Challenges

50:26 Best Practices for Thinning

54:24 The Importance of Professional Guidance

59:22 Finding the Right Forester

 

Fundraising Banquet (To enter the online raffles, click on ‘Get Tickets’ and then scroll down to the ‘Add-ons’)

 

We’ve launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Enroll Now! 

 

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow 

UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube

 

Donate to our wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

 

Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!

 

Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!

 

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This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org

 

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Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak