Increased interest in and use of growing season prescribed burning has caused concern among sportsmen and biologists as to the potential impact on ground nesting game birds. We used radio-telemetry and invertebrate sampling to evaluate early growing season (April-May) prescribed burning to provide wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) brood habitat in the Coastal Plain pine (Firms spp.) forests of south Georgia from 1988 to 1990. None of the 14 hen-poult groups monitored were ever located in spring burns. Additionally, there was no significant difference in invertebrate abundance during the brood season between late winter (February-March) and spring burns. Our evaluation of spring burns for wild turkey brood habitat indicates that there are no benefits over traditional winter burning, and spring burning poses a threat to wild turkey nests. Alternative management strategies are discussed.
