Blake A. Grisham

The lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) has declined precipitously in abundance and currently occupies a substantially reduced portion of its historic range. Within the sand shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) prairies at the southwestern extent of the lesser prairie-chicken’s contemporary range, efforts to conserve the species have been constrained by limited information on how land management practices influence habitat quality, and subsequently, affect lesser prairie-chicken recruitment. From 2008–2011, we captured and radio-tagged hen lesser prairie-...

Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) ecology in bottomland hardwood forests remains poorly understood. Specifically, managers lack basic information on spatial ecology and survival of males in these forests. Space use is an important tool to determine areas of extensive or non-use, and these areas may provide insight to managing quality habitats for turkeys. Furthermore, no information is available on potential shifts in space use by males before and during the breeding season, yet such information could help managers better understand male behavior relative to habitat...