James R. Davis

We captured 60 wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) hens from 1998-2001 on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina to assess nesting success, identify characteristics of successful and unsuccessful nests, and determine survival rates and mortality factors of hens. Hen nesting success varied greatly among years, ranging from 0-80% and was strongly correlated (r = 0.998) with the number of poults per hen observed during brood surveys. Woody stem densities (F30 = 5.1; P = 0.03) and nest concealment (F30 = 4.69; P = 0.04) both were greater at successful...

We compared survival rates of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo sylvestris) gobblers in hunted (Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological reserve [CWMA]) and unhunted (Savannah River Site [SRS]) populations in South Carolina to assess impact of spring gobbler-only hunts. Annual survival rate of gobblers on SRS (0.71) was greater (χ2 = 5.11; df = 1; P = 0.02) than that of gobblers on CWMA (0.54). Our results indicate that spring gobbler harvests constitute additive mortality to turkey populations. However, even in years when reproductive rates were relatively low, a spring-...

Redbreast sunfish Lepomis auritus (Linnaeus) were found to spawn during June at water temperatures of 71° to 78°F. Redbreast sunfish redds were almost identical in design and size in the Lumber, Waccamaw, and the South Rivers. Each redd was located in or near a sheltered area such as a log, fallen tree, or stump. The preferred bottom substrate for spawning was sand and small gravel. No redds were observed in silt or detritus. Age II, III, IV, V, and VI year redbreast sunfish had mean egg counts of 963, 1,000, 3,563, 5,620, and 8,250, respectively, with corresponding standard deviations...

A total of 816 American shad (Alosa sapidissima), 2,823 blueback herring (A. aestivalis), and 79 alewives (A. pseudoharengus) was collected between July and November 1963-1965 to determine distribution, food habits, and growth in the Cape Fear River system, North Carolina. Shad and blueback herring were found in the Cape Fear River from four miles south of Wilmington (20 miles from the mouth) to Lock No.3, a distance of 99 miles, and in the Black River from the mouth to NC-411 bridge, a distance of 35 miles. In the North East Cape Fear River, shad were distributed from the mouth to NC-24...