William K. Maddox

Seasonal habitat preferences for 74 wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) hens and 38 gobblers were studied using radio telemetry over a 5-year period in northwest Alabama. Sixty-seven nests of radio-instrumented hens were found; 54 were in mixed herbaceous, low, brushy habitats and 13 were in open hardwood forest. Improved grazed pastures were the preferred brood-rearing habitat for the 23 hens whose broods survived to 14 days of age. Small plots with little growing vegetation were primarily preferred by 15 unsuccessful hens with broods surviving <14 days. Spring habitat preferences in 77...

Annual and seasonal ranges of 76 resident and 13 restocked wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) from the Alabama Lower Coastal Plain were studied over a 3-year period in a north Alabama mountain habitat. Turkeys were tracked by radio telemetry. After exploratory movements of up to 9.2 km, restocked turkeys adjusted to the habitat within about 6 weeks and included the release site in their annual ranges which were almost identical in size to those of resident birds. Resident turkeys released at their capture-site used it as part of their annual range and when released as far away as 4.0 km...

Legal harvest, illegal kill, crippling loss, and movement of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) related to multiple species hunting were studied on 2 state wildlife management areas in Alabama using 125 radio instrumented birds. During spring 1978 hunts an estimated 35.7% of the gobblers were killed and 7% were crippled and died on I area while 20% were harvested and 20% were crippled and died on the second area. Illegal kill of instrumented birds was 7.8% over a 2-year period on I area and 9% for a 7-month period on the second area. Multispecies hunting on state game management...