While you are out exploring New York’s beautiful August landscapes, be sure to keep an eye out for wild turkeys and report your observations to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Since 1996, the DEC has conducted the Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey to track wild turkey productivity across the state. The index is the proportion of young of the year to adult hens. It allows the DEC to gauge reproductive success and predict future turkey populations and harvest opportunities.
Turkey reproductive success in New York, as measured by this survey, is consistently higher than southeastern and many midwestern states, but remains lower than it was in the early 2000s.
However, in 2024 statewide turkey reproductive success was highest estimated in over 15 years. This was likely because of favorable spring weather. You can view turkey productivity estimates from past years on the Fall Turkey Harvest and Productivity Dashboard.
How to participate in this community science opportunity:
– keep an eye out for wild turkeys as you’re out and about during the month of August.
– when you observe a flock, record the number of adult females, adult males, and poults, the young of the year, that you see.
– when you’re at a computer or on your smartphone, submit your observation online at https://survey123.arcgis.com.
– make an attempt to report the same flock only once.
Observing and counting wildlife can be challenging. Only report flocks when you’re confident you observed the entire group. Partial flock observations can bias the estimates of reproductive success. Using binoculars can greatly improve the odds you’re able to observe an entire flock.
