The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Wild Turkey Population Survey, which debuted in 2022, has added a valuable tool to the agency’s effort to track the species throughout the state. LDWF would like to ask the public to continue to participate in the survey throughout the year to support wild turkey conservation efforts.
LDWF has tracked wild turkey reproduction since 1994 with a survey conducted by volunteer participants during the summer. It provides important trend data with regard to reproduction and recruitment in Louisiana turkey flocks. However, over the years, the number of observations declined resulting in less reliable data. The new online reporting component has augmented the summer surveys, which will continue.
“We’ve been pleased with how this web-based tracking component has allowed us to expand our survey,’’ LDWF Small Game/Wild Turkey Program Manager Cody Cedotal said. “Anyone is able to assist us in our effort to keep track of our state’s turkey populations. The good thing about it is you can report sightings to us at any time of the year, not just in the summer or during turkey season. If you see one, we’d like to know.’’
The data obtained allows managers to monitor population trends and help make regulatory recommendations as necessary to sustain populations.
The survey can be accessed on the LDWF website at (https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/subhome/turkey) or directly at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/81c20aa4e4524fbcbecc2c426d9d3e2a
Once you have opened the portal to the survey, simply click the “LA Turkey Survey Data Entry” to review the specific instructions and log each separate wild turkey observation. You will be asked to provide your name, date, location and the number of males (adults or juveniles), females, and/or poults seen.
If you are interested in keeping up with observations as they come in, check out the “Turkey Survey Dashboard” tab. Here you can view updates on how many observation have been reported so far during the year. You will be able to view reported observations by parish and track the number of birds seen by sex and age to an extent (poult, juvenile male, adult male).
For more information contact Cody Cedotal at 225-765-2361 or ccedotal@wlf.la.gov.