REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A WILD TURKEY POPULATION IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI

Long-term investigations into wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) reprod uction are needed to allow for annual fluctuations, illuminate trends not evident From short-term data, and provide data for effective susta inable management of the wild turkey resource. We used 13 years (1984- 96) of continuous data to estimate reproductive parameters of a wild t urkey population in central Mississippi. Mean rates of reproductive pa rameters were 72.3% for first-nest initiation rates, 27.9% for first-n est success, 34.8% for renest initiation, and 24.6% for renest success . Median date of incubation ranged from 12 April to 1 May. Juvenile he ns did not contribute to reproduction. Hen success declined significan tly over time and reflected a decreasing population. Most (51.1%) nest failures were attributed to predation. Poult survival until late July -August was 25.5%. Winter weather did not influence reproductive param eters, and hen experience did not increase nest success. Mean hen succ ess for this population was the lowest reported fbr ally eastern wild turkey (M. g. silvestris) population. Low hen success via lack of prod uctivity from renest attempts, lack of juvenile hell reproduction, and low nest success may have contributed to the population decline. A si mplistic population model indicated that, given current reproduction a nd hen survival, maintaining wild turkeys as a closed population on ou r area is doubtful.