Turkey Science Podcast

[deerhunt1988]

I would stand to benefit from this thought, so I admit it is fairly selfish even thought I personally don't really want any help, but I have been extremely interested in the habitat part of their discussions as well.  Would some of the nonprofit's money be best used to help private landowners with habitat projects?  90% of the property in my home state is private, so the turkey's future lies with the private landowners.

One thing that comes to mind could be a cost-share program for creating/maintaining brood habitat since that is often a limiting factor. Similar to the Fire on the Forty cost share program the Miss. Dept. of Wildlife has for prescribed fire. I know NWTF contributes about $10k/yr to that program. Management practices such as herbicide/injection work, mulching, maintenance of old field habitat (or conversion of land to old field habitat), and of course prescribed fire. There'd have to be some accountability and ground truthing to be sure landowners are doing what they are supposed to be to get reimbursed. I could definitely get behind a program like that.

[Paulmyr]

There are a number of federal and state cost share programs already in place that if used properly could greatly enhance polt rearing habitat. The big problem is many aren't aware they are available to them and the ones that are don't want to deal with bureaucratic nightmare that comes along with getting enrolled.

[Shiloh]

Paul I would be curious to know more about what you are referring to.  if it is NRCS programs then I understand those, but if something else I'd be curious.

DH88 I think you are onto something, and I agree that you would have to have some controls in place to make sure that the work was getting done.  To many people abuse programs like that as we all know. 

I hope to be meeting soon with one of the biologists that you probably know to help me figure out some of the old field stuff.  I think he lives up closer to you than me. 

[Paulmyr]

Paul I would be curious to know more about what you are referring to.  if it is NRCS programs then I understand those, but if something else I'd be curious.

DH88 I think you are onto something, and I agree that you would have to have some controls in place to make sure that the work was getting done.  To many people abuse programs like that as we all know. 

I hope to be meeting soon with one of the biologists that you probably know to help me figure out some of the old field stuff.  I think he lives up closer to you than me.

The NRCS has a number of programs available, you may also want to check into the USFWS for possible incentives for endangered species. Although turkeys aren't endangered it may be plausible for a landowner to restore habitat for endangered ground nesting birds that  can have positive effects for turkeys as well.

[Paulmyr]

To expand on deerhunt1988's post.  I think it would be nice to have an association that would help landowners navigate/jump through the hoops that come along with trying to enroll in these gov't programs.

[Shiloh]

Well there are some out there Paul, but they get 10% of what the gov't gives the landowner.  Pretty decent business model it seems and the landowners are happy to not have to wade through the bureaucracy and red tape!!

[Paulmyr]

Right. But it would be nice if there was a non profit organization specific to turkeys that would do the same thing.