Thought I'd pass along if some would like to participate...
Turkey Feather Collection
Understanding turkey genetics is important to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and can aid in turkey management. A Texas A&M PhD student is looking for help collecting feathers from Gould's, Merriam's, and Rio Grande turkeys from across the United States. She is using the DNA in the feathers to look at genetic differences and hybridization between turkeys in different regions.
We understand that you may have already hunted and may not have any feathers but, if you still have feathers from your turkey and are interested in helping out, pluck 6-10 feathers from different areas of the breast. Place the feathers from each turkey in a separate ziploc type bag. Include your name, address, phone number, date of harvest, sex of bird, age class (if able to determine), and the location (GMU; county-level at minimum) where the turkey was harvested. Store the feathers in a cool, dry place. Please send the feathers to the address below. If you would like a postage-paid envelope or have additional questions, please contact Amanda Beckman below.
Amanda Beckman, PhD Student
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Texas A&M University- College Station
Email:
akb13@tamu.edu Cell: 727-946-3147
Address: TAMU Biology, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843
We hope your hunt was enjoyable and thank you for assisting if possible.
