Seeing turkeys in Northern Michigan? The DNR would like to know. How to report sightings
Now through Aug. 31, the DNR is conducting its annual wild turkey brood survey during which officials are asking people to report sightings of wild turkeys and turkey broods (hens with their young).
"By taking just a few minutes to report any turkeys you see, you'll be contributing valuable data to track the health of the state's turkey population," the DNR said in a release.
Now in its third year, Michigan's wild turkey brood survey is part of a multistate initiative to monitor turkey populations, the DNR said. The survey is part of a larger conservation effort to identify regional trends in turkey populations and address potential declines seen in other parts of the country.
Wild turkeys were near extinction in Michigan in the early 20th century, but now found in every county across the state, the DNR said.
'This bird's comeback is something to celebrate, and now we need the public's help to keep tabs on our turkeys going forward,' said Adam Bump, the DNR's upland game bird specialist.
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Wild turkeys are found in all 68 counties of the Lower Peninsula and most counties in the Upper Peninsula, where the species has continued to expand its range. In 1977, only 400 turkeys were taken during the Michigan hunting season. However, by 2014, annual numbers of turkeys taken had reached 30,000 birds. Michigan is now ranked eighth in the nation for the number of turkeys taken by hunters.
State officials say this midseason period is when turkey broods are most visible and when you're most likely to see them.
The DNR says if you do come across birds crossing the street with poults (or chicks) or foraging in fields, officials want to know about it.
Since the turkey brood survey began in 2023, Michiganders have submitted more than 11,500 reports, tallying over 25,000 hens, 65,000 poults and 11,000 males.
Here's what to know in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, and how to take part.
In Michigan, turkeys can be found in most counties throughout the Lower Peninsula and in some parts of the Upper Peninsula.
Egg laying begins in April, and each hen will lay a clutch of 11 to 12 eggs over a two-week period. Whenthe clutch is complete, the hen will incubate her eggs for 28 days. Peak hatching occurs in June in southern Michigan; two to three weeks later in northern Michigan.
Turkey foods fall into four main categories: mast (nuts and fruits), seeds, greens, and insects. In winter they prefer hard and soft mast, including acorns, beechnuts, crabapples and hawthorns. They will also eat waste grains in harvested fields of corn, buckwheat, soybeans, oats and grain sorghum.
Turkeys foraging in agricultural areas in the fall and spring eat mostly waste grains, wild plants, insects, and young grasses. Corn, buckwheat and wheat are sources of fall, winter, and spring foods.
In Michigan, the ideal habitat mix is 20% to 30% bottomland hardwoods, 10% to 30% mature oaks, 5% to 10% conifers, 10% to 15% shrubs, 20% to 30% croplands and 15% to 25% grasslands, clover pastures or idled fields.
Michiganders can reporting wild turkey sightings from until Aug. 31, using the online turkey brood survey form.
The survey asks short questions about what observers saw.
The form asks to note the number of hens (adult females), poults (juvenile turkeys) and gobblers or jakes (adult or young males) in each sighting, as well as the date and location.
Officials say it takes only a minute or two to complete a report.
According to the Michigan DNR some facts about wild turkeys include:
They can reach speeds of up to 55 mph in flight and run 15 to 18 mph.
A group of turkeys is called a 'rafter.'
Flocks can range from 5 to 50 birds and usually consist of only males or females.
Male turkeys puff out their feathers and fan their tails to attract females.
Male turkeys have spurs on their legs that get longer as they age. Spurs are used to grapple with other turkeys over breeding rights.
Be cautious when driving as wild turkeys crossing the road may cause accidents; they are usually seen in larger flocks in January.
Turkeys may become aggressive and territorial if comfortable in suburban areas. Avoid feeding them and remove all food surrounding your house.
Contact local wildlife biologists or nuisance wildlife control companies if there is an aggressive turkey in your area.
Make loud noises to scare them away.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan DNR conducting summer turkey survey: How to report sightings
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