RJ
12-21-2007, 11:54 AM
Banding and Winter Flock Surveys to Begin in January
Landowners Invited to Participate
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today that DEC is preparing for the third season of two large-scale wild turkey research projects.
The first project is a turkey banding program* done in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission* Ohio Department of Natural Resources* Pennsylvania State University* and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). The second project is a statewide winter flock survey. These studies will provide information that DEC biologists need to help guide future management efforts for this popular game bird.
The banding program will begin in January* when DEC staff and cooperators from NWTF will launch a statewide effort to capture wild turkeys and fit them with metal leg bands bearing a toll-free phone number for reporting. The objective of the study is to examine hunter harvest rates* turkey survival rates* and harvest reporting rates across the state. Banding will be done on public and private lands throughout the state north of New York City from January through March.
Last year’s effort was highly successful* as staff banded a total of 383 gobblers (males) and 403 hens (females)* increasing the two-year total to 679 gobblers and 753 hens. One-hundred twenty of the banded gobblers were reported shot by hunters during the spring 2007 hunting season* of those* 41 birds had been banded in winter 2006 and 79 had been banded in winter 2007. Another nine were harvested by hunters during the fall 2007 season. Most birds were killed within five miles of where they were banded* but some birds used in the study have moved at least 20 miles from where they were banded.
DEC will also continue collecting data on winter turkey flocks across the state to assess feasibility of a long-term population monitoring program. DEC hopes to identify several locations in every county of New York where turkeys can be counted each winter to monitor population changes. Last winter* observers documented over 500 flocks throughout the state* including several recently established flocks on Long Island.
In preparation for both studies* DEC is asking landowners* hunters* bird watchers and interested participants to report winter turkey flock locations anywhere in New York State. Observations of turkey flocks (even a few birds) during mid-December through March can be reported to the project coordinator for a particular DEC region (see attached list for regional contacts).
In addition* DEC is looking for landowners who will allow birds to be trapped* banded* and released on their land. Turkeys will be trapped and banded and will immediately be released at the same location. No relocation of the birds will occur.
The Department sincerely thanks all of the cooperating landowners who actively participated in the turkey banding project or provided reports of wild turkey flocks last winter.
For more information on either project* please feel free to contact the project coordinator for your region or contact DEC by e-mail at fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Please write “Turkey Study” in the subject line.
Interested landowners should contact the project coordinator for their region listed below:
DEC Region Project Coordinator Counties
1 Frederick “Chip” Hamilton
(631) 444-0308
50 Circle Rd.
Stony Brook* NY 11790 Nassau* Suffolk
3 Patricia Vissering
(845) 256-3090
21 South Putt Corners Rd.
New Paltz* NY 12561 Dutchess* Orange* Putnam* Rockland* Sullivan* Ulster and Westchester
4 Karl Parker
(518) 357-2154
1150 N. Westcott Rd.
Schenectady* NY 12306 Albany* Columbia* Delaware* Greene* Montgomery* Otsego* Rensselaer* Schenectady and Schoharie
5 Melissa Neely
(518) 623-1273
Hudson St. Ext.
Warrensburg* NY 12885 Clinton* Essex* Franklin* Fulton* Hamilton* Saratoga* Warren and Washington
6 Andy MacDuff
(315) 785-2534
State Office Building
317 Washington St.
Watertown* NY 13601 Herkimer* Jefferson* Lewis* Oneida* St. Lawrence
7 Lance Clark
(607) 753-3095
1285 Fisher Ave.
Cortland* NY 13045 Broome* Cayuga* Chenango* Cortland* Madison* Onondaga* Oswego* Tioga and Tompkins
8
Scott Smith
(607) 776-2165x16
7291 Coon Rd.
Bath* NY 14810
Chemung* Genesee* Livingston* Monroe* Ontario* Orleans* Schuyler* Seneca* Steuben* Wayne and Yates
9 Connie Adams
(716) 851-7010
270 Michigan Ave.
Buffalo* NY 14203 Allegany* Cattaraugus* Chautauqua* Erie* Niagara and Wyoming
Central Office Michael Schiavone
(518) 402-8886
625 Broadway* 5th Floor
Albany* NY 12233
Statewide Coordination
###
07-266
Landowners Invited to Participate
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today that DEC is preparing for the third season of two large-scale wild turkey research projects.
The first project is a turkey banding program* done in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission* Ohio Department of Natural Resources* Pennsylvania State University* and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). The second project is a statewide winter flock survey. These studies will provide information that DEC biologists need to help guide future management efforts for this popular game bird.
The banding program will begin in January* when DEC staff and cooperators from NWTF will launch a statewide effort to capture wild turkeys and fit them with metal leg bands bearing a toll-free phone number for reporting. The objective of the study is to examine hunter harvest rates* turkey survival rates* and harvest reporting rates across the state. Banding will be done on public and private lands throughout the state north of New York City from January through March.
Last year’s effort was highly successful* as staff banded a total of 383 gobblers (males) and 403 hens (females)* increasing the two-year total to 679 gobblers and 753 hens. One-hundred twenty of the banded gobblers were reported shot by hunters during the spring 2007 hunting season* of those* 41 birds had been banded in winter 2006 and 79 had been banded in winter 2007. Another nine were harvested by hunters during the fall 2007 season. Most birds were killed within five miles of where they were banded* but some birds used in the study have moved at least 20 miles from where they were banded.
DEC will also continue collecting data on winter turkey flocks across the state to assess feasibility of a long-term population monitoring program. DEC hopes to identify several locations in every county of New York where turkeys can be counted each winter to monitor population changes. Last winter* observers documented over 500 flocks throughout the state* including several recently established flocks on Long Island.
In preparation for both studies* DEC is asking landowners* hunters* bird watchers and interested participants to report winter turkey flock locations anywhere in New York State. Observations of turkey flocks (even a few birds) during mid-December through March can be reported to the project coordinator for a particular DEC region (see attached list for regional contacts).
In addition* DEC is looking for landowners who will allow birds to be trapped* banded* and released on their land. Turkeys will be trapped and banded and will immediately be released at the same location. No relocation of the birds will occur.
The Department sincerely thanks all of the cooperating landowners who actively participated in the turkey banding project or provided reports of wild turkey flocks last winter.
For more information on either project* please feel free to contact the project coordinator for your region or contact DEC by e-mail at fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Please write “Turkey Study” in the subject line.
Interested landowners should contact the project coordinator for their region listed below:
DEC Region Project Coordinator Counties
1 Frederick “Chip” Hamilton
(631) 444-0308
50 Circle Rd.
Stony Brook* NY 11790 Nassau* Suffolk
3 Patricia Vissering
(845) 256-3090
21 South Putt Corners Rd.
New Paltz* NY 12561 Dutchess* Orange* Putnam* Rockland* Sullivan* Ulster and Westchester
4 Karl Parker
(518) 357-2154
1150 N. Westcott Rd.
Schenectady* NY 12306 Albany* Columbia* Delaware* Greene* Montgomery* Otsego* Rensselaer* Schenectady and Schoharie
5 Melissa Neely
(518) 623-1273
Hudson St. Ext.
Warrensburg* NY 12885 Clinton* Essex* Franklin* Fulton* Hamilton* Saratoga* Warren and Washington
6 Andy MacDuff
(315) 785-2534
State Office Building
317 Washington St.
Watertown* NY 13601 Herkimer* Jefferson* Lewis* Oneida* St. Lawrence
7 Lance Clark
(607) 753-3095
1285 Fisher Ave.
Cortland* NY 13045 Broome* Cayuga* Chenango* Cortland* Madison* Onondaga* Oswego* Tioga and Tompkins
8
Scott Smith
(607) 776-2165x16
7291 Coon Rd.
Bath* NY 14810
Chemung* Genesee* Livingston* Monroe* Ontario* Orleans* Schuyler* Seneca* Steuben* Wayne and Yates
9 Connie Adams
(716) 851-7010
270 Michigan Ave.
Buffalo* NY 14203 Allegany* Cattaraugus* Chautauqua* Erie* Niagara and Wyoming
Central Office Michael Schiavone
(518) 402-8886
625 Broadway* 5th Floor
Albany* NY 12233
Statewide Coordination
###
07-266