Dr. Craig Harper re-joins the podcast to share preliminary results from his on-going research comparing dormant, early-, mid-, and late-growing season fire treatments and assessing their effects on plant communities and wildlife, including turkeys and deer.
Resources:
Gruchy, J. P. (2007). An evaluation of field management practices to improve bobwhite habitat.
Gruchy, J. P., & Harper, C. A. (2014). Effects of field management practices on northern bobwhite habitat. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 1(1), 133-141.
Harper, C. A., et al. (2016). Fire effects on wildlife in the Central Hardwoods and Appalachian regions, USA. Fire Ecology, 12, 127-159.
Johnson, V. M., et al. (2022). Nest site selection and survival of wild turkeys in Tennessee. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 9, 134-143.
Kilburg, E. L., et al. (2014). Wild turkey nest survival and nest‐site selection in the presence of growing‐season prescribed fire. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(6), 1033-1039.
Kilburg, E. L., et al. (2015). Wild turkey prenesting-resource selection in a landscape managed with frequent prescribed fire. Southeastern Naturalist, 14(1), 137-146.
McCord, J. M., et al. (2014). Brood cover and food resources for wild turkeys following silvicultural treatments in mature upland hardwoods. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 38(2), 265-272.
Powell, B. L., et al. (2025). Changes in Plant Composition Following Disturbance in Restored Native Early Successional Communities. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 98, 480-489.
Turner, M. A., et al. (2020). Improving coastal plain hardwoods for deer and turkeys with canopy reduction and fire. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 44(4), 705-712.
Turner, M. A., et al. (2025). Effect of growing season fire timing on oak regeneration. Fire Ecology, 21(1), 6.
Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund
Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!
Dr. Craig Harper Website, Publications
Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications
Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications
Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow
UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube
Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you!
Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube
Watch these podcasts on YouTube
Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!
Get a 10% discount at Grounded Brand by using the code ‘TurkeyScience’ at checkout!
This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.
Music by Artlist.io
Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak
