Natural Resources University

Collaboration of land-grant universities

Natural Resources University is a podcast network focused on delivering science-based natural resource management. The series housed within this network aim to deliver expert-based knowledge for their corresponding genre of natural resource management.

  1. From Poults to Super Jakes: A year inside the aviary | Wild Turkey Science #537

    15 HR AGO

    From Poults to Super Jakes: A year inside the aviary | Wild Turkey Science #537

    As last year's poults mature into jakes and jennies, Marcus shares firsthand observations of how behavior, vocalizations, dominance, and personality change with age.   Resources Longer the snood, bigger the brood | Ep 68 Snoods, feathers, and the Turkey Brotherhood | Ep 65   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab   Don't miss out on a chance to win a custom Benelli Super Black Eagle 3! This 28-gauge shotgun features a 28' barrel, 3" chamber, and is exclusively dipped in Mossy Oak Full Foliage not available to the public. Enter the online raffle below for a shot at owning this one-of-a-kind gun! This is literally a one-of-one collectable item. https://e.givesmart.com/events/Nqy/   We've launched our second online wild turkey course  ! Enroll in  Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History & Habitat to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions, and historical context of wild turkeys. This course is accredited by the Society of American Foresters as a Category 2 course worth 7 Continuing Forestry Education credits. Participants can also earn up to 5 CEUs in Category I of The Wildlife Society's Certified Wildlife Biologist Program. Enroll now: https://tinyurl.com/WildTurkeyManagerBio   Be sure to check out our first comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube   Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!   Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Watch these podcasts on YouTube   Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube   Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!   Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!   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

    46 min
  2. 16 HR AGO

    Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock & Young Forests—Science, Dogs, and the Power of Habitat Work | Gamebird University #536

    In this episode of Gamebird University, hosts James Callicutt and Mark McConnell sit down with Dr. Ben Jones, CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society, for a grounded, field-tested conversation about young-forest conservation in the South—and what it really takes to sustain ruffed grouse, American woodcock, and the people who care about them across the range. The crew explores how disturbance and interspersion drive habitat value, why woodcock routinely show up in unexpected cover, and how modern tools—GPS tracking, remote sensing, and on-the-ground monitoring—are reshaping our understanding of migration, wintering needs, and day-to-day behavior. They dig into practical management levers (from timber harvest to patch size and structure) and the realities of working forests where wildlife, landowners, and economics intersect. They also confront the messaging gap: how public perception can stall necessary habitat work, and why conservationists must reclaim the narrative from preservation-only mindsets with clear, science-forward communication. Along the way, they spotlight the rise of bird-dog culture, why trusting your dog is often the best lesson in ecology, and how woodcock hunting can be an inviting on-ramp for new hunters and future advocates. Listeners will come away with a crisp picture of what "young forest" actually means on the ground, how technology is sharpening management decisions, and why collaborative, working-lands conservation remains essential for upland birds—across seasons, ownerships, and communities.

    55 min
  3. 3 DAYS AGO

    Extreme winter and the wild turkey | Wild Turkey Science #535

    In this episode, we explore the impacts of extreme cold weather on wild turkey populations.    Resources: Acorn production post (DrDisturbance IG) Austin, D. E., & DeGraff, L. W. (1975). Winter survival of wild turkeys in the southern Adirondacks. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 1975, 55-60. Brooke, J. M., et al. (2019). Effects of fertilization and crown release on white oak (Quercus alba) masting and acorn quality. Forest Ecology and Management, 433, 305-312. Gonnerman, M., et al. (2023). Dynamic winter weather moderates movement and resource selection of wild turkeys at high‐latitude range limits. Ecological Applications, 33(1), e2734. Gray, B. T., & Prince, H. H. (1988). Basal metabolism and energetic cost of thermoregulation in wild turkeys. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 133-137. Haroldson, K. J. (1995). Energy requirements for winter survival of wild turkeys. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 1995, 9-14.  Lashley, M. A., et al. (2009). Masting characteristics of white oak: implications for management. In In: Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Association Fish and Wildl. Agencies. 63: 21-26. (Vol. 63, pp. 21-26). Lashley, M. A., et al. (2025). Decreased female survival may explain wild turkey decline. bioRxiv, 2025-05. Lavoie, M., et al.  (2017). Winter and summer weather modulate the demography of wild turkeys at the northern edge of the species distribution. Population Ecology, 59(3), 239-249. Lavoie, M., et al. (2025). Wildlife Management and Climate Change: How to Adapt Harvest Rates of Wild Turkey According to Extreme Weather Events. Environmental Management, 1-13. Porter, W. F., et al. (1983). Effects of winter conditions on reproduction in a northern wild turkey population. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 281-290. Seminar: Wild Turkey Management Academy   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab   Don't miss out on a chance to win a custom Benelli Super Black Eagle 3! This 28-gauge shotgun features a 28' barrel, 3" chamber, and is exclusively dipped in Mossy Oak Full Foliage not available to the public. Enter the online raffle below for a shot at owning this one-of-a-kind gun! This is literally a one-of-one collectable item. https://e.givesmart.com/events/Nqy/   We've launched our second online wild turkey course  ! Enroll in  Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History & Habitat to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions, and historical context of wild turkeys. This course is accredited by the Society of American Foresters as a Category 2 course worth 7 Continuing Forestry Education credits. Participants can also earn up to 5 CEUs in Category I of The Wildlife Society's Certified Wildlife Biologist Program. Enroll now: https://tinyurl.com/WildTurkeyManagerBio   Be sure to check out our first comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube   Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!   Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Watch these podcasts on YouTube   Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube   Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!   Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!   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

    49 min
  4. Factors influencing SD wild turkey populations | Wild Turkey Science #533

    3 DAYS AGO

    Factors influencing SD wild turkey populations | Wild Turkey Science #533

    Wild turkey biologist Reina Tyl joins us to unpack her comprehensive study assessing population growth of Easterns in South Dakota.    Resources: Lashley, M. A., et al. (2025). Decreased female survival may explain wild turkey decline. bioRxiv, 2025-05. Tyl, R. M. (2019). Factors Influencing Survival, Productivity, and Population Growth of Eastern Wild Turkeys in Northeastern South Dakota. West Virginia University. Tyl, R. M., Rota, C. T., & Lehman, C. P. (2025). Factors influencing eastern wild turkey population growth in northeastern South Dakota. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 49, e1636. Tyl, R.M., Rota, C.T. and Lehman, C.P., 2020. Factors influencing productivity of eastern wild turkeys in northeastern South Dakota. Ecology and Evolution, 10(16), pp.8838-8854. Tyl, R.M., Rota, C.T. and Lehman, C.P., 2023. Factors influencing survival of female eastern wild turkeys in northeastern South Dakota. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 47(2), p.e1429.   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab   Don't miss out on a chance to win a custom Benelli Super Black Eagle 3! This 28-gauge shotgun features a 28' barrel, 3" chamber, and is exclusively dipped in Mossy Oak Full Foliage not available to the public. Enter the online raffle below for a shot at owning this one-of-a-kind gun! This is literally a one-of-one collectable item. https://e.givesmart.com/events/Nqy/   We've launched our second online wild turkey course! Enroll in  Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History & Habitat to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions, and historical context of wild turkeys. This course is accredited by the Society of American Foresters as a Category 2 course worth 7 Continuing Forestry Education credits. Participants can also earn up to 5 CEUs in Category I of The Wildlife Society's Certified Wildlife Biologist Program. Enroll now: https://tinyurl.com/WildTurkeyManagerBio   Be sure to check out our first comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube   Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!   Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Watch these podcasts on YouTube   Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube   Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!   Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!   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

    41 min

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Natural Resources University is a podcast network focused on delivering science-based natural resource management. The series housed within this network aim to deliver expert-based knowledge for their corresponding genre of natural resource management.

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