Survival and cause-specific mortality of Merriam's Wild Turkeys in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

Abstract

Merriam's Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) is a species of interest for managers and is considered economically valuable through wildlife viewing and hunting. We captured, radio-marked, and monitored 49 turkeys (27 males, 22 females) over a 3-year period (2008-2011) in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. Annual Kaplan-Meier survival estimates varied among years (range 0.33-0.80). Lowest seasonal survival of 0.42 (SE 0.14) occurred during winter 2010 (1 Dec 2009-31 Mar 2010). We observed 20 fatalities of the 49 monitored turkeys. Predation by bobcats (Lynx rufus) and pumas (Puma concolor) accounted for 60% (n = 12) of losses. Hunter harvest (20%), vehicle collision (5%), disease (5%), and unknown causes (10%) accounted for the remaining losses.

Citation

Peyton, Mark A.; Kindschuh, Sarah R.; Bernal, Lance J.; Parmenter, Robert R.; Gipson, Philip S. 2014. Survival and cause-specific mortality of Merriam's Wild Turkeys in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. Western North American Naturalist 74(2): 236-240.