The Skinny Hen Hypothesis | #206

In this episode, we dive into the literature to explore the complex relationship between body condition, reproductive success, and population dynamics in wild turkeys.   Resources: Badyaev, A. V., et al. (1996). Habitat sampling and habitat selection by female wild turkeys: ecological correlates and reproductive consequences. The Auk, 113(3), 636-646. Healy, W. M., & Nenno, E. S. (1985). Effect of weather on wild turkey poult survival. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 1985, 91-101. Lashley, M., et al.  (2026). Wildlife feeding increases risk of male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) to hunter harvest. bioRxiv, 2026-04. Lashley, M. A., et al. (2025). Decreased female survival may help explain wild turkey population decline. Wildlife Society Bulletin, e1642. Londe, David W., et al. "Review of range‐wide vital rates quantifies eastern wild Turkey population trajectory." Ecology and Evolution 13.2 (2023): e9830. Norman, G. W., et al. (2001). Reproduction of eastern wild turkeys in Virginia and West Virginia. The Journal of wildlife management, 1-9. Palumbo, K. (2026). FACTORS INFLUENCING EASTERN WILD TURKEY (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO SILVESTRIS) PRODUCTIVITY AND NESTING CHRONOLOGY IN WEST VIRGINIA. 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. Thogmartin, W. E., & Johnson, J. E. (1999). Reproduction in a declining population of wild turkeys in Arkansas. The Journal of wildlife management, 1281-1290. Tyl, R. M., et al. (2020). Factors influencing productivity of eastern wild turkeys in northeastern South Dakota. Ecology and Evolution, 10(16), 8838-8854. Vangilder, L. D., et al. (2000). Reproductive ecology of eastern wild turkey females in the eastern Missouri Ozarks. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2000, 53-59.   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 <a href= "https://tinyurl.com/WillGulsbyIG"