To kick off Oaktober, we break down the genetics behind why some oak trees are reliable acorn producers and others aren't, and how you as a landowner can use that variation to guide forest stand improvement decisions that benefit both turkeys and deer.

Resources:

• Boggess, C. M., Strickland, B., Alexander, H. D., & Lashley, M. A. (2019). Mast Seeding in Oaks: A Strategy to Satiate Predators or Strengthen Apparent Competition?. In American Fisheries Society & The Wildlife Society 2019 Joint Annual Conference. AFS.

• 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.

• Tree plantings for turkeys | Ep 95

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 [email protected]!

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