It’s time for Michigan’s wild turkey brood survey: a community effort that helps wildlife biologists understand how well turkeys are reproducing across the state and provides valuable information about the health of Michigan’s turkey population. From July 1 to August 31, the DNR is asking residents to report sightings of wild turkeys and turkey broods — family units including a hen turkey and her poults (baby turkeys).
Wild turkeys are one of Michigan’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories. Once extirpated (locally extinct) from the state, turkeys have rebounded and are now found in every Michigan county.
Now in its fourth year, the turkey brood survey is part of a greater multistate effort, supported by the National Wild Turkey Federation, to monitor turkey populations using a standardized survey protocol.
“Turkey populations are influenced by many factors, including weather, habitat conditions and poult survival,” said Adam Bump, the DNR’s upland game bird specialist. “By collecting observations year after year, we’re building a long-term dataset that helps us understand trends before they become problems.”
Since the survey launched in 2023, Michigan residents have submitted more than 17,000 observations, documenting over 36,200 hens, 95,300 poults and 15,500 male turkeys.
Those observations will allow biologists to track annual changes in turkey reproduction and compare Michigan’s turkey population trends with those in other states.
“Summer is one of the best times of year to see wild turkey families,” Bump said. “Every brood observation helps us better understand how many young turkeys are surviving and where reproduction is occurring across Michigan.”
What biologists learn from turkey broods
The survey focuses on turkey broods because they provide insight into reproductive success. When participants report the number of hens and poults they observe, biologists can estimate average brood size and other indicators that help measure how successfully young turkeys are surviving through the summer months.
“Broods tell us a lot about what happened during nesting season and the weeks immediately after hatching,” said Caitlin Ott-Conn, a laboratory scientist with the DNR Wildlife Division who oversees survey data collection and analysis. “When thousands of people share observations from across the state, we gain a much clearer picture of turkey reproduction than we could through traditional surveys alone.”
How to participate
Anyone can contribute to the turkey brood survey. Between July 1 and Aug. 31, simply report any wild turkey sightings using the online survey form on the turkey brood survey page.
Participants will be asked a few short questions about:
- The date of the observation.
- The location.
- The number of hens observed.
- The number of poults observed.
- The number of gobblers (adult males) or jakes (juvenile males, about a year old) observed.
Most reports take only a minute or two to complete. The survey uses an email login so observations can be associated with individual participants, helping biologists better analyze the data.
Every observation matters
Whether you see a single hen with two poults or a large flock of turkeys feeding in a field, your observation can help improve understanding of Michigan’s wild turkey population.
“Everyone can play a role in wildlife science,” Bump said. “If you see turkeys this summer, take a minute to report them. Together, we’re creating one of the most comprehensive pictures of turkey reproduction in Michigan and helping ensure wild turkeys remain part of our state for generations to come.”
Learn more and submit an observation at Michigan.gov/Turkey.
