Brood Surveys

Each summer, wildlife personnel around the state are asked to fill out ten-week brood observation reports. The survey starts the second week of June and continues for 10-weeks to the third week of August. They are asked to report any broods of ruffed grouse, pheasant, gray partridge, and wild turkey seen during working hours. When one of these species with a brood is observed, the date, county of observation, number of young in the brood, and whether all the young in the brood were counted are recorded. These brood observations are used as an index to productivity.

These 10-week brood surveys have been going on for some species for over 30 years. Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, and pheasant 10-week brood surveys have been collected since 1970. Wild turkey was added to the 10-week brood survey in 1987. Prior to 1970 department personnel did game bird brood observations for ruffed grouse and pheasants.

Landowners also get involved in brood surveys. Starting in 1988, survey cards have been sent to landowners to record turkey brood information. The same landowners are surveyed every year with updates to the list as landowners stop participating in the surveys. Cooperators are requested to report the number of turkey broods, poults per brood, and adult hens with or without a brood seen during the months of June, July, and August. In 1988 the survey started with seven counties. These seven counties encompassed the primary turkey range. Now 21 counties are included in the survey when the addition of seven counties occurred in 1990 and seven more in 1993.

Brood survey results are available each fall.

• Turkey Surveys (10-Week Brood Survey Results and Landowner Brood Surveys)

For more information on this topic, send mail to: Assistant Upland Ecologist

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