Game and Furbearer Program Summary Report – 2025
Game and Furbearer Program Summary Report – 2025
Wild Turkey Health Research Project
Grouse Drumming Survey and Hurricane Helene Impacts
DESCRIPTION: Staff have conducted an annual drumming survey since 2002 to monitor ruffed grouse populations in the moun- tains. Each spring (late March/early April), we listen for drumming grouse on U.S. Forest Service property, state-owned game lands, and private lands via roadside surveys, with all survey routes driven twice. These surveys are conducted annually to provide insight into changes in ruffed grouse populations across North Carolina and specifically on U.S. Forest Service property, state-owned game lands, and private lands. September 2024 brought impacts from Hurricane Helene’s rain and wind, causing significant, drastic changes to large portions of western North Carolina in the form of downed trees. For many wildlife species the changes wrought by Helene on older forests are unfavorable in the short-term. However, for many other species, these changes may provide beneficial habitat over many years. Ruffed grouse are one of the species that have the potential to profit from these variations in habitat caused by Helene. KEY RESULTS: In 2025, ruffed grouse were monitored by counting drumming males at 336 listening stations distributed across 18 routes on the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests. Seven routes were unable to be surveyed due to the impacts from Hurricane Helene. Additionally, we surveyed routes on Cold Mountain, Needmore, Sandy Mush, and Silver Game Lands (64 stations in total). On National Forest routes, 43 drumming males were heard, which is lower than the rate observed in 2024. On state-owned game lands, 19 drumming males were heard, a slightly higher number than were recorded in 2024. Five routes occurred on lightly traveled state-main- tained roads in five counties. Until recently, these areas have been underrepresented in our surveys due to the lack of national forests in that portion of the state. These routes comprised an additional 100 listening stations and yielded 1 drumming grouse detected.
DESCRIPTION: The NCWRC is collaborating with the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study to further evaluate the dis- ease results from the statewide wild turkey ecology project, providing insight into the prevalence of diseases and pathogens in North Carolina’s turkey population. This current project is taking those results one step further and will provide an in-depth anal- ysis of how the various diseases and pathogens may be impacting turkey survival, nesting success, habitat use, or even routine turkey movements. KEY RESULTS: Healthy-looking turkeys that were captured during the statewide turkey ecology project had samples collected through oropharyngeal swabs, cloacal swabs, blood (whole blood and serum), and fresh feces. These samples were tested for the presence of eleven different pathogens. Results showed that 52% of the wild turkeys that tested positive for one pathogen actually had multiple pathogens detected. The majority of the cases had two or three co-infections but as many as five co-infections were detected in 2 turkeys.
HOW IS THIS INFORMATION USED FOR REGULA- TIONS AND MANAGEMENT: • While multiple southeastern states have been document- ing various levels of wild turkey population declines over several years, the specific causes of these declines are complex and currently uncertain. • While North Carolina’s turkey population is currently doing well, we continue to explore the potential population-level impacts of diseases and pathogens. • Preliminary results show that the prevalence of patho- gens was not significant in relating to male survival, female survival, probability of a female nesting, or nest success.
HOW IS THIS INFORMATION USED FOR REGULATIONS AND MANAGEMENT: • The biggest factor in the declining ruffed grouse populations in North Carolina is the limited amount of young forests (stands of trees, 20 years of age or younger) across the western part of the state. It is this habitat that ruffed grouse need to survive that is lacking across the landscape. • Many larger, old trees fell from the wind and rain brought by Helene, which will enable the opportunity for new trees to take their place. As forest stands regenerate, grouse will likely ben- efit from this significant disturbance. • Surveys over the next few years will bring greater insight into how the ruffed grouse populations in western North Carolina respond to all the new vegetation and different forest composi- tion on the landscape post-Helene.
DAVID BRISLANCE
NWTF
Male grouse "drum" to establish their territory, making a sound that similar to an engine trying to start.
Drawing blood from a captured wild turkey hen. A soft cotton sock is used to cover the hen's eyes, thereby reducing stress during the han- dling process.
BRANDON BRIDGES/NCWRC
Hurricane Helene impacted many acres of forests in west- ern North Carolina in September of 2024.
20
21
Made with FlippingBook Online document maker