Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Oklahoma
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Wild turkey nest success is low, with mammalian predation usually identified as the primary cause of nest loss. One landscape-scale variable that could explain an increase in mesocarnivores and subsequent nest predation is anthropogenic bait used to attract game species. To determine the extent to which anthropogenic bait alters density and space use of potential mammalian nest predators, we will use cameras to quantify changes in mammalian nest predator populations while experimentally manipulating bait sources and artificial nest distributions. We anticipate information from this study will provide a better mechanistic understanding of how bait influences mammalian predator detection of nests, which will inform management recommendations to address declining turkey populations.