Wild turkey-road interactions on a Virginia national forest

TR Number
Date
1990
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Virginia Tech
Abstract

I studied wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) movements and range use in response to roads and vehicular road use on the George Washington National Forest, Virginia. Radio-equipped wild turkeys used areas within 150 m of state roads less than expected and areas > 450m from ail roads greater than expected. Turkeys were observed to cross state roads only in locations where the roads were bordered by woods or fields less than 80 m wide. Seasonal habitat preferences, rather than vehicular road use levels, seemed to dictate turkey use of the area surrounding Forest Service roads. Revegetated Forest Service roads were preferred habitat in the spring and summer. Turkey mortality was not closely related to road type or road use levels.

Description
Keywords
Citation
Collections