Wild Turkey Predators

There may be no site more disheartening to a turkey fanatic in Southwest Missouri than stumbling upon a nest full of busted eggs or finding a poult carcass. As crushing as moments such as these are, they are a common problem that plagues the turkey population across the country. Avid turkey managers are learning that taking the fight to the predators is as much a part of their management practices as prescribed burning, food plots, and establishing warm-season grass stands.

The wild turkey needs all the help that it can get. The list of predators that will gladly make a wild turkey egg or a helpless poult their evening dinner is staggering. If it has teeth, it will more than likely target a turkey at some stage in its life. While turkeys are obviously more vulnerable while in their eggs, they remain easy prey until they learn to fly, which is roughly a week to ten days after hatching. Once poults become able to fly to avoid predators such as coyotes and bobcats, their mortality rate drops significantly.

​​In an attempt to help you understand the chief predators that impact wild turkey populations, we have put together a “most wanted” list of predators that are generally considered the most detrimental to wild turkey recruitment.

RACCOONS Scientific Name: Procyon lotor

Raccoons are widely considered public enemy number one in the eyes of wild turkey managers. Because their range is spread literally from coast to coast, they are detrimental to the wild turkey in its entire range in the United States. The majority of the damage that raccoons cause to wild turkey populations is during the nesting phase, although a limited number of poults are likely killed by raccoons before they are able to fly.

OPOSSUMS Scientific Name: Didelphis virginiana

When it comes to contestants in the predator beauty contest, one animal that need not bother entering is the opossum. Opossums (more commonly known as possums) are as ugly as they come, and are fierce predators of turkey nests. While possums are not found in every state, their proliferation is what causes problems in their home range. Possums have an average litter of over a dozen young, although their relatively short life expectancy of only two years, and vulnerability to large predators, keeps populations from exploding. Regardless, they are a problem for turkey nests where the two species overlap.

SKUNKS Scientific Name: Mephitis mephitis

When we think of a striped skunk, we think of either a cute cartoon character or a smelly cousin to your house cat. However, the striped skunk is a fierce predator to the wild turkey in the nesting stage. Because skunks, like raccoons, are widely dispersed throughout the country, they affect wild turkey populations over the entire range. Even though skunks are not as densely populated as raccoons, their impact on wild turkey poult production is no laughing matter.

BOBCATS Scientific Name: Lynx rufus

While bobcats may not be the most visible “poult predators,” they are still feared animals, preying mostly on poults that are between their hatch and flight stages. Bobcats are nocturnal and vicious carnivores that cover between two to seven miles each night, making young poults that are not able to fly easy nighttime prey. Bobcats are masters of the ambush, setting up along travel routes and pouncing on their prey. While pre-flight poults are susceptible, all turkeys run the risk of getting picked off by bobcats if they are not careful.

COYOTE Scientific Name: Canis latrans

Another prevalent poult predator, coyotes are not as vicious on poults as their bobcat counterparts, but will certainly pick off an unsuspecting poult if the opportunity presents itself. Coyotes are perhaps the world’s most widespread predator, being found throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. Their range is larger than that of a bobcat, and collared coyotes have been tracked for over forty miles in one day in recent studies. Because of their relentless pursuit for prey, they pose a big threat to wild turkeys if their paths cross. While studies have indicated that wild turkeys make up a very small percentage of the coyote’s diet, you still need to work to keep their populations in check.

If you are ready to take a stand against the predators on your property that impact your turkey, quail, pheasant and deer populations we can help. We offer consultation services, where we help you assess the threats on your property and then develop a strategy specific to your property. We can then implement that strategy or teach you how to take matters into your own hands. Predator control is a journey, not a destination, you have to have a “never cease” attitude, and over time you will see results in the numbers of turkeys on your property!