A&M doctoral student studying predators to help save turkey population
ETOILE -- Haemish Melville needed another bobcat to add to his group of guinea pigs, but things were not looking very promising.
We were nearing the end of Ed Snelson's trap line, and the only critter recovered thus far was an unlucky crow that had put its beak in the wrong place.
Snelson was convinced the predators had not stirred the evening before, and he was beginning to get a little antsy. Luckily, the mood changed about midmorning as he idled past one of his last sets. The trap had been tripped.
"We're in business boys -- it's a cat," Snelson said.
Snelson, a professional trapper from Huntington, scrambled to the bed of his pickup and grabbed a valuable tool common to his trade -- a catch pole. In the meantime, Melville reached for a small syringe filled with knock-out juice intended to sedate the cat.
Within seconds the juvenile feline went lights out, and Melville began to work his magic. He first fitted the cat with a high-tech radio collar. The collar uses global positioning satellite technology to record hourly positions of the animal from dusk to dawn and once at midday.
Melville recorded the pertinent data from collar then placed the bobcat in a holding cage until the drug wore off. Once revived, the bobcat was released back into the wild with the colorful $3,000 necklace intact.
Melville is a 37-year-old wildlife research scientist from South Africa. He relocated to Texas earlier last year to begin work on his doctorate's degree at Texas A&M University.
At the heart of his studies is an intensive research project aimed at determining the degree of impact that predators like bobcats, coyotes and raccoons might be having on eastern wild turkey populations in East Texas.
A little history
Once abundant across the region, native eastern wild turkey populations began to suffer in the early 1900s after settlers lumbered their habitat. The lumber industry combined with lenient game laws facilitated a virtual slaughter that resulted in the eradication of the native turkey flock by the early 1940s.
Since the late 1980s, millions of dollars have been spent trying to restore turkey populations across East Texas using wild-trapped eastern birds purchased from other states at $525 a bird. The restocking efforts have been successful to a point but not to the degree wildlife experts had originally hoped for.
Some blame the limited success on subpar habitat management practices, while others suspect stocking rates used during the initial restocking phase were insufficient for getting the birds over the population hump.
Two years ago, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Stephen F. Austin State University launched a series of cooperative research studies to look for definitive answers to help explain why the birds had done well in some areas and fizzled in others. Turkeys were outfitted with electronic transmitters and released at accelerated rates on designated sites with optimum habitat. Using radio telemetry gear, researchers are gathering reliable data about turkey movements, nesting ecology, survival and poult recruitment.
Melville said the predator-impact study being conducted in cooperation with SFA and the TPWD should help solve another piece of a perplexing puzzle that has been nagging wildlife experts for years.
"I think everyone acknowledges that predators have had an impact on the turkey populations, but whether they are the main cause of the problems the turkeys are having remains up for debate," Melville said. "What we are trying to find out is if the mesocarnivores are having a substantial influence on the recruitment of wild turkeys, or if the problems we are seeing are more of a combination of the other factors in conjunction with predation."
Tracking predators
Melville is no stranger to the predator study. He has conducted similar studies on much larger critters in South Africa. He spent nearly four years in the bush doing tracking research on lions and leopards. He also designed an extensive research project to determine whether or not caracals (a medium-size cat native to the Middle East and Africa) were having a substantial impact on domestic livestock. The results were negative.
East Texas is a long way from South Africa, but predators are predators no matter the continent. Most are opportunists, and many choose to do their killing under the cover of darkness.
Study Framework
The eastern wild turkey predation study is being conducted at two sites comprising about 24,000 acres in Nacogdoches County. Both sites have excellent habitat and plenty of turkeys. Many of the birds are wearing radio transmitters as part of other ongoing research studies.
Melville's preliminary research cited about 11 animals that might be harming turkey populations by killing individual birds or poults, disrupting nesting activity or preying on unhatched eggs. He eventually narrowed the list to three candidates likely to be having the most significant impact: raccoons, bobcats and coyotes.
That's where Snelson comes in. The veteran trapper was hired to help find the animals, and together Snelson and Melville have caught, collared and released 15 raccoons, four bobcats and four coyotes. Melville intends to recruit more bobcats and coyotes into the study next year, but until then he will be monitoring the original group closely.
He thinks one of the most interesting aspects of the study will be the data gathered in relation to "mock" nesting sites. The scientist plans to construct artificial turkey nests in known nesting areas. The nests will be baited with chicken eggs, hen turkey decoys and turkey feathers. Each nest will be monitored using a heat-motion sensitive camera to record images of anything that approaches the site.
"We are hoping to determine whether the predators are focusing on the nesting sites during the nesting season or if they are opportunistically detecting the nests during the nesting season," Melville said.
This portion of the study also should yield some telling evidence that could change the ways landowners are advised to manage habitat for turkeys, according to Gary Calkins, TPWD District 6 wildlife biologist in Jasper.
"We are fairly certain that the impact predators are having is a direct result of the habitat, but we are not going to jump on the bandwagon and say we need to intensify predator control," Calkins said. "One of the main things we hope to get out of Haemish's research study is some good information that will help us alter our habitat management practices in a way that is more beneficial for turkeys."
Distinctive edges to forests created by logging operations can be death traps for turkeys, particularly during the spring nesting season. Turkeys are inclined to nest in relation to edge habitat when it is available.
Calkins thinks creating fewer distinctive edges across the landscape could result in improved nesting success and fewer turkey mortalities due to predation.
"Coyotes, bobcats and raccoons are not stupid," he said. "Once they figure out the buffet line is down the edge, that is where they are going to hunt. I think that is big part of what is happening out there right now."
Melville also expects to gather some useful data in regard to predator movements and range patterns. Interestingly, one of the raccoons he is tracking goes on a lengthy walkabout almost once a week, traveling as much as 3-4 miles in one night.
Some of the coyotes have been especially rangy, as well. One of the dogs traveled about three miles from where it was caught on the first night.
Snelson thinks Melville may be surprised by the range of the coyotes as the study progresses.
"Once this thing really gets clicking, I think you'll see some movement patterns of 25-30 miles in single night," Snelson said. "These coyotes love to roam."
Matt Williams' e-mail address is mattwilliams@netdot.com.
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