Wild turkey populations are in decline across much of the U.S., and northwest Kansas (heck...Kansas in general) is right there in the thick of it, despite what the State, and many hunting outfitters, may want you to believe. In this episode, Chris dives into what his observations lead him to believe to be the cause of the catastrophic decline of Rio Grande wild turkeys populations in northwest Kansas – BEYOND just the brutal drought cycle that part of the State is in – and what might need to be done to get [at least] this region OUT of this troubling trend. In this episode, Chris discusses:
– Agricultural crop rotation changes, and the move away from a winter wheat dominated landscape;
– Changes in cattle/pasture/"waste-ground" management;
– Changes in native habitat landscapes;
– Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) changes/management;
– The subsidization of raccoon and other mesopredator populations;
– Realities surrounding the mantra of "It's just habitat, habitat, habitat!";
– Possible "what–to–do–about–its"; and
– More
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