Rio Grande Wild Turkey in Texas: Biology and Management

Over-hunting greatly reduced populations of the Rio Grande Wild Turkey in Texas. Now, however, restoration efforts and harvest limits are helping the birds make a comeback, and many landowners want to know how to manage their land to encourage them. This publication explains the characteristics, life history, range, nesting, and reproduction of Rio Grande Wild Turkeys. It also discusses the birds' daily and seasonal movements and the effects of predation and diseases on their survival. There is a thorough discussion of the kinds and amounts of food and cover plants turkeys need, and methods of managing brush, water, grazing, and farming to create suitable habitat. (16 pages)