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Sportsmen and women, birders, landowners and other wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to assist MassWildlife by counting turkey families this summer. MassWildlife conducts an annual wild turkey brood survey from June through August. "The brood survey serves as a long term index on reproduction," explains Jim Cardoza, MassWildlife's Turkey Project Leader. "It helps us determine overall productivity and allows us to compare rates of reproduction over a long period of time." Cardoza also points out that citizen involvement in this survey is a cost-effective means of gathering useful data, and he encourages all interested people to participate. A turkey brood survey form has been posted on MassWildlife's website. Information needed includes date, town, number of hens seen, and number of poults (young turkeys) and their relative size compared to the hens. Multiple sightings of the same brood should also be noted. The survey period runs from June 1 - August 31. Completed forms should to be mailed to the MassWildlife Westborough Field Headquarters.
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