New Hampshire Residents Asked To Report Winter Turkey Flocks For Research

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is requesting public assistance with its 2026 Winter Turkey Flock Survey. Residents are encouraged to report observations of wild turkey flocks through March 31.

This survey helps the department gather important information about wintering wild turkeys, which face challenges from severe weather and limited food supplies.

The department conducts this annual survey to track wild turkey abundance, distribution, survival, and potential food shortages or disease prevalence. This winter, the Wildlife Division has also launched a multi-year turkey research project across New Hampshire. Survey reports will assist in locating winter flocks to further this research.

With support from the National Wild Turkey Federation, biologists are trapping and leg-banding wild turkeys. This process collects vital data on turkey population dynamics within the state. Dan Ellingwood, Turkey Project Leader with New Hampshire Fish and Game, said that leg bands fitted on birds through this project will allow biologists to measure regional harvest rates.

Ellingwood added that the recovery rate of these bands on harvested birds will be used to validate indices for monitoring turkey population trends and refining population estimates. This information will strengthen long-term decision-making in population management. The project is particularly interested in flocks of male birds located in the central and northern parts of the state to meet current seasonal objectives.

Residents who have turkeys regularly using their property and are interested in allowing trapping for research purposes can indicate this on the survey form. Department staff may then contact them. All turkeys will be released at their capture location immediately after banding. The state’s current turkey population is estimated at 48,000 birds, up 6 percent from the previous year. This rise is largely attributed to improved nesting success during the spring and summer of 2024, due to favorable weather conditions.

Ellingwood said public participation in both the Winter Flock Survey and the Summer Brood Survey greatly assists biologists in annually tracking population trends and is much appreciated. Wild turkey management and research efforts are funded through the federal Wildlife Restoration Program, which receives money from an excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment sales.