Commentary: New research looks at why wild turkey eggs aren’t hatching and impact it has on population decline

Are turkey population declines due to predators, as many suggest, or is it the failure of eggs to hatch? Opinions vary, but the National Wild Turkey Federation is taking a close look to find out – and to try to fix the problem. As part of its 2023 investment in wild turkey research, the NWTF is helping fund a unique project out of the University of Tennessee examining potential factors that may be causing turkey eggs to not become turkey chicks. Examining wild turkey eggs in this way is entirely new in wild turkey management, and the results could be illuminating.