TWRA’s Summer Wild Turkey Survey Enters Final Month

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is reminding Tennesseans and visitors to take part in the 2026 wild turkey summer observation survey. The survey is open to the public and continues through Aug 31.

"As we begin to wind down another summer, please remember to report your sightings of wild turkeys to TWRA via the annual summer turkey survey," said Roger Shields, TWRA Wild Turkey Program Coordinator. "Whether you see gobblers, jakes, hens with poults, or hens without poults, they are all important observations for the survey. So please take time to report any turkeys you see this month."

The Agency had set a goal of having at least 30 observations from each of the state's 95 counties. TWRA received reports of sightings from all but Crockett County last summer.

Agency staff have conducted this survey annually since the 1980s, with public participation now in its fifth year. The main purpose of the summer survey is to obtain wild turkey reproduction and population data that can be compared with results from previous years to evaluate population trends. Survey participants help the TWRA monitor the state's wild turkey population by reporting wild turkey sightings. For more information on the survey and how to participate, visit https://www.tn.gov/twra/turkeyobs.

For those interested in participating in the survey for the first time, the website will explain why TWRA conducts the survey, provide an ID tutorial with a quiz to test one's knowledge of turkey ID, and provide links to the actual forms to submit observations.

The public can read the TWRA's wild turkey status reports and summaries of past years' survey results by visiting https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/twra/hunting/big-game/turkey.html#biology.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

---TWRA---