Welcome to Wild Turkey Science, a podcast made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow.

I'm Dr. Marcus Lashley, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Florida.

And I'm Dr. Will Gulsby, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at Auburn University.

We're both lifelong hunters and devoted scientists who are passionate about hunting, managing,

and researching wild turkeys.

In this podcast, we'll explore turkey research, speak to the experts in the field, and address the difficult questions related to wild turkey ecology and management.

Our goal is to serve as your connection to wild turkey science.

All right. Well, we are through the season in the far south, beginning the season in the far north and kind of in the middle of it in some places.

Well, don't count me out yet, Marcus. We've got a few more days.

Yeah, yeah. Well, we've got a story for you that we'll tell here pretty soon, but today we have

the Turkey Management Program Coordinator from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

with us, Buddy Welch. Buddy, thanks for coming on the show. We really appreciate you taking the time to talk to us.

Sure. I'm glad to be here and certainly appreciate the invite.

Yeah. Well, we wanted to have you for a few reasons. We've been getting, or at least I do,

I get quite a few emails from folks in Florida or that hunt in Florida

that are really interested in the status of turkeys in Florida and also really interested

in some of the ongoing work that we're collaborating on.

So we wanted to talk to you about several of those things. But I also know that

you really like turkey hunting. And you recently were out with your sons and had a really fun

story to tell to us. I was wondering if we could kind of start there and you could tell us about that and then we can get going.

Sure.

Be happy to.

...