520 - Hit the Ground Crawling - A Turkey Hunt

Hit the Ground Running - A Turkey Hunt

Summary

Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington discussed Cameron Weddington's challenges with their new chicken flock due to mycoplasma and its potential implications for wild turkey populations, referencing anecdotal evidence and a Canadian study finding mycoplasma in wild turkeys. Cameron Weddington then recounted a difficult three-day turkey hunt in a new state, detailing a tense encounter with two gobblers on a steep cliff that ultimately led to a successful shot after a strategic and risky maneuver. The hosts, Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington, also looked forward to a New Zealand turkey hunt and shared listener predator stories.

Details

• Podcast Introduction and Personal Updates Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington began the Turkey Hunter Podcast episode 520 by discussing personal happenings. Andy Gagliano joked about opening chipmunk season at their house, while Cameron Weddington shared the story of their new flock of chickens after a disastrous first attempt involving a disease called mycoplasma(00:00:00).
• Cameron's Chicken Misfortunes and Mycoplasma Cameron Weddington recounted the unfortunate demise of their original nine chickens due to predators and ultimately, the introduction of four new chickens carrying mycoplasma, which wiped out the entire flock (00:00:00). They described the rapid spread and severity of mycoplasma, even in asymptomatic carriers, and the lengths they went to disinfect the area to protect local wild turkeys (00:01:34) (00:04:44).
• Potential Impact of Chicken Farming on Wild Turkeys Cameron Weddington reflected on how their experience with mycoplasma made them consider the potential impact of large-scale chicken farming and the spreading of chicken litter on wild turkey populations, especially given the prevalence of diseases in domestic poultry (00:03:39). Andy Gagliano concurred, noting that turkey populations in areas with significant chicken farming often seem lower. They referenced a discussion at a turkey convention where definitive evidence was lacking but anecdotal evidence suggested a negative correlation (00:05:43).
• Mycoplasma Research and Turkey Hunting Season Status Cameron Weddington shared findings from a Canadian study in Ontario that detected mycoplasma in a significant percentage of hunter-harvested wild turkeys. They also mentioned an article on the NWTF website discussing mycoplasma as a viral disease found in wild turkey flocks. With spring turkey season concluded in all US states, except possibly Michigan which ended on June 7th, the hosts transitioned to a story about a past turkey hunt (