Local/Regional News

The Michigan DNR wants your baby turkey pictures for its annual brood survey

WMUK | By Anna Spidel

Published July 6, 2026 at 5:35 PM EDT

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While turkeys can be a nuisance in urban areas because of their aggression, they’re actually innocent when it comes to accusations of crop damage, said Adam Bump, the Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist. “The crop damage with turkeys, they usually get blamed for things that they don't do,” Bump said. “They're very visible in a field, and you might get damage from deer or woodchucks ... and then the turkey is there and it looks like it might have done it, but most studies have shown they don't do a lot of damage to agriculture.”

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking the public to keep an eye out for wild baby turkeys — and send photos.

Over the next two months, the agency is conducting its wild turkey brood survey to monitor the state's wild turkey population.

The DNR is asking the public to take a photo of any wild mother turkey, or hen, leading a line of baby turkeys, which are called poults. The public can submit their "poult pics" via an online survey.

According to a statement from the DNR, the survey is part of a multi-state effort to understand wild turkey breeding patterns and populations.

Pictures of large flocks of wild turkeys, even without poults, are also welcome. The survey is open until August 31 and can be found on the DNR website.