NWTF and TPWD Complete Wild Turkey Project at Kerr WMA

The Kerr Wildlife Management Area covers about 6,500 acres in the south-central portion of the Edwards Plateau and provides year-round wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities for white-tailed deer and Rio Grande wild turkeys. The KWMA also supports a small population of bobwhite quail and serves as a research and demonstration site that benefits the native flora and fauna.   

“We’re trying to conserve our natural habitats for the native game birds and native deer,” said Joshua Vasquez, TPWD research biologist. “This project started when we noticed turkeys roosting south of the KWMA. Every morning, they would migrate north onto KWMA, and then in the evening, they’d go back south. They weren’t moving through this area of thick oak, so we thought about applying herbicide to thin out that oak strip. Hopefully we’ll make it more of a herbaceous mosaic for these turkeys, so then they can start utilizing those places a little bit more.”  

This same area also supports one of the few known quail populations on the KWMA. The targeted portion of dense live oak and shin oak are found in areas that were historically inter-mixed with grass and forb communities and managed with prescribed fire. Reducing oak encroachment will promote and restore the higher quality grasses, forbs and herbaceous cover.  

Managers preferred herbicide applications rather than mechanical removal because large portions of the proposed area are difficult to access with equipment, due to steep slopes and large rocks. The site is viewable via a well-maintained road which provides opportunities for future brush management demonstrations in the Edwards Plateau.  

“We’re also working with some researchers who put GPS units out [on wild turkeys],” Vasquez said. “So we have this really cool opportunity to look at movement before the herbicide was applied and then compare movements after the herbicide.”  

The herbicide used on the oak species typically takes two or three growing cycles to effectively kill the trees, but land managers have already started to notice veinal necrosis — a condition in which the veins in plants become damaged and die — in treated areas. This is an early indicator that that plant is being affected by the herbicide.  

“We did this project at a lighter herbicide application rate, because we don't want to remove every tree,” Vasquez said. “We understand the importance of leaving a mosaic out there on the landscape, but it was too thick, and we want this herbicide to set everything back. Beyond that, we hope to see an improvement in wild turkey habitat.”  

Once the herbicide successfully reduces the overgrowth, target areas will be mulched, and prescribed burns will be used as needed to limit and reduce further encroachment.    

KWMA staff will monitor brush mortalities and document the progress via unmanned aerial vehicles for five years.  

“We are thankful for the collaboration with the NWTF because it is allowing us to improve wildlife habitat on state property for the benefit of [the] public and for the benefit of landowners adjacent to us,” Vasquez said. “That's something that's really important to us.” 

About the National Wild Turkey Federation  

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 24 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.