04/24/2026
Wild turkey DNA sample vials have arrived! 🦃 🧪
The CWTF is proud to participate in and support a wild turkey DNA study that was first launched in 2025 in the US to assess population genetics of wild turkeys, including genetic diversity and inbreeding potential, hybridization, and subspecies ranges. This study was created through a partnership between the Wild Turkey Lab at the University of Georgia, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, the Low Country Game Bird Foundation, and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
The CWTF will oversee the extension and implementation of the study in Canada, including the funding of analytical fees, the recruitment of participants in NB, ON, and QC for this spring’s hunting season, and the collection and submission of roughly 30 tissue samples for DNA analysis. Due to the limited sample size (30) in the first year of sampling in Canada, the CWTF has reach out to recruit individual volunteers to ensure a good geographic distribution within each province. Two participants have already harvested their birds this morning in Québec!
General information on the study can be found on the following website:
https://wildturkeydna.com/