Tall timbers has done studies indicating that higher quail populations follow higher rodent numbers. I would assume turkey poults are the same. I will assume that the counties that have higher variability in harvest and burn more simply have more turkeys per acre than those counties that don't burn. Higher overall numbers lead to higher swings. Low numbers cant swing much or they would go extinct. Harder to swing from a turkey to 100 acres to a turkey per 200 acres than swing from a bird per 20 acres to a bird per 40. I also have seen the highest densities of turkeys on quail plantations or quail emphasis properties.

That coopers hawk breeding map is as useless as a lot of your charts. 1% confirmed?? Virtually nothing in bullock/macon in the quail plantations? I know I could take you to breeding pairs right now on those places. They are everywhere.