The Notorious P.I.G.: wild pigs are not primary predators of wild turkey nests

Abstract Eastern wild turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo silvestris ) are one of the most socially and economically important big game species in North America. Given ongoing declines in eastern wild turkey population trajectories, considerable attention has been given to identifying causes of nest loss, including efforts focused on potential impacts of wild pigs ( Sus scrofa ) on wild turkey demography. Herein, we used the most spatially and temporally comprehensive dataset available on the nesting ecology of wild turkeys to demonstrate that wild pigs are not primary nest predators of wild turkeys. We found that aggregate nest loss from all species known to scavenge and remove eggs from nests, which includes snakes, raccoons ( Procyon lotor ), wild pigs, and other species, failed to exceed 12% of total nesting attempts. Our findings contradict contentions in the published literature suggesting that wild pigs are important nest predators. We offer that differences in our findings using actual wild turkey nests relative to works using artificial nests or camera surveys support our contention that wild pigs are not primary predators of wild turkey nests and likely have limited impact on wild turkey reproductive output. Furthermore, we contend that studies attempting to infer predation rates or predator species responsible for actual nest loss using artificial nests are biased and inaccurate.