Calling all turkey hunters and wildlife watchers.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking participants for its 22nd annual Summer Wild Turkey Survey, part of its “citizen scientist’’ initiative that helps wildlife managers monitor wildlife resources and gauge management practices.

The statewide summer turkey survey has been conducted each year since 1996 to estimate the number of wild turkey poults — the newborns of the year. During August, survey participants are asked to record the sex and age composition of any flocks of turkeys they observe during their normal travels outdoors. Surveys forms can be downloaded online and mailed to a DEC regional office or submitted by email to wildlife@dec.ny.gov (type “Turkey Survey’’ in subject line). Observations can also be submitted online.

Weather, predation and habitat conditions during the breeding and brooding season impact the survival of hens and poults.

In 2016, there were 737 recorded hen flocks, the largest number reported since 2002. DEC attributed that to a favorable spring and mild winter but also to increased awareness of the summer survey and ease with which people can report their observations.

Based on the 2016 survey, reproductive success was below the 10-year average of 3.0 poults per hen, down to about 2.8 poults per hen. In general, reproductive success has improved since 2009 when a record low of 2.4 poults per hen was recorded. But it’s lower over the past 10 years than during the first decade of the survey.

DEC said that based on the decline in reproductive success from 2015 to 2016, the fall hunting harvest is expected to be similar or slightly lower than the fall of 2015. In areas of good hard and soft mast production, birds are less vulnerable to harvest.

LROTH@Gannett.com