Abstract Wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ) hunting has a rich history in the United States, and is important culturally, economically, and for wildlife conservation. However, the wild turkey hunting community faces issues related to recruiting young, diverse hunters, which may face unique barriers compared to other hunting communities. Additionally, the wild turkey hunting community is experiencing several shifts in long‐established hunting practices and regulations, the reasons for which could be explored using a human dimensions perspective. We conducted a systematic literature review to better understand the human dimensions of wild turkey hunting. Our review yielded 32 studies from 1985 to 2023, detailing findings from 20 states in the United States, mostly in the Southeast. Only 2 studies focused on wild turkey hunters in the western United States (Arizona and Idaho). Demographic findings suggest that the average wild turkey hunter is older (~50 years old) than hunters overall (median = 35–44 years old) and indicate less female participation (~94% male) compared to hunters overall (77% male). The majority of studies assessed hunter satisfaction and hunt quality (59%) or support for regulations (78%). Studies reported consistent concern among hunters regarding their safety. All studies were conducted using questionnaires and <5% of studies incorporated a theoretical framework into their research. Expanding research to incorporate more qualitative interviews and mixed‐method approaches, as well as developing survey instruments to test theoretical frameworks, could greatly benefit human dimensions research of wild turkey hunting. Using more qualitative and mixed‐method approaches may provide a deeper understanding of barriers preventing potential new hunters from becoming wild turkey hunters as well as exploring factors influencing motivations and identity factors that could be useful to inform conservation and policy. We recommend incorporating more comprehensive human dimensions research approaches to help address important issues facing wild turkey conservation and the hunting community.
Steele et al. (Sun,) studied this question.