HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Game Commission is expecting hunters to encounter a sizeable wild turkey population when they head afield for the opening day of wild turkey season Saturday. And finding birds this fall may be easier than it was last year.
“Wild turkey hunting is one of Pennsylvania’s premiere outdoor experiences,” said PGC Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “The satisfaction derived from calling in and taking a game bird that can see you twitch at 50 yards is a fulfillment that veteran hunters never tire of and new turkey hunters can’t wait to experience.
“The good news for this fall is that we believe there are great opportunities for wild turkey hunters throughout the state. But, as always, pre-season scouting and planning will be important to your hunting success.”
Season lengths vary in the state’s Wildlife Management Units for fall turkey hunting: WMUs 1A, 1B and 2A (Shotgun and bow and arrow only) – Nov. 1-15; WMU 2B (Shotgun and bow and arrow only) – Nov. 1-22; WMUs 2C, 2E, 2F, 4A and 4B – Nov 1-15; WMUs 2D, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E – Nov. 1-22; WMUs 5A and 5B – closed to fall hunting; and WMUs 5C and 5D (Shotgun and bow and arrow only) – Nov. 1-7.
Mary Jo Casalena, Game Commission wild turkey biologist, said Pennsylvania’s wild turkey population is above the 10-year-average thanks to good reproduction the past two springs and generally conservative fall season lengths, which prevents overharvest of hens.
“At its best, back in 2001, Pennsylvania’s turkey population peaked at about 410,000 birds,” Casalena explained. This spring, we believe the population numbered about 335,000 turkeys, prior to reproduction, and turkey reproduction appears to have been average or better in most areas. That should translate into great hunting in Pennsylvania.
“Of course, weather and the availability of fall foods also influence hunter success, and this fall will be no different. Gypsy moth defoliation has had a tremendous impact on mast production in many areas of the state. This will make finding turkeys difficult in areas without a sufficient mast crop and should force birds to congregate where mast – particularly acorns and beechnuts – are available.
“Hunters who find pockets of beech or oak trees with good nut production, or soft mast such as grapes, apples or cherries, or agricultural fields with standing crops or waste grain, should find turkeys,” Casalena explained. “But remember, locating the flock is only part of the hunt. Setting up properly and bringing a turkey within range are other challenges hunters must master. It’s what makes success so tricky and enjoyable.”
The preliminary spring 2008 harvest was 40,500, including about 1,955 turkeys taken with “special turkey licenses.” In 2007, hunters took an estimated 41,000, including about 1,500 second license turkeys. The spring harvest record was set in 2001 when hunters took 49,200 turkeys.
“Pennsylvania hunters have consistently taken 30,000 or more turkeys in the spring season since 1995,” Casalena pointed out. “That exceeds most other states in the nation.”
Casalena said she expects hunter success this fall to mirror last year’s rate of about 16 percent. In the three years prior to 2007, hunter success was about 12 percent annually. The best hunter success rate was set in 2001 when 21 percent of hunters were successful. The worst was 1979, only four percent of hunters were successful.
“There is no substitute for scouting when it comes to finding wild turkeys, unless, of course, someone else scouts for you,” Casalena said. “And there’s nothing wrong with being enterprising and thorough. Talk to farmers, hikers and other hunters if you don’t have leads for areas to scout. Look for scratchings in the leaves, and know that it’s pretty hard to miss the signs turkeys make looking for food. Leaves are falling or have fallen in many areas, so scratching for food will become more pronounced on the forest floor.
“Once you find the general area turkeys are working, try to pattern their daily movements. Look for fresh scratchings, tracks, turkey droppings and feathers. Sort out what the birds are eating. It takes about a week to pattern a flock. Once you have, capitalize on your preseason fieldwork.”
In both spring and fall turkey seasons, it is unlawful to use drives to hunt turkeys. Hunters may take only one turkey in the fall season.
Shot size is limited to No. 4 lead, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron or No. 2 steel. Turkey hunters also are required to tag their bird before moving it and to mail the postage-paid harvest report card – provided with all hunting licenses – within 10 days of taking a turkey. A replacement harvest report card is on page 33 of the 2008-09 Hunting and Trapping Digest.
Also, two other reminders to turkey hunters: legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. For more information, please see page 14 of the 2008-09 Digest for the legal hunting hours table. In addition, it is now lawful to use a dog to pursue, chase, scatter and track wild turkeys during the fall wild turkey season. Prior to 2007, hunters were prohibited from using dogs to hunt any big game animal, which includes wild turkeys.
On a final note, turkey hunters are asked to please remember to report any leg-banded turkeys they harvest. This information hunters provide from the recovery of a banded wild turkey has great value to the agency’s research efforts.