Changes To Spring Gobbler Hunting Season

Hi Hikers,
Please pass the word to your mailing lists that there are important changes to Spring Gobbler Season. Many are unaware of the seasons, let alone the changes. Thanks

SPRING GOBBLER SEASON Hikers, mountainbikers, birdwatchers and other outdoor recreationists should be aware that the Pennsylvania Game Commission has expanded the Spring Gobbler Season.


From April 30 to May 31 (except Sundays), there will be 232,000 Spring turkey hunters afield, who are expected to harvest about 41,000 bearded birds.
The state’s one-day youth spring gobbler season is Saturday,April 23, and will run from one-half hour before sunrise until noon. The general spring gobbler season is April 30-May 31, but there are new hunting hours.

The legal hunting hours from the opening day of the spring gobbler season through the third Saturday (April 30-May 14) will retain the current one-half hour before sunrise until noon timeframe. However, the remainder of the season (May 16-31) will be expanded to run all day, from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

The expanded hours during the last two weeks of the season are to lessen disturbance of nesting hens said Mary Jo Casalena, Game Commission wild turkey biologist. “By then, hunting pressure decreases and most hens are in their later stages of nest incubation, at which point they are less likely to abandon their nest if disturbed."


Note also that the Board extended the spring gobbler season through Tuesday, May 31. That does include Memorial Day. Turkey hunters are not required to wear blaze orange; hunters will be dressed in camouflage, calling in the gobblers from a static position. If you hear a turkey gobbling, assume that it is a hunter.

We suggest that you restrict your outdoor activities to areas where no hunting takes place so as to not interfere with legal hunting activities.

The PGC is proud of their safety record; let's help them keep it that way.

Dick
Richard A. Martin, Coordinator www.PaForestCoalition.org

Mission: Good Stewardship of our Public Lands
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