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HARRISBURG -- One of Pennsylvania's most exciting seasons in underway -- wild turkey. Hunting season lengths vary according to Wildlife Management Unit from closed season to three-plus weeks.
While season lengths in most WMUs remain unchanged from last year, the first season segment has been shortened from three weeks to two in WMU 4E, and from two weeks to one in WMUs 4A and 4B, to help those populations rebound from declining trends, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
That encompasses parts of Juniata, Perry, Mifflin and Snyder counties.
"Now is the time to check the dates of when seasons open and close," Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said. "As is typically the case for the fall turkey season, different season lengths apply in different units, and the seasons in a handful of WMUs have changed this year."
Hunters who didn't participate in the fall turkey season during the last few years might be unaware of season length changes in some other WMUs, due to declining population trends and the results of an agency study that showed the longer the fall season the higher the female turkey harvest.
In most of the state, the fall turkey season began Oct. 28. Regionally, the seasons are Oct. 28-Nov. 4 and Nov. 23-25 in WMU 4B; and Oct. 28-Nov. 11 and Nov. 23-25 in WMUs 4D and 4E.
Last year's fall harvest of 10,844 was 35 percent below the previous 3-year average of 16,688, likely due to a combination of a decrease in fall hunting participation, shorter fall season lengths in many WMUs, below average turkey reproduction (translating to smaller sized turkey flocks) and abundant acorn crops in much of the state, which tended to scatter flocks making them more difficult to locate, Casalena said.
The relatively new Thanksgiving three-day season provides additional opportunities for participation, and is also a very successful season with about 18 percent of the harvest occurring during those three days.
Pennsylvania hunters have consistently maintained spring harvests above 30,000 bearded turkeys since 1995, exceeding most other states in the nation.
Hunters are reminded to report any leg-banded turkeys they harvest or find. Leg bands are stamped with a toll-free number to call. Although the agency's research project is completed and rewards are no longer valid, the information provided is still beneficial and hunters can learn the history of the bird.
Pennsylvania's fall turkey season is among those open to Mentored Youth and Mentored Adult hunters. During the fall turkey season, a mentor may transfer his or her fall turkey tag to a Mentored Youth or Mentored Adult hunter.
The Mentored Youth Hunting Program sets out to introduce those under the age of 12 to hunting. Mentored Youth must obtain a $2.90 permit, and must be accompanied at all times by a licensed mentor 21 years or older.
The Mentored Adult Hunting Program seeks to remove obstacles for adults who have an interest in hunting and the opportunity to go hunting with a licensed mentor. The cost of a resident Mentored Adult permit is $20.90 -- the same as the cost of a resident hunting license.
Mentored Youth and Mentored Adults can participate in only approved hunting seasons, and the seasons that have been approved for Mentored Youth are different from those for Mentored Adults. Different sets of regulations apply to Mentored Youth and Mentored Adults, as well.