PA Chapter NWTF Supports Wild Turkey Management

June 13, 2007

By Don Heckman

PA Chapter NWTF Executive Officer

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, a resource-first wildlife conservation organization, provides input into Pennsylvania Game Commission regulatory process through our recommendations at Board of Commissioner meetings.

Pennsylvania Chapter NWTF, established in June 1975, supports science-based wildlife management decisions for our state and local chapters, NWTF members, turkey hunters and the general public.

The state chapter strongly support PGC Management Plan for Wild Turkeys in Pennsylvania and work with the agency to complete management plan strategies and achieve wild turkey resource objectives.

PGC Executive Summary review, Management Goal, 6 Objectives, and 47 Strategies and 50 years of accomplishments in revised, updated PGC Management Plan for Wild Turkeys in Pennsylvania will be used over the next 10 years to manage the wild turkey resource and turkey hunting seasons.

As chairman of the PA Chapter NWTF Wild Turkey Management Committee we have been tracking several issues using management plan criteria for future turkey hunting opportunities and resource management objectives.

PA Chapter NWTF Wild Turkey Management Committee will be working on these issues.

Wild Turkey Management changes require PGC Staff and Commissioner overview.

Revised PGC Management Plan For Wild Turkeys In Pennsylvania - 2006-2015 - was approved by PGC Executive Staff and posted on PGC Web site – http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=466&q=150314

PA Chapter NWTF primary wild turkey management goal is supporting the plan’s 6 objectives and fully funding 47 operational strategies documented in the management plan over the next 10 years.

- Recommend extending youth spring gobbler hunting to all day.

- Recommend expansion of youth spring gobbler to more than one day.

- Recommend extending spring gobbler season to May 31 (Commissioner's approved Monday, May 26, 2008, at April 2007 Commissioner meeting.)

- Recommend expansion of regular spring gobbler season to all day after 4-year gobbler leg band research project is completed.

- Recommendation for Mentored Youth Hunting to including fall turkey hunting season in hunting seasons regulation.

- Statewide 4-year gobbler leg band research – 2006 and 2007 completed. The first year was funded approximately NWTF Research Grant In Aid ($40,000) and PA Chapter NWTF Hunting Heritage Fund ($14,500) for PGC research project materials and equipment, PGC funded administrative, staff and transportation requirements --- third year will start in January 2008.

- When 4-year statewide gobbler leg band study is completed in 2009, recommend submitting next research proposal in 2008 and request funding for statewide hen telemetry study for 4 years.

Legislation changes require Governor signature.

- PGC hunting license increase legislation – support need for PGC additional revenue, hunting license increase and support alternative funding recommendations.

- Turkey hunting license – continuing our longstanding position statement, articles and news releases, supporting need for combined spring and fall turkey hunting license, supporting fully funded wild turkey management plan to complete yearly objectives and strategies.

- Turkey dog legislation for fall hunting season has been introduced, HB 580, we have provided support material and reference documents to PA Turkey Dogs Association.

- Support Sunday hunting as regulated by PGC, HB 779, and required legislation to change Title 34 Game Law.

PA Chapter NWTF board committee actions requiring PGC staff and commissioner overview.

- Spring gobbler season orange regulation, recommendation to PGC Staff and Commissioner's to remove wording "must be worn at all times," replace with voluntary use wording.

- Comprehensive PGC wild turkey hunter safety module - NWTF Turkey Hunter Safety DVD, and helping PGC reach out to 310,000 turkey hunters with additional hunter safety and ethics information and material.

- Turkey hunter safety and ethics – HRSI 5-year trends are declining, work with turkey hunters and PGC to continue HRSI declining trend.

- At the PGC Board of Commissioners April meeting, PA Chapter NWTF recommended:

1. Extend spring gobbler season to May 31.
2. Expand hunting hours for special youth spring to all day hunting.
3. WMU 2A, 2F, 2G fall hunting season to be reduced to 2 weeks based on PGC wild turkey management data and decision making guidelines for fall seasons.
4. Support elimination of mandatory use of 100-square inches of orange while moving in spring gobbler season.
5. Expansion of the Mentored Youth Hunting Program for game species to include white-tail buck and fall turkey hunting.

With recent 2006 accomplishments, first-time ever in PGC history state-wide 4-year gobbler leg band research project started with successful banding of 246 gobblers. For the first time since 1968, a special second spring gobbler tag was implemented with 8,041 tags sold and estimated 1,496 gobblers harvested.

Beginning in 2007, a first-time ever PGC Mentored Youth Hunting opportunity for spring gobbler season started, mentored youth participated in spring gobbler hunting season.