April 19, 2004

Executive Director Ross, Deputy Director Schmit, Commissioners:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Game Commission programs and regulation change proposals. The 23,000 members of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation are pleased to support the work commission biologists, land managers and wildlife conservation officers have done to effectively restore and manage wild turkeys in the Commonwealth. Our working relationship with the Game Commission continues to be excellent and turkey hunters are living in the best of times in the twenty-first century. Our members and local chapter system endeavor to provide assistance to commission personnel in their mission of improving turkey habitat and providing recreational opportunities to wild turkey enthusiasts.

We commend the commission once again for its support of youth hunting opportunities, especially for the early youth spring gobbler hunting day set for this coming Saturday, April 24.

Preliminary 2003 fall turkey hunting incident numbers appear to be quite low. It is our belief that the attention devoted to turkey hunter safety by the media between the June and October commission meetings had a positive impact on reminding turkey hunters to be careful. The same level of attention needs to be directed to this important message prior to every turkey hunting season. For the spring gobbler season, the Pennsylvania Chapter has published turkey hunter safety messages in PA Outdoor Times March and April issues, PA Outdoor News April issue and the PA Chapter newsletter “Turkey Talk” spring issue. In addition, a Chapter news release was forwarded to POWA members and other outdoor writers throughout the Commonwealth.

AS noted in our January comments the PGC Management Plan for Wild Turkeys in Pennsylvania is scheduled to be revised and updated during 2004. The plan has been an important factor in decisions affecting wild turkey management since it was drafted. Our members encourage the commission to follow the strategies of the existing plan or the updated version in making decisions on seasons and bag limits (both spring and fall) for wild turkeys. We also encourage the commission to make funding available for wild turkey research, population data collection, collection of demographic information on turkey hunters and making turkey hunter safety a major focus in the future.

Using the PGC “Management Plan for Wild Turkeys in Pennsylvania” as the baseline, we support the use of science-based principles for all wildlife management in the Commonwealth and for direction and decisions affecting our renewable wildlife resources.

The Pennsylvania Chapter NWTF asks that the Commissioners consider and provide opportunity for PGC staff to look at and evaluate these additional wild turkey management recommendations.

1)We request Commissioner support for completing the revision of the “Management Plan for Wild Turkeys in Pennsylvania” with the goal of signing the revised plan in 2004.

2) Please review whatever data is available on the 2003 hatch and winter mortality in the severe winters of 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. Based on preliminary data on the hatch, the fall 2003 harvest and snow depths this past winter, we recommend a review of population conditions in WMUs 1A, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4D and 4E. The Bureau of Wildlife Management recommended shortening fall seasons in other WMUs at the January meeting. We request that staff and the commissioners carefully evaluate these additional WMUs and consider shortening fall 2004 seasons if the data supports such action.

3) Please consider extending the spring gobbler season by one week at the end of the season.

4) Please review the possibility of establishing all day spring turkey hunting, sunrise to sunset, with a regulation making roost shooting illegal all year around.

5) Consider reducing the fall turkey hunting season orange regulation to match the spring orange regulation.

6) Improve the information gathered via report cards required for successful hunters by requesting data on the sex and age of harvested turkeys (for example- male, female, jake).

7) Please be advised that the PA Chapter NWTF supports the proposed legislation creating an additional turkey tag (HB 2042) and will work with PGC staff toward the passage of this bill.

Thank you for the many positive changes in wild turkey management made by the Commission during the last ten years. The management suggestions and turkey hunting concepts proposed by our members are designed to continue the trends in turkey population growth and increased recreational opportunities for hunters. Please accept our offer to work with commission staff on turkey hunter safety, youth hunting initiatives, turkey hunter information and education and wild turkey management.

Sincerely,

Don O’Brien

Director and Past President- Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation

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Last modified: April 22, 2004