224 Buck Road
October 4, 2004
Pennsylvania Game Commission
Commissioners, Executive Director Ross, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The members of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild
Turkey Federation would like to take this opportunity to affirm the work of the
commission in many areas. Our members benefit from the fine work, both past and
present, accomplished by the biologists, land managers and wildlife
conservation officers of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Our Board of Directors and those who attended our August meeting discussed a number of issues affecting wild turkey management and the development of additional recreational opportunity for turkey hunters. Once again we commend the commission for establishing the Special Youth Spring Gobbler Hunt. Many of our members participated in the first hunt by taking youngsters into the field on that special day. Some of our chapters are in the process of developing mentoring programs designed to encourage young people to begin hunting and to develop hunting as a lifestyle. Using the spring season for a special youth hunt sends a message of encouragement to youth hunters. It also provides an opportunity to teach wildlife management principles by encouraging the harvest of gobblers in a season that will have minimal impact on our turkey population.
As noted in our January comments the PGC Management Plan for
Wild Turkeys in
Using the PGC “Management Plan for Wild Turkeys in
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 early 2005.
2) Please review whatever data is available on the 2003 hatch and winter mortality, 2004 hatch and winter mortality. Based on the data on the spring hatch, the fall 2003 harvest, and winter snow depths from 2003 and 2004, we recommend a review of population conditions in WMUs 1A, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4D and 4E. We request that staff and the commissioners carefully evaluate these WMUs for 2005 fall hunting season lengths.
3) Consider reducing the fall turkey hunting season orange regulation to match the spring orange regulation.
In the interest of our wild turkey resource, we urge the commission to follow the guidelines of the recently distributed white paper on increasing recreational opportunity for turkey hunters. Our members support maintaining the current strategy for opening the spring gobbler season on the Saturday closest to May 1, thereby allowing nesting to be initiated by most hens before the season begins. Using this conservative strategy, options for increasing recreational opportunity will likely have less impact on the turkey population. The Pennsylvania Chapter Board of Directors supports the concept of increased hours for spring gobbler hunting and encourages the commissioners to explore all day spring hunting. Concern about roost shooting later in the day has been expressed by some members so our board would support the preparation of regulations specifically prohibiting roost shooting of wild turkeys.
Sunday hunting is currently being discussed in the legislature. Should the legislature take action to change the statutes on this activity, we would ask the commissioners to consider expanding the special youth spring gobbler hunt, making it a two day (Saturday and Sunday) season the weekend prior to the regular opening day.
Fall turkey hunting is a popular activity among our members
and among
As we approach the 2004 fall turkey hunting season our members are extremely pleased to note the outstanding safety record established by turkey hunters last fall. The Pennsylvania Chapter will continue to keep safety in the forefront by placing articles on turkey hunting safety in our own newsletters and other publications. We request that the Pennsylvania Game Commission pursue options to broadcast the safe hunting message such as billboards, “hunt safely” posters and radio and television psa’s in addition to press releases to help send the message. Our chapter stands ready to help in this process.
Our Chapter was strong in its support for House Bill 2042 creating an additional turkey tag for hunters. Not only did we agree with the concept of allowing for some additional harvest of gobblers in the spring, but we saw the potential for generating revenue for the agency. As the commission looks ahead to developing a plan for issuing tags at some point in the future, we remind the commissioners of the need for improving data collection on wild turkey harvests and examining harvest rates on different sex and age classes of turkeys. One method of accomplishing these high priority goals for wild turkey management will be to devote some of the income from additional tag sales to banding studies on regional or statewide levels. Our members are keenly interested in seeing improved data sets available for use by Game Commission biologists.
In closing we suggest that the commissioners explore the feasibility of adding additional wild turkey data to the current harvest report card. Some of the data that could be obtained from the reporting hunter includes the sex of the harvested bird, the age of the bird, approximate weight, beard length, spur length and sporting arm used in the harvest. This information request could be printed on the report form within the space currently available. While it would be somewhat subjective, this information would be useful for analysis.
As sportsmen we are most appreciative of the privilege working together with the Commission to assure a bright future for the wild turkey and hunting in the Commonwealth. Thank you for the chance to speak today.
Sincerely,
Jim Panaro
Treasurer,
Send mail to
panwtf@go2pa.com
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Copyright © 2004 Pennsylvania Chapter- National Wild Turkey Federation
Last modified:
October 25, 2004