PANWTF - PGC Commissioner

Meeting Statement, January 5, 2003

 

 

Commissioners, Executive Director Ross, Assistant Directors, Commission staff, ladies and gentlemen:

 

My name is Carl Mowry and I currently serve as president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. On behalf of our members and our Board of Directors, I would like to say that it is a pleasure and a privilege to work together with the dedicated personnel of the Pennsylvania Game Commission on issues affecting the conservation of our valuable wildlife resources. The professional biologists, land managers and law enforcement officers of the Game Commission continue to do an outstanding job of managing wild turkeys and the other wildlife of the Commonwealth and we would like to compliment them on their work.

 

Thank you for the chance to comment on proposed changes to regulations affecting hunting seasons, bag limits and public use of State Game Lands. We have reviewed the agenda items and proposals affecting wild turkey hunting opportunities and the use of state game lands during the spring gobbler hunting season. The Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation agrees with the proposal to limit the use of non-motorized vehicles on state game lands between the second Saturday in April and the last Saturday in May.

 

Our chapter commends the Commission for attempting to provide additional recreational opportunity to turkey hunters within the guidelines of the Wild Turkey Management Plan for Pennsylvania. The proposal to expand spring gobbler hunting hours is an example of forward-thinking on the part of the Game Commission. The Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation supports the proposal to allow spring gobbler hunting until 5:00 PM.

 

Given that many turkey hunters do not arrive home from work or school until 4:00 PM or later, we would ask that the commission consider a 6:00 PM closure. A 6:00 PM closing time would allow for additional hunting time while maintaining a buffer of more than two hours to provide turkeys with protection from disturbance at roosting time. The extra hour would give parents more time to take young hunters out after school and give those who work later some potential time in the field. At least twenty-seven of the forty-nine states with spring gobbler hunting seasons currently allow all day spring hunting. These states report minimal impact on wild turkey populations from afternoon spring hunting. We believe that it is time for Pennsylvania to expand spring hunting hours.

 

The Pennsylvania Chapter is also supportive of the proposed Wildlife Management Units introduced at the October Commission meeting. Basing Wildlife Management Units on habitat

characteristics and land use patterns is a positive change. Delineating Wildlife Management Unit boundaries using major roadways and rivers will simplify identification of the units. Smaller,

more discernable Wildlife Management Units will provide more wildlife population management options to Commission biologists and uniform management units for all species will be less confusing for hunters.

 

Bureau of Wildlife Management biologists recently completed a telemetry study of wild turkey survival and productivity in Turkey Management Area 7B. The suppressed wild turkey population in this region is attributable to a number of factors, but closing the fall season in the area would likely help turkey numbers to recover. Turkey Management Area 7B includes portions of proposed Wildlife Management Unit 5A. Therefore, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation supports the proposal to close Wildlife Management Unit 5A to fall turkey hunting. In order to allow biologists to accurately assess the impact of this proposed change, the Pennsylvania Chapter recommends that the fall season closure be kept in place for at least a three year period.

 

We also note that Wildlife Management Unit 5B is proposed for a closed fall turkey hunting season. This part of the southeastern region has been the site of releases of wild-trapped turkeys in recent years. Transfers of wild turkeys to the region were designed to bolster local populations and establish new turkey flocks in suitable but unoccupied range. Maintaining a closed fall season for a period of time will give the growing flocks in this area time to become firmly established. The Pennsylvania Chapter supports the proposal for a closed fall turkey hunting season in Wildlife Management Unit 5B and recommends that the area be closed to fall hunting for a period of at least three years.

 

The proposed changes fit well with the goals and objectives of the Wild Turkey Management Plan for Pennsylvania. The members and Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation encourage the Commission to continue working toward the goals and objectives of the Wild Turkey Management Plan. We are very pleased with the progress of trap and transfer operations designed to complete wild turkey restoration in the southeastern region and request that the Game Commission continue these efforts until all suitable wild turkey range is occupied.

 

Thank you again for providing this forum for public comment and for your commitment to the scientific management of wild turkey populations.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Carl Mowry

President, Pennsylvania Chapter- NWTF

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Last modified: November 20, 2003