Turkeys continue to prosper across Pennsylvania

It was instinct, and not a Bill Cowher-led screening of "Network," that motivated Pennsylvania's turkeys to dig deep and try again when ugly spring weather doomed their first nests.

At least as far as anyone knows.

Whatever the reason, though, the state's turkeys did renest after a late May frost, and with what seems to be considerable success. That should mean lots of birds available for hunters this fall.

"All indications so far are that renesting success was good," said Mary Jo Casalena, turkey biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

"I don't see any reason why we shouldn't have had good reproduction this spring, or any reason why we shouldn't have just as good a harvest this fall."

That's saying something, considering that the last few years have been banner seasons. Hunters have killed more than 40,000 birds each fall for the last three years running, including 48,008 birds in 2001. That's the second highest fall harvest on record, trailing only 1995's total of 49,700.

Leading the way has been the western edge of the state, which has certainly become prime turkey country. Management areas 1A, 1B and 2 accounted for 39 percent of the total fall harvest in 2001.

The turkey populations in those areas show no signs of slowing down either. Casalena said the turkey population statewide has experienced excellent reproduction over the last three years, with 1999 a record, and the western counties have played a large role in that.

That's why the PGC approved a three-week fall season for 1A and 2 — along with 7A in the central part of the state — for the first time ever this year. Plans are to keep that longer season in place for three years, at which time the PGC can adjust it if needed, Casalena said.

In the meantime, on the eve of the 2002 fall season, the turkey hunting looks as promising as ever, according to field officers with the PGC. With few exceptions, most of those in the southwest region expect turkey numbers to be at least as good as last year.

"Can you say polluted?" asked Dan Sitler, a wildlife conservation officer in Washington County. "We have wild turkeys everywhere. I am seeing turkeys several times a day all around my district. Hunting this year will be excellent."

"Turkey populations remain at an all-time high," agreed Doug Dunkerly, a land management officer who serves in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene and Washington counties. "Turkeys can be found in very large numbers throughout the area."

The situation in Indiana County looks to be equally outstanding, said Pat Snickles, a WCO there. He said turkey sightings are commonplace.

"Despite having a very wet and cold spring, our turkey populations seem to be doing very well," Snickles said. "There really isn't any part of the county that doesn't offer excellent turkey hunting opportunities."

All three of the WCOs in Westmoreland County expect excellent hunting this fall, too. "Turkeys are just about anywhere you want to look for them," said Rod Ansell, who patrols the southern part of the county.

Steve Leiendecker, a WCO in Fayette County, raved about the hunting prospects there.

"Turkey hunting in this district is exceptional," he said. 'Reproduction this spring seemed good and the birds are doing well. Birds seem to be equally distributed between mountain habitat and the lower agricultural areas."

There are some places, though, where turkey numbers seemed off this spring. WCOs in Armstrong and Somerset counties all said the wet spring weather hampered reproduction, and led to fewer sightings of birds this summer.

That's not to say the hunting will be bad necessarily, but hunters might have to look a little harder for birds, and some of them may be smaller.

"The turkey population seems to be hit and miss," said WCO Brian Witherite in southern Somerset. "While on patrol there are days when numerous turkeys are sighted, while on other days there are no birds."

The northwest region of the state is experiencing much the same thing, said Regis Senko, information and education supervisor in the PGC's Franklin office.

"We are seeing a lot of birds that are grouse-sized," Senko said. "Obviously they are late broods, second or third broods. But we can sustain a year like that and still be OK because we have so many turkeys to start with."

The key to finding birds, as always, will be to first find the food supplies they are using, said Casalena. She said she learned that lesson again last year when a favorite haunt revealed no birds. A walk to a different ridge that had more acorns had plenty of birds, too.

Hunters in the western third of the state would be wise to remember that, she said.

"If anybody is having trouble finding turkeys down there, they just need to keep looking, because the birds are there," Casalena said.

Article by Bob Frye,
Everybody Adventures, http://www.everybodyadventures.com

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