A good season ahead?
The Pennsylvania Game Commission on Friday sent out a news release saying that the statewide spring gobbler season looks promising.
But is that the case in northwestern Pennsylvania?
Well, not quite.
While this part of the state represents some of Pennsylvania’s best turkey hunting, the upcoming season might not be as good as it has been.
Here is the Game Commission’s forecast for the wildlife management units in our region:
— WMU 1A, which involves southern Crawford County: Excellent compared to the state average, but well below average compared to itself — 2007 showed the worst production since before 1995. With the shortened fall season to two weeks since 2005 and average reproduction in 2005 and 2006, expect spring 2008 harvest to be similar to last year, but still not at the levels of the early 2000s. There will be an average number of two-year-old gobblers, which are relatively easy to call in, but still may be a good proportion of four-year-olds in the population, which are difficult to call in.
— WMA 1B — which involves all of Erie County, and most of Crawford: Excellent compared to state. Average for the WMU — Average proportion of two-year-old males in the population for easy calling, below average for jakes (which shouldn’t affect this year’s harvest much, but may decrease harvest next spring).
— WMU 2A: Still well above the statewide average, but well below average for itself. Fall turkey season was shortened from three weeks to two weeks in 2007, which will allow more turkeys to survive to the 2008 season. Summer 2007 reproduction was above the previous three-year average so jakes abound in the population, while few two- and three-year-old gobblers are present. Search out the young, but quiet jakes as well as the older experienced four-plus-year-old gobblers.
— WMU 2B: Variable. This WMU is difficult to predict because of the lack of public land. For hunters who secure access to hunting areas, prospects are good for calling in a two-year-old or a jake. Very few three-year-olds, but still should be a good supply of four-year-olds in the population, which are the most difficult to call in due to their years of experience.
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