Pennsylvania game commissionLast fall, the state's turkey hunters had one of the best seasons in years, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

HARRISBURG - Preliminary harvest data indicate wild turkey hunters had one fine season last fall. In fact, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, it was one of the best in years.

Preliminary harvest information estimates that hunters took 26,485 turkeys in the 2008 fall season. That's up substantially from the preliminary fall harvests of 21,900 in 2007 and 21,500 in 2006. It also is 19 percent above the previous three-year average for fall seasons.

"This fall harvest increase was expected for several reasons," said Mary Jo Casalena, Game Commission wild turkey biologist. "Turkey reproduction was average to above average throughout most of Pennsylvania last year, which led to a larger population. More turkeys and poor fall crops of acorns and beechnuts in many forested areas forced turkeys to concentrate around available food sources, and they consequently became more visible and easier for hunters to locate and pattern.

"The outcomes of fall turkey seasons, where hunters may harvest birds of either sex, are very important because they can really influence turkey populations, unlike in the spring, when only gobblers and a few bearded hens are being taken by hunters," Casalena added "We control the harvest of hens in the fall through season length. The longer the fall season, the greater the number of hens harvested. Our goal is to provide optimum wild turkey populations in suitable habitats throughout Pennsylvania for hunters and other recreationists."

The largest harvests occurred in three of the state's largest WMUs, which are in the more traditional fall turkey hunting areas and where there are three-week seasons. WMU 4D was tops with a preliminary harvest of 2,856, followed by WMU 2G, 2,637; and WMU 2D, 2,183.

However, a look at harvests per square mile (harvest density) provides a different perspective. WMU 4D still remained at the top with a rate of 1.04 turkeys harvested per square mile. But what followed differed. WMU 4E was second with a rate of 1.03, then WMU 2D, 0.88; and WMU 4C, 0.87.

Statewide results show a preliminary average of 0.6 turkeys harvested per square mile for the 2008 fall season, as compared to the previous three-year average of 0.5.

For more information on wild turkeys, visit www.pgc.state.pa.us, select "Hunting" in the left column, then click on photo of the wild turkey.