Pennsylvania’s fall turkey season kicks off Saturday, Nov. 2 in 20 of Pennsylvania’s 22 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs.) The fall season is closed in WMUs 5C and 5D. For the remaining WMUs, the season lengths are as follows: WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C and 4E –Nov. 2-Nov. 9; WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D –Nov. 2-Nov. 16; WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, and 3C –Nov. 2-Nov. 16 and Nov. 27-Nov. 29; WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D & 2E –Nov. 2-Nov. 22 and Nov. 27-Nov. 29; and WMUs 5A and 5B – Nov. 2-Nov. 5. Hunters are advised that the three-day Thanksgiving season again will run Wednesday, Thursday and Friday only in applicable WMUs.

As a reminder, no single-projectile firearms may be used in the fall turkey seasons. Hunters may use shotguns with fine shot and archery gear only.

While fall turkey hunters no longer are required to wear fluorescent orange, the Game Commission highly recommends the use of orange, especially while moving.

Season outlook

Everyone who purchases a hunting license receives one fall turkey tag, as well as one spring tag. During the fall season, any turkey can be harvested, and female turkeys account for more than 50% of the fall harvest. When turkey populations are below goal in a WMU, the fall season structure is reduced to allow more female turkeys to survive to nesting.

“Fall seasons were lengthened in several units this year, and the 2024 summer sighting survey results showed above-average poult recruitment in general, with all WMUs showing good numbers,” said Game Commission wild turkey biologist Mary Jo Casalena. “The fall 2024 turkey season is shaping up to be a good one.”

The annual turkey sighting survey was conducted July and August and the number of turkey sightings nearly doubled from last year, 30,286 compared to 15,431 in 2023. The reproductive index for 2024 came in at 3.2 poults per all hens observed, which is above the previous five-year average of 2.9 poults per hen. This is the first year since the national standardized survey began in 2019 that all WMUs reported indices above the general threshold of 2.0 poults per hen, which is considered adequate for replacing adult mortality. 

“This annual summer survey allows us to estimate the number of turkey poults seen per hen throughout the state during July and August,” said Casalena. “It is an index of reproductive success over time. We use this in our turkey population model and to assess trends in populations, and part of our fall turkey season recommendation process.”

Reproductive success varies annually due to many factors particularly spring and summer rainfall, temperature, habitat conditions, predation, insect abundance and hen condition.

Harvests and reporting

Successful fall turkey hunters must tag their birds according to instructions provided on the printed harvest tags supplied with their licenses, then report harvests.

Mentored hunters under age 7 may receive, by transfer, a fall turkey tag supplied by their mentor.

The turkey must be tagged immediately after harvest and before the turkey is moved, and the tag must be securely attached to a leg until the bird is prepared for consumption or mounting.

Within 10 days of harvest, turkey hunters must report harvests to the Game Commission, either by going online to the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.pa.gov, calling toll-free or mailing in a prepaid post card.

Hunters reporting their turkey harvests over the telephone can call 1-800-838-4431 and follow the prompts. Hunters will need to have their license and their copy of the harvest tag in front of them when they make the call. Hunters should record the supplied confirmation number for the turkey reported.

All hunters reporting harvests are asked to identify the WMU, county and township where the bird was taken as well as other information.

Additionally, hunters may harvest a turkey that has been leg-banded or has a transmitter for research purposes, and if so, they should follow the instructions on the band or the transmitter. Last winter the Game Commission leg-banded more than 600 turkeys (over 3,100 since 2020), including placing backpack style transmitters on 234 (over 600 since 2022), in a continuing effort to track turkey populations.

Handling harvested birds

While wild turkeys are highly susceptible to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), their behavior and habitat use place them at less risk of contracting the disease compared to waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors and avian scavengers.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses can be carried by wild birds and have been found across the Pennsylvania landscape. To protect themselves and to reduce the risk of spreading this extremely contagious disease to other birds, hunters are advised to practice the following precautions:

• Have dedicated footwear, clothing, and tools that are only used for handling or dressing harvested wild birds.
• Do not handle or harvest wild birds that appear sick or are found dead.
• Wear gloves when handling or dressing harvested wild birds.
• Do not eat, drink, or smoke when handling or dressing harvested wild birds.
• Dress harvested wild birds in the field.
• Double bag any offal and feathers that will be removed from the field.
• Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer immediately after handling or dressing harvested wild birds.
• Wash all tools and work surfaces with soap and water after using them, then disinfect with a 10% household bleach solution. Allow to air dry or rinse after 10 minutes of contact time.
• Change footwear and clothing before coming in contact with any domestic poultry or pet birds.

While influenza viruses can infect humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared that currently in the United States “viruses circulating in birds are believed to pose a low risk to the general public”.

Any sick or dead domestic birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852.

Sick or dead wild birds should be reported to the Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD or online using the Wildlife Health Survey tool at www.pgcapps.pa.gov/WHS.