Hunters ask for earlier dates largely because many of them get out before the season to scout. And while scouting, they do a lot of calling.

Although this does help them locate birds, calling early may be the worst thing they can do.

“Studies have shown that the pressure of calling actually suppresses gobbling. So, you’ll always have a dropoff in gobbler response after hunting,” Casalena said.

The new plan has the same primary goal: to provide optimum wild turkey numbers in suitable habitats throughout the commonwealth. This will be achieved by completing strategies under six objectives, including population management to sustain healthy wild turkey populations in each WMU at or below social carrying capacity; to optimize life requirements in, and minimize loss of, wild turkey habitat on state game lands and throughout the state; to assess and improve the public knowledge, awareness and understanding of the wild turkey resource and its management; to promote and improve the knowledge, safety, and participation of wild turkey hunters; to improve hunter compliance with laws and regulations regarding wild turkey management; and to maintain and enhance partnerships in all aspects of turkey management.

Pennsylvania is currently cooperating with New York and Ohio on a gobbler-banding study to look into harvest and survival rates. This will run through 2009. Hunters are encouraged to report harvested birds carrying leg bands using a toll-free number marked on the bands.

“After this study is over, I’d like to conduct a hen harvest-rate study,” Casalena said.

Wild turkey management includes a close look into harvest rates compared with sighting indices. According to Casalena, present information indicates that turkey hunting looks promising throughout the state for spring 2007 -- and should be as good if not better than 2006, which was an excellent season.

The spring 2006 gobbler harvest density was the fourth-best on record, following 2001, 2000 and 2003, respectively. The 2004 and 2005 harvests dipped below recent averages, due to succeeding years with poor recruitment and poor wintering conditions.

A good mast crop in fall 2005 followed by a mild winter helped the population rebound last spring. Turkey sighting surveys conducted by wildlife conservation officers indicated that recruitment last spring improved over the previous three-year average, although it was still below the record highs recorded from 2000 through 2002.

“However,” Casalena added, “with the more restrictive fall seasons the Game Commission has enacted over the past several years, coupled with abundant fall-winter food supplies and easy winters, the turkey population should continue to rebound to previous levels.”

Harvest rates in the WMUs varied, from a high of 1.54 birds per square mile in WMU 4E to a low of 0.07 birds per square mile in WMU 5D.

WHERE TO FIND THEM
The best wild turkey hunting in Pennsylvania is generally regarded to be in the western counties between Pittsburgh and Erie, consisting of WMUs 1A, 1B and 2D. This is mostly in the Northwest Region. Harvest rates in each unit last spring were 1.23, 1.43 and 1.30, respectively.

Certainly there is an excellent wild turkey population in this area. But also contributing to the hunter success rate is the nature of the habitat -- a patchwork of farmland, overgrown farmland and woodlots. This is ideal wild turkey habitat and perfect for hunting.