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PA Turkey Hunting Surprised
I haven't hunted fall turkey in PA for several years so I was surprised to learn that it is not legal to hunt fall turkeys by any other method than by calling with a mouth or hand call. So even though it is legal to use a dog to break up a flock you can't legally shoot those birds unless they respond to your call. It is also illegal to track turkeys in the snow or to ambush them by waiting in a feeding area like an oak ridge.
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Who in the world told you this falacy? There is nothing in the regs about tracking turkey or "ambushing" them in a feeding area. It is perfectly legal. And, you can use a rifle in the fall.
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No one told me about this regulation and that is why I posted it . You and the vast majority of PA turkey hunters have no idea that this law is on the books , but it is and it is not even mentioned in the Hunting Digest. However, the PA code specifically states that it is illegal to hunt turkeys in both spring and fall . The code is available on the PGC website and if you can't find the section I will be happy to copy and paste it for you.
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I would really like to read this. Please post site. I saved the game code on my desktop but I see nothing like you state. please let me know what section of the game code this is in.
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Here is the section of the code you are looking for . It is part of Title 58 of the code.
§ 141.45. Turkey. (a) Fall turkey season. (1) Permitted devices. It is lawful to hunt turkey during the fall turkey season with any of the following devices: (i) A manually operated centerfire, rimfire or muzzleloading firearm using single-projectile ammunition, except as otherwise prohibited in paragraph (2)(i). (ii) A manually operated or semiautomatic, centerfire shotgun or muzzleloading shotgun using shot ammunition no larger than #4 lead, #2 steel or #4 of any other composition or alloy of nontoxic shot approved by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or an authorized representative under 50 CFR 20.134 (relating to nontoxic shot). (iii) A bow and arrow. A bow must have a peak draw weight of at least 35 pounds. An arrow must be equipped with a broadhead that has an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 inch with at least two cutting edges located on the same plane throughout the length of the cutting surface, and may not exceed 3 inches in length. (iv) A crossbow and bolt. A crossbow must have a peak draw weight of at least 125 pounds. A bolt must be equipped with a broadhead that has an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 inch with at least two cutting edges located on the same plane throughout the length of the cutting surface, and may not exceed 3 inches in length. (2) Prohibitions. While hunting turkey during the fall turkey season, it is unlawful to: (i) Use a manually operated centerfire, rimfire or muzzleloading firearm using single projectile ammunition in Wildlife Management Units 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D. (ii) Use drives or any method other than hand or mouth calling. (iii) Use or possess an electronic caller or a live turkey as a decoy. (iv) Use a device not provided for in the act or in this subsection. |
Bluebired, I believe you are reading too much into this. You can't drive them, but you surely can sit on an oak ridge and 'ambush' them. Ever hear of silent calling?
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You can't drive them, but you surely can sit on an oak ridge and 'ambush' them. BTW, I am not reading too much into the law. The law is quite clear and and it is up to you to decide if you want to obey the law or violate it,just like any other law. |
Simple to me - lay a call next to you at your ambush area but do not use it.
However, I must agree with Bleubird here as I asked this same question of DougE another WCO in PA. I was surprised greatly! It is illegal to stalk. So if you hear a gobble and move closer to it you could be arrested. So even running and gunning could be deemed illegal. Strange for sure! JW |
And then these idiots wonder why there are less and less hunters out there. I believe you are demonstrating extreme woodman's skill to track and sneak up on a turkey. I know sometimes you can pop up onto a rise and catch some close. So would that be considered stalking? So again, your saying I am hunting turkey in the fall in fresh snow and come across tracks. What am I supposed to do turn around and go the other way? BS. And, what if I am hunting and walk up on an oak flat and decide to sit down and have lunch and - oops, along comes a flock of turkey. What do I do, let them walk by? No way. How about archery season? Sitting in a tree stand for deer during turkey season and a big old gobbler comes into range. Again, let him walk? Sorry, it ain't gonna happen. These are common hunting scenerios. And many a turkey has fallen by them. Sometimes I think the PGC has absolutely zero common sense.
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Hey I agree with you wholeheartedly!!!!! - Rather ridicoulous law in my mind. Tahtis why I said plop down and sit but when ya do pull out a call even if you don't use it!
AND the main reason I was told it was a safety factor. Pop DougE a e-mail. He did frequent here. JW JW |
Using dog.you mean to tell me if your dog flushes the birds ,you have to call dog back and use call to call them in?
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Originally Posted by JW!
(Post 3829334)
Hey I agree with you wholeheartedly!!!!! - Rather ridicoulous law in my mind. Tahtis why I said plop down and sit but when ya do pull out a call even if you don't use it!
AND the main reason I was told it was a safety factor. Pop DougE a e-mail. He did frequent here. JW JW |
No it is not!
To me (Am a Hunter Education Instructor) it is clearly NOT knowing your Target or Beyond and you are breaking one of the Cardinal rules of Hunter Safety! KNow your target - control your muzzle and absolutley No one gets hurt! JW |
While I agree that failing to properly identify the target is the major reason for most hunting accidental shootings, I was simply pointing out that calling may attract other hunters to the location of the hunter that is calling,which then results in the accidental shooting by the hunter that failed to identify their target.
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The whole thing sounds like flatlander nonsense. We hunt turkeys with rifles and move around while doing it. I doubt the Game Warden knew what he was talking about. I have seen guys walk around with shotguns and hunt turkeys like pheasants. That clip looked as if it pertained to special regs areas anyway.
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The law applies statewide but I doubt it is enforced anywhere since the PGC doesn't even bother to put it in the Digest and they made no effort to advertise the change. There was even a PGN article about a guy that shot a turkey while pheasant hunting with his dog.
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The way the law is written there is no grey area. It clearly states that the only legal method for hunting turkeys in both the spring and fall is by calling.
However, I will agree that it is highly unlikely any WCO wold cite you for waiting to ambush a turkey while sitting on a stump. However, I think it might be an entirely different story if a WCO and his son were calling to turkeys and you moved into that area and shot one of the birds they were calling. That would be a classic case of stalking which is what the law is intended to prevent. |
You should never stalk a turkey. They teach you that in hunter Ed . There is a difference between stalking a turkey and hunting a turkey. Any hunter worth his weight in gold would never stalk a turkey.
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If it is acceptable to stalk deer ,bear,elk,groundhogs and pheasants why wouldn't it be just as acceptable to stalk a turkey?
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If you know the answer ,why don't you post it? Until recently stalking turkeys in the fall was legal, but the PGC changed the regs while failing to include the change in the Digest. If there is a good reason for prohibiting stalking in the fall why isn't it important enough to place in the Digest?
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Does the PGC POUND it into your head in the HUNTER SAFTEY CLASS , NEVER STALK A TURKEY or TURKEY SOUNDS {Spring or Fall} ???
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Without a doubt the current courses emphasize not stalking turkeys in both the spring and fall. But, the vast majority of PA hunters either didn't take a hunter safety course or took it before 2000 when stalking turkeys in the fall was legal. Therefore,a lot of PA hunters have no idea that it is illegal to stalk turkeys in the fall, since the PGC doesn't state in the Digest that it is illegal in the fall.
BTW, making stalking illegal in the spring hasn't prevented some hunters from stalking and shooting other hunters who are calling like a hen, even though only bearded gobblers are legal. Therefore, if fall turkey hunting was limited strictly to calling ,it would make fall hunting more difficult and may actually increase the number of accidental shootings. |
Originally Posted by bluebird2
(Post 3838377)
Without a doubt the current courses emphasize not stalking turkeys in both the spring and fall. But, the vast majority of PA hunters either didn't take a hunter safety course or took it before 2000 when stalking turkeys in the fall was legal. Therefore,a lot of PA hunters have no idea that it is illegal to stalk turkeys in the fall, since the PGC doesn't state in the Digest that it is illegal in the fall.
BTW, making stalking illegal in the spring hasn't prevented some hunters from stalking and shooting other hunters who are calling like a hen, even though only bearded gobblers are legal. Therefore, if fall turkey hunting was limited strictly to calling ,it would make fall hunting more difficult and may actually increase the number of accidental shootings. |
If the stalking law is not in the Digest a WCO will have a hard time with that one in the woods. Hunters will always shoot other hunters no matter what is taught in Hunter Safety. Based on the articles I have read about accidental shootings while turkey hunting, I have yet to see a case where the shooter was cited for stalking. |
in spring season you cant stalk a gobbler.you can call,ambush or not call and you must use shotgun.
in fall, you can use rifle and shoot a gobbler or hen. in fact you can shoot 2 with extra tag they sell now. i believe you can stalk turkey in fall. now you can use dog to hunt turkeys in fall. |
Originally Posted by bluebird2
(Post 3839670)
If hunters will always shoot other hunters,would you agree that limiting hunting to calling in both spring and fall is a meaningless,basically unenforceable law ?
Based on the articles I have read about accidental shootings while turkey hunting, I have yet to see a case where the shooter was cited for stalking. |
Originally Posted by sproulman
(Post 3839807)
in spring season you cant stalk a gobbler.you can call,ambush or not call and you must use shotgun.
in fall, you can use rifle and shoot a gobbler or hen. in fact you can shoot 2 with extra tag they sell now. i believe you can stalk turkey in fall. now you can use dog to hunt turkeys in fall. |
Just watched the Sportsman channel and the show Hollywood Hunter who stalked a turkey in PA.
Its on tape - go get em boys! Its illegal! JW |
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