Hunting News

Inaugural online wild turkey survey begins August 1

Inaugural online wild turkey survey begins August 1

By Pennsylvania Game Commission

When the inaugural Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey begins August 1, the Game Commission will be counting on public and online reporting to assess spring production.

The Commission is encouraging the public to report the number of turkeys they see in the month of August online at https://pgcdatacollection.pa.gov/TurkeyBroodSurvey.

Information submitted will help analysis of the spring turkey production. Participants are requested to report the wild turkeys they see, along with the general location, date, as well as contact information if there are any questions.

“The turkey survey will enhance our internal survey, which serves as a long-term index of turkey reproduction,” said Mary Jo Casalena, a Commission wild turkey biologist. “By reporting all turkeys seen during each sighting, whether they’re gobblers, hens with broods, or hens without broods, the data helps us determine total productivity, and allows us to compare long-term reproductive success.”

Factors including spring weather, habitat, winter food abundance, predation and fall harvest the previous year affect wild turkey productivity.

The 2015 statewide turkey population was approximately 216,000, which is slightly above the previous five-year average of 205,000 birds.

Pennsylvania’s turkey population reached its peak of about 280,000 birds in the early 2000s as a result of restoration efforts through wild trap and transfer, habitat improvement, and fall turkey hunting season restrictions. It then declined sharply to levels below 200,000, but, for the last two years has been trending back up, now exceeding the five-year average.

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