Pennsylvania Game News - April 2013 - 43

Spring gobbler season to open
SPRING	GOBBLER	season	opens	
April	 27	 and	 runs	 through	 May	
31,	a	week	after	the	Youth	Spring	
Turkey	Hunt,	on	April	20.
The	Youth	Hunt	is	open	to	Junior	 hunters,	 those	 12	 and	 older,	
and	 youths	 under	 the	 age	 of	 12	
hunting	as	a	Mentored	Youth.	
Again	 this	 year,	 hunters	 have	
the	 opportunity	 to	 take	 a	 second	
spring	 gobbler,	 providing	 they	
obtain	 a	 Special	 Spring	 Gobbler	
Season	License	before	the	regular	
season	 begins.	 Mentored	 Youth	
Hunters	 may	 not	 under	 any	 circumstance	 take	 more	 that	 one	
gobbler	during	this	license	year.
While	 spring	 gobbler	 hunters	
are	 no	 longer	 required	 to	 wear	
fluorescent	 orange,	 hunters	 are	
still	strongly	encouraged	to	wear	at	
least	a	fluorescent	orange	hat	while	
moving,	to	display	fluorescent	orange	when	set	up,	and	to	remain	
ever	cautious.
Hunters	may	use	manually	operated	 and	 autoloading	 shotguns	
limited	to	a	3-shell	capacity	in	the	
chamber	and	magazine	combined;	
muzzleloading	shotguns	of	all	types	
and	 gauges;	 and	 any	 type	 of	 bow	
with	 cutting-edge	 broadheads.	
Shot	size	may	be	no	larger	than	No.	
4	lead,	bismuth-tin,	and	tungsteniron,	or	No.	2	steel.	
Hunters	must	tag	turkeys	immediately	after	harvest	and	before	the	
carcass	is	moved.	The	tag	is	a	section	of	the	license	strip	hunters	obtain	when	buying	a	license.	Within	
10	days	after	the	harvest,	hunters	
are	required	to	file	a	harvest	report.	
APRIL 2013	

This	 can	 be	 done	 online	 at	 the	
Game	 Commission’s	 website,	 by	
calling	 toll-free	 1-855-724-8681,	
or	 by	 using	 a	 postage-paid	 report	
card	supplied	in	the	current	Digest.
For	additional	details,	see	page	
35	of	the	current	Digest.
Be	 sure	 to	 follow	 these	 turkey	
hunting	safety	tips:
•	Positively	identify	your	target.	Be	
absolutely	certain	it’s	a	legal	turkey	
before	 pulling	 the	 trigger.	 Never	
shoot	at	sounds	or	movement.
•	 Never	 stalk	 a	 turkey	 or	 turkey	
sounds.	Stalking	during	the	spring	
season	 is	 illegal.	 Movement	 or	
sounds	you	think	are	a	turkey	may	
be	another	hunter.	Be	patient.	Let	
the	bird	come	to	you.
•	Assume	every	noise	and	movement	is	another	hunter.	If	there	is	
any	doubt	whatsoever,	don’t	shoot.	
•	Pre-select	a	zone	of	fire.	Shoot	
at	a	turkey	only	in	your	predetermined	zone	of	fire,	and	only	when	
you’re	certain	it’s	safe.	
•	 Make	 your	 position	 known	 to	
other	hunters:	Use	orange.
•	Protect	your	back.	Select	a	large	
tree,	 rock	 or	 other	 substantial	
natural	 barrier	 while	 calling	 and	
sit	with	your	back	against	it.
•	 Shout	 “STOP”	 to	 alert	 approaching	 hunters.	 Never	 move,	
wave	 or	 make	 turkey	 sounds	 to	
alert	hunters	of	your	position.	
•	 Eliminate	 red,	 white,	 blue	 and	
black	 from	 your	 clothing.	 These	
colors	are	found	on	the	head,	neck	
and	body	of	mature	gobblers.	You	
could	be	 mistaken	 for	a	turkey	if	
you	wear	these	colors.
43
Pennsylvania Game News - April 2013

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