Pennsylvania Cuts Turkey Tags
Pennsylvania eliminated the second spring turkey tag for the upcoming season. The Pennsylvania Game Commission made the decision to support long-term turkey population sustainability and ensure quality hunting experiences. Hunters who previously relied on the second tag will need to adjust their spring strategies.
The special license for a second spring gobbler was first introduced in 2006 as a way to expand hunting opportunities. This allowed hunters to purchase an additional tag beyond the one included with a general hunting license, with a limit of harvesting one bird per day. At its January 2026 meeting, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to a proposal that would eliminate the second spring gobbler tag. However, this change is slated for the 2027 season, not the upcoming 2026 spring hunt. The proposal to move to a single spring gobbler limit is directly linked to the potential expansion of Sunday hunting. The change is intended to offset the increased harvest that an additional day of hunting per week would likely cause, aiming to keep the total harvest rate at a sustainable level. This consideration comes as the state's wild turkey population has seen a decline from its peak in the early 2000s. The Game Commission actively monitors the population and uses tools like adjusting fall season lengths to manage the flock, as harvesting hens in the fall has a more direct impact on the next year's breeding numbers. The final vote on the 2026-27 seasons and bag limits, including the one-turkey proposal for 2027, is scheduled for the Game Commission's meeting on April 10-11, 2026. For the spring 2026 season, the existing rule allowing the purchase of a second turkey tag remains in effect.
