Pennsylvania Cuts Spring Turkey Tags

The Pennsylvania Game Commission's move to a single spring gobbler tag is part of a larger proposal for the 2026-2027 hunting seasons that also includes the introduction of Sunday hunting during the spring gobbler season. The reduction to one bird is intended to offset the potential for a higher harvest from the additional hunting day and ensure the sustainability of the turkey population. This decision comes as biologists report that Pennsylvania's wild turkey populations are generally stable or increasing in most of the state's wildlife management units. After a peak of 280,000 birds in 2001, the population saw a decline, with an estimated 159,000 in 2021. However, recent years have shown positive trends in reproductive success. In 2024, hunters in Pennsylvania harvested an estimated 39,268 turkeys during the spring season, a figure slightly higher than the previous three-year average. For the 2025 spring season, a "great" season is anticipated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission's wild turkey biologist, Mary Jo Casalena, due to strong population numbers. To better understand the factors influencing turkey populations, the Game Commission is in the final year of a multi-year research project in collaboration with neighboring states and universities. This study examines factors like habitat loss, weather patterns, predation, and disease by tracking GPS-outfitted hens to monitor nesting rates and poult production. While highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has impacted commercial poultry and wild waterfowl in Pennsylvania, the direct effect on the state's wild turkey population remains a point of ongoing monitoring. The virus is known to affect wild poultry, and authorities are watchful of its potential spread. The proposal to limit hunters to a single spring gobbler was given preliminary approval by the Board of Game Commissioners in January 2026. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes before a final vote in April 2026.