By: Xander Russell 

     With winter ending and spring now starting to get into full swing, spring turkey season is almost here. Over 170,000 people hunt spring turkey season in Pennsylvania, so it is an important season for many hunters.   

     In Pennsylvania, the spring turkey season opens May 2 and ends May 30. However, this year there has been a change in the times you can hunt turkeys this spring. Like usual, from May 2 to May 16, you can hunt 30 minutes before sunrise, and you can only hunt until 12:00 p.m. The part that has been changed is that from May 18 to May 30, you can begin hunting 30 minutes prior to sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. So, you can now hunt turkeys all day long during those dates, allowing hunters to get more chances to harvest a turkey.  

     During the spring turkey season, you can only harvest turkeys with beards, typically a tom or a jake. A tom is an adult male turkey, usually at least two years old, while a jake is a juvenile male, around one year of age. These rules also include bearded hens, although they are rare. A bearded hen is a female wild turkey that grows a beard, often due to higher testosterone levels.   

     The Squire interviewed avid turkey hunter Joseph Gigliotti, and asked him a few questions about the upcoming turkey season. When Gigliotti was asked why he likes turkey season, he stated, “It is just a different overall experience than regular hunting. They are incredibly aware of their surroundings, so you must be stealthy. The calls are unique and fun to learn and are unlike other hunting calls. Turkey hunting, is one of the more challenging hunting seasons as you usually must make calls numerous times and relocate to successfully get a turkey.”  

     He was also asked what he looks for in a good turkey hunting spot. He replied, “I like scouting an area beforehand and looking for nests to know where a bird will be early in the morning. Then, I will walk 30 to 100 yards away from the nest and try to call them in while I sit against a tree.” 

     Here in Pennsylvania, we have the Eastern wild turkey, which is one of the five major types of turkeys. The five major types of turkey are the Eastern wild, Osceola, Rio Grande, Merriam, and Gould turkeys. The Eastern wild turkey, however, is one of the most sought-after species to hunt. You can find most kinds of turkeys, including the Eastern wild, in open hardwood forests and fields. 

     In conclusion, make sure to get your official hunting license before you go out and hunt turkeys this spring, and good luck to everyone participating this year.