The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners Tuesday gave final approval to fall turkey seasons for 2017 and spring gobbler dates for 2018.

The board adopted a conservative, midweek fall turkey season in Wildlife Management Unit 5B, which long has been closed to fall-turkey hunting.

The board also gave final approval to reducing the length of the fall season in three Wildlife Management Units – WMUs 4A, 4B, and 4E. Those WMUs all have shown indications of declining turkey population trends.
All recommendations on fall turkey season length are made in accordance with guidelines in the Game Commission's Wild Turkey Management Plan.

The fall turkey seasons for 2017-18 are as follows. In WMUs 1A, 2A, 4A and 4B, there is a one-week season (Oct. 28-Nov. 4), plus a three-day Thanksgiving season (Nov. 23-25).

In WMU 1B, the season remains one week (Oct. 28-Nov.4), with no Thanksgiving season.
In WMU 2B (shotgun and bow only), the season runs from Oct. 28-Nov. 17 and Nov. 23-25.
In WMU 2C, the season is from Oct. 28-Nov. 17 and Nov. 23-25.
In WMUs 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E, the season runs from Oct. 28-Nov. 11 and Nov. 23-25.
In WMU 5A, the season runs from Nov. 2-4.
In WMU 5B, the season is being held from Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

And in WMUs 5C and 5D, the fall season remains closed.

For the 2018 spring gobbler season, which runs from April 28-May 31, 2018, the board continued with legal hunting hours to reflect the following: from April 28-May 12, 2018 legal shooting hours will be one-half hour before sunrise until noon; and from May 14-31, hunters may hunt all day, from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

The one-day Spring Gobbler Youth Hunt will be held on April 21, 2018, and run from one-half hour before sunrise until noon. All junior license holders and Mentored Youth Hunting Program permit holders can participate in this special half-day hunt, as well as the other spring season dates.