What are the PA Seasons and Bag Limits for Turkey Hunting?

Turkey hunters abound during either hunting season, where it's common to see people decked out in their turkey hunting camo at the grocery store or gas station – whether they're off to a hunt or not.

To get it on the action and claim one of the many birds available this season, you'll need to know the season dates, bag limits, and some effective strategies for bringing home a gobbler. So, keep reading as the HuntWise experts share our insights into PA season and bag limits for wild turkeys.

The Spring PA Seasons and Bag Limits for Turkey Hunting

Let's get right to it.

The spring season for turkey hunts typically runs in late April and May. For 2024, you can hunt for bearded birds (only) from May 4 through May 18 and again from May 20-31. So, if you don't harvest a bird during the first part of May, re-gather your gear and head out again for the second Spring season.

The bag limit is one bearded turkey per day, with a limit of two for the season.

Hunting Hours

Pay close attention to hunting hours and don't stray from them – or you risk losing a bird you've harvested illegally.

During the first part of the season, you can legally shoot turkeys from one-half hour before sunrise until noon for the first part of the season. For the second part, shooting hours run through one-half hour before sunset during the later part.

When Can You Hunt Turkey in the Fall?

Fall turkey hunting dates are managed by WMUs (Wildlife Management Units). You'll want to pay close attention to the open locations that apply to each of the season date ranges below.

For 2024, all Fall dates take place in November. They are:

• WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B, and 4D: November 2 thru 16
• WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C, and 4E: November 2 thru 9
• WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, and 3C: November 2 thru 16 and November 27 thru 29
• WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E: November 2 thru 22 and November 27 thru 29
• WMUs 5A and 5B: November 2 thru 5

Note that WMUS 5C and 5D are closed for 2024.

Hunting Hours for the fall are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. The bag limit is one turkey of either sex for the season. However, additional regulations may apply to specific WMUs.

What to Know About Licensing and Permits

Pennsylvania requires all hunters to have a license. Choose from resident vs. non-resident licenses based on your state residency status. Prices range based on adult, youth, senior, military, lifetime, and combo license options.

Additionally, you'll need an add-on license for the Spring Turkey season.

To make sure you end up with all of the licenses and permits you'll need for a legal hunt, refer to the Pennsylvania Game Commission website. You can also purchase your licenses or permits through that site or in person at authorized locations.

What Can You Hunt With?

Pennsylvania requests that hunters use either shotguns or archery gear when hunting turkeys. No single-projectile firearms are allowed.

So, leave your rifle and muzzleloader at home.

Try These Strategies for a Successful Turkey Hunt

With your dates planned and license in hand, you're ready to hunt! Apply the following tips to improve your chances of harvesting a gobbler this season.

Scout (Digitally and In-Person)

Nothing really beats getting out and walking a hunting area to get a feel for the terrain and possible locations to post a blind. Walking the land also gives you the opportunity to spot turkey signs, like scat and bedding areas.

However, before you head out to wander through every potential public hunting location, narrow down your search with some digital e-scouting.

Use HuntWise maps and layers to look for potential bedding areas and turkey corridors on public or private land you have your eye on for a hunt this season. Topographical views and the app's 3-D mapping capabilities help you mark locations to investigate in person while helping you scratch places off your list that don't look promising or are worth your time.

You can save time and a lot of effort (and increase your odds of shooting a tom) by using the HuntWise hunting app to scout before you ever set foot in a prime turkey area.

Practice Your Calls

It may feel silly, but before you head out into the field, sit out in the yard (or on the couch) and practice your turkey calls.

The risk of embarrassing yourself in front of friends or family will be worth it when you call in a gobbler you end up bringing home later. Calling can be tricky, and the best hunters dust off their calls and give them all a whirl before using them for real in the field.

One of the most important aspects of using calls is to sound like the "real deal." If you're rusty and don't sound like a turkey, turkeys will recognize this and won't respond the way you want them to.

Blend In

Turkeys have excellent eyesight. Even if you think you're hidden pretty well, unless you blend in almost perfectly, a turkey can spot you with even the slightest movement from your hiding spot.

If you're not using a blind, the camo you wear becomes even more critical. Make sure your turkey camo matches the Pennsylvania terrain, trees, and brush for your best shot at concealment – and remember that everything looks different in the spring compared to the fall. You may need to switch up your clothing depending on the time of year for your hunt.

Use HuntWise for a Successful Turkey Season in PA

We hope these insights into hunting turkeys in Pennsylvania get you excited for – and help you plan – a successful season this year! Whether you hunt in the spring or fall (or both), we want to help you bring home the birds you're after.

Using HuntWise is one of the best ways to improve your success in the field. We deliver a hunting app with hundreds of map layers, markers, and sharing capabilities so you can mark hunt areas, learn about locations, and then share that information with your hunting buddies to help everyone bring home a gobbler. It's a game changer and should be part of your gear set for turkey hunts and anything else you hunt this year!

If you haven't downloaded HuntWise yet, get it now and get ready for turkey season. We'll give you your first week in the app free!