Thanksgiving is long gone, but for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, it’s time to talk turkey — specifically, where they are and how many you see.
The commission is making its annual request for public assistance in reporting the location of turkey flocks they see between now and March 15, as part of its ongoing research.
Residents can go to the commission’s website to provide the date of the sighting, the location and type of land (public, private, unknown) where birds are spotted.
In addition, trapping turkeys during winter is part of the commission’s ongoing population monitoring.
Hunters who harvest these banded turkeys, or people who find one dead, are asked to report the band number, either by calling toll-free or reporting it online.
“By reporting banded turkeys, hunters provide us with important information on harvest rates for our population model,” said Reina Tyl, the Game Commission’s wild turkey biologist. “In return, the hunter gets to learn when and approximately where the turkey was banded. If the turkey was banded the first winter after it hatched, we can also provide the hunter with an exact age of the turkey they harvested.”
Research projects tracking turkeys for an in-depth look at their productivity, movement and survival are coming to an end, but male birds will continue to be banded in the winter to monitor harvest rates.
Finding suitable birds to trap is a key part of the effort, officials said.
“The public has been so helpful,” Tyl said. “Some landowners who reported flocks on their property have also helped with monitoring flock activity and have participated in trapping. We look forward to continuing this collaboration this winter.”
To report a flock, go to PGCforms.pa.gov/TurkeySightingSurvey.
