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2026-27 digest
Wild Turkey Hunting in Pennsylvania
Fall turkey opens Oct 31, 2026 in every open unit and closes by WMU group; WMUs 5C and 5D have no fall season. From the first opener to the last Sunday, the 2026-27 turkey rules in one place.
Photo: Michele Dorsey Walfred (CC BY 2.0)
Fall turkey is shotgun and archery only this year, with no rifles, slugs or other single projectiles. Spring gobbler runs May 1 to May 31, 2027 after a youth hunt on Apr 24 to Apr 25, 2027, and the spring limit drops to one bearded bird. Hunter surveys put the spring 2024 harvest at 39,268 and the fall 2024 harvest at 8,446 turkeys.
Wild Turkey in brief
- Fall season opens Oct. 31, 2026, closes Nov. 3 to Nov. 27 by WMU group; 1 bird; shotguns and archery only.
- Spring youth hunt Apr. 24-25, 2027; season May 1-31, 2027 (noon close through May 15).
- Spring limit reduced to one bearded bird.
Wild Turkey seasons in Pennsylvania, 2026-27
Dates below are the Game Commission’s for 2026-27, 10 lines in all, with the Sunday count beside each.
| Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Days | Sundays | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B, 4D | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 16 | 3 | |
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C, 4E | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 9 | 2 | |
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, 3C | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 16 | 3 | |
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, 3C | Nov 25, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 3 | 0 | |
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 21 | 3 | |
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E | Nov 25, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 3 | 0 | |
| Fall season (male or female) | WMUs 5A, 5B | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | 4 | 1 | |
| Fall season | WMUs 5C, 5D | Closed | ||||
| Spring gobbler youth hunt | Statewide | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | 2 | 1 | |
| Spring gobbler season (morning only) | Statewide | May 1, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | 15 | 2 | |
| Spring gobbler season (all day) | Statewide | May 16, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | 16 | 3 |
PGC notes on these rows
- Season limit 1 fall turkey per license year. Shotguns and archery only; no single-projectile firearms. Dogs allowed. Orange not required.
- Closed to fall turkey hunting.
- Junior license holders and mentored youth 16 and under. Bearded bird only; 1 spring gobbler limit. Hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to noon.
- Bearded birds only; season limit 1 (reduced from 2). Hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon.
- Bearded birds only; season limit 1. Hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Wild Turkey limits for 2026-27
The quick numbers first, then the PGC limit text as printed for 2026-27.
PGC limit: wild turkey
One fall turkey (either sex) per license year plus one bearded bird in spring (spring limit reduced to one).
Wild Turkey by Wildlife Management Unit
The 22 WMUs below are the units the Game Commission uses for turkeys; follow a code for that unit’s calendar, land and harvest.
| WMU | Fall season | Spring 2024 harvest | Fall 2023 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | 2,216 | 194 |
| 1B | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | 2,112 | 231 |
| 2A | Oct. 31-Nov. 15; Nov. 25-27 | 2,420 | 234 |
| 2B | Oct. 31-Nov. 20; Nov. 25-27 | 1,386 | 341 |
| 2C | Oct. 31-Nov. 20; Nov. 25-27 | 3,415 | 497 |
| 2D | Oct. 31-Nov. 20; Nov. 25-27 | 3,620 | 503 |
| 2E | Oct. 31-Nov. 20; Nov. 25-27 | 2,208 | 269 |
| 2F | Oct. 31-Nov. 15; Nov. 25-27 | 1,842 | 197 |
| 2G | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | 2,966 | 425 |
| 3A | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | 1,322 | 200 |
| 3B | Oct. 31-Nov. 15; Nov. 25-27 | 1,903 | 252 |
| 3C | Oct. 31-Nov. 15; Nov. 25-27 | 2,805 | 286 |
| 3D | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | 1,002 | 84 |
| 4A | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | 1,555 | 124 |
| 4B | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | 1,268 | 185 |
| 4C | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | 1,225 | 179 |
| 4D | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | 2,083 | 197 |
| 4E | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | 1,655 | 147 |
| 5A | Oct. 31-Nov. 3 | 822 | 0 |
| 5B | Oct. 31-Nov. 3 | 815 | 78 |
| 5C | Closed | 481 | 0 |
| 5D | Closed | 115 | 0 |
PGC season table and digest, antlerless allocations and harvest reports (seasons, deer harvest 2025-26, bear report, spring turkey, PGC harvest dashboard), checked October 12, 2026.
Wild Turkey public hunting areas
Turkeys appear on 261 public tracts, about 4,458,522 acres between them, sorted here by size.
| Tract | Kind | Counties | Units | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny National Forest | National Forest | Warren, Elk, Forest | 1B/2F/3A | 512,932 |
| Sproul State Forest | State Forest | Clinton, Centre, Potter | 2G | 305,450 |
| Susquehannock State Forest | State Forest | Potter, Clinton, McKean | 2G/3A | 265,000 |
| Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Warren, McKean, Forest | 1B/2F/3A | 262,965 |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Elk, Forest, McKean | 2F | 249,968 |
| Elk State Forest | State Forest | Cameron, Elk, McKean | 2G | 217,000 |
| Bald Eagle State Forest | State Forest | Union, Centre, Mifflin | 4D | 194,602 |
| Moshannon State Forest | State Forest | Clearfield, Centre, Elk | 2E/2G/4D | 190,031 |
| Tioga State Forest | State Forest | Tioga, Lycoming, Bradford | 2G/3A/3B | 161,890 |
| Tiadaghton State Forest | State Forest | Lycoming, Clinton, Potter | 2G/4D | 146,539 |
| Loyalsock State Forest | State Forest | Lycoming, Sullivan, Bradford | 3B | 114,552 |
| Tuscarora State Forest | State Forest | Perry, Juniata, Mifflin | 4B | 96,025 |
| Rothrock State Forest | State Forest | Huntingdon, Centre, Mifflin | 4A/4D | 96,000 |
| Michaux State Forest | State Forest | Cumberland, Franklin, Adams | 5A | 85,500 |
| Delaware State Forest | State Forest | Pike, Monroe | 3D | 83,519 |
Smaller turkey tracts
Buchanan State Forest (71,683 ac) · Forbes State Forest (59,000 ac) · Pinchot State Forest (54,000 ac) · State Game Lands 13 (50,745 ac) · State Game Lands 57 (46,676 ac) · State Game Lands 211 (44,479 ac) · State Game Lands 44 (39,335 ac) · Weiser State Forest (30,000 ac) · State Game Lands 75 (27,500 ac) · State Game Lands 25 (24,379 ac) · Gallitzin State Forest (24,370 ac) · State Game Lands 108 (22,739 ac) · State Game Lands 100 (21,071 ac) · Ohiopyle State Park (20,000 ac) · State Game Lands 54 (19,408 ac) · State Game Lands 36 (18,972 ac) · State Game Lands 33 (17,755 ac) · State Game Lands 158 (17,463 ac) · State Game Lands 14 (17,360 ac) · State Game Lands 87 (17,296 ac) · State Game Lands 141 (17,227 ac) · State Game Lands 51 (16,945 ac) · Clear Creek State Forest (16,716 ac) · State Game Lands 86 (14,320 ac) · Moraine State Park (14,000 ac) · State Game Lands 37 (13,136 ac) · Hickory Run State Park (13,000 ac) · Laurel Ridge State Park (13,000 ac) · State Game Lands 58 (12,630 ac) · State Game Lands 166 (12,375 ac) · State Game Lands 295 (12,338 ac) · State Game Lands 30 (11,658 ac) · State Game Lands 210 (11,131 ac) · Cook Forest State Park (11,000 ac) · State Game Lands 39 (10,869 ac) · State Game Lands 95 (10,626 ac) · Pymatuning State Park (10,300 ac) · Ricketts Glen State Park (10,287 ac) · State Game Lands 111 (10,286 ac) · State Game Lands 61 (9,972 ac) · State Game Lands 106 (9,857 ac) · State Game Lands 29 (9,830 ac) · State Game Lands 214 (9,661 ac) · State Game Lands 34 (9,558 ac) · State Game Lands 62 (9,258 ac) · State Game Lands 103 (8,995 ac) · Erie National Wildlife Refuge (8,959 ac) · State Game Lands 208 (8,833 ac) · State Game Lands 60 (8,773 ac) · State Game Lands 198 (8,688 ac) · State Game Lands 217 (8,622 ac) · State Game Lands 24 (8,585 ac) · State Game Lands 119 (8,375 ac) · State Game Lands 187 (8,157 ac) · State Game Lands 104 (8,138 ac) · State Game Lands 64 (8,100 ac) · State Game Lands 223 (8,063 ac) · State Game Lands 168 (7,814 ac) · State Game Lands 35 (7,772 ac) · State Game Lands 120 (7,398 ac) · 186 others
Top counties for turkeys
- Clearfield County16 tracts
- Centre County15 tracts
- Elk County12 tracts
- Potter County12 tracts
- Clinton County11 tracts
- Huntingdon County11 tracts
- McKean County11 tracts
- Erie County10 tracts
- Lycoming County10 tracts
- Jefferson County9 tracts
- Luzerne County9 tracts
- Monroe County9 tracts
- Schuylkill County9 tracts
- Somerset County9 tracts
- Wayne County9 tracts
PGC State Game Lands GIS, DCNR forest and park hunting pages and federal managers (PGC layers), retrieved 2026-10-12. Species lists are what each manager names; area rules still apply.
Wild Turkey harvest trend
Spring harvest in license year 2023 (the spring after) was 39,268; fall 2023 was 4,632. WMU figures are in the unit table above.
Harvest data: big game harvest table, spring report, PGC harvest dashboard. Estimates as published by the PGC.
Wild Turkey regulations beyond the limit
Rules for turkeys, with prices as listed on October 12, 2026.
License list
What turkey hunters buy, at PGC prices for 2026-27.
Hours
Youth hunt (Apr. 24-25) and May 1-15: one-half hour before sunrise to noon (hunters asked to be out of the woods by 1 p.m.); May 16-31: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Fall hunting runs on general game hours.
Wearing orange
Turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule; wearing it while moving is recommended.
Hunting on Sunday
The new rule opens every Sunday inside the turkey season. More on Sundays
Spring hours
Youth hunt (Apr. 24-25) and May 1-15: one-half hour before sunrise to noon (hunters asked to be out of the woods by 1 p.m.); May 16-31: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Calls, decoys and blinds
No electronic callers, live decoys or drives for turkeys; hunt by calling only; fanned-tail blinds illegal; blinds must be manmade and enclose the hunter on all sides and top.
Tagging turkeys
Tag immediately, attach to the leg; separate fall and spring tags; report within 10 days with beard and spur length.
Fall turkey groups
WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B, 4D: Oct. 31-Nov. 15; WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C, 4E: Oct. 31-Nov. 8; WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, 3C: Oct. 31-Nov. 15; Nov. 25-27; WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E: Oct. 31-Nov. 20; Nov. 25-27; WMUs 5A, 5B: Oct. 31-Nov. 3; WMUs 5C, 5D: Closed.
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission 2026-27 digest, license types and harvest reporting, checked October 12, 2026. Pennsylvania hunting laws · License guide.
Legal sporting arms for turkeys
Legal and prohibited arms for turkeys, season by season.
| Season or group | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Fall turkey | Manual or semiautomatic shotguns (3 shells max), muzzleloading shotguns, bows (35 lb) and crossbows; shot no larger than No. 4 lead, No. 2 steel or No. 4 other nontoxic. | Rifles, handguns, muzzleloading rifles, slug guns and any single-projectile ammunition (new restriction). |
| Spring gobbler | Same shotguns, muzzleloading shotguns, bows and crossbows; rifle/shotgun combination guns with shotshells only. | Single-projectile ammunition, rifles, handguns, muzzleloading rifles and handguns, slug guns. |
Method rules for turkey hunters
Turkey calls and decoys
No electronic callers, live decoys or drives for turkeys; hunt by calling only; fanned-tail blinds illegal; blinds must be manmade and enclose the hunter on all sides and top.
Dogs
Unlawful to use dogs to hunt elk, bears, deer or spring turkeys; dogs allowed for fall turkey, small game and furbearers (not during regular firearms deer and bear seasons for furbearers). Leashed tracking dogs may recover deer, bear or elk with no permit.
Drives
Drives permitted for deer and bear only; unlawful to drive elk or turkeys; drivers must be licensed and wear orange.
Road-killed deer and turkeys
Residents may keep for personal consumption with a PGC permit number within 24 hours; antlers, beards and spurs may not be kept; may not be used to bait coyotes.
2026-27 digest, sporting arms and unlawful acts pages, checked October 12, 2026.
Asked about turkeys
Can I shoot two spring gobblers in Pennsylvania?
No. The spring limit is one bearded bird for 2026-27, down from two.
Are rifles legal for fall turkey?
Rifles, handguns, muzzleloading rifles, slug guns and any single-projectile ammunition (new restriction).
Which WMUs have the longest fall turkey season?
WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B and 3C: Oct. 31-Nov. 15; Nov. 25-27.
What time does spring turkey hunting end?
Youth hunt (Apr. 24-25) and May 1-15: one-half hour before sunrise to noon (hunters asked to be out of the woods by 1 p.m.); May 16-31: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
What is the possession limit for turkeys?
One fall turkey (either sex) per license year plus one bearded bird in spring (spring limit reduced to one).
What does it cost to hunt turkeys in Pennsylvania?
Buy, as applies to turkeys: Resident Adult Hunting License ($20.97); Nonresident Adult Hunting License ($101.97); Resident Junior Hunting License ($6.97); Resident Mentored Youth Permit ($2.97).
Is there public land for turkeys in Pennsylvania?
Allegheny National Forest, Sproul State Forest and Susquehannock State Forest lead a list of 261.
How late can I hunt turkeys?
Youth hunt (Apr. 24-25) and May 1-15: one-half hour before sunrise to noon (hunters asked to be out of the woods by 1 p.m.); May 16-31: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Fall hunting runs on general game hours.
Must I wear orange for turkeys?
Turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule; wearing it while moving is recommended.
Are Sundays open for turkeys?
The new rule opens every Sunday inside the turkey season.
What guns are legal for turkeys?
Fall turkey: Manual or semiautomatic shotguns (3 shells max), muzzleloading shotguns, bows (35 lb) and crossbows; shot no larger than No. 4 lead, No. 2 steel or No. 4 other nontoxic.
What are the 2026-27 dates for turkeys?
For turkeys: fall season (male or female) Oct 31 to Nov 15, 2026 (WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B, 4D); fall season (male or female) Oct 31 to Nov 8, 2026 (WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C, 4E); fall season (male or female) Oct 31 to Nov 15, 2026 (WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, 3C); fall season (male or female) Nov 25 to Nov 27, 2026 (WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, 3C); fall season (male or female) Oct 31 to Nov 20, 2026 (WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E). More rows are in the table above.
Wild Turkey country gear checklist
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Heading out after turkeys
Dates and limits here match the 2026-27 digest as of October 12, 2026; the PGC can amend them, so check the season page before a turkey hunt.
Other photos on this page: TheTurducken (CC BY 2.0); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain); Flappy Pigeon (CC BY-SA 4.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0); Benny Mazur (CC BY 2.0); Don Faulkner (CC BY-SA 2.0).