In 1997, commissioners limited hunters to the purchase of one antlerless or surplus antlerless license, except in the six special regulation counties, where license sales are unlimited. But the move led to thousands of unsold antlerless licenses, particularly in York, Washington, Greene and Adams counties. Surplus licenses would be available to all hunters, not just muzzleloaders, as they were in 1997. After much discussion and debate, the commission proposed a two-bird bag limit for the 1999 spring gobbler season. Biologists reported increasing the bag limit from one to two birds is not anticipated to impact wild turkey reproduction, adding that increasing the bag limit is more a social issue than a biological one.
Many states offer two-gobbler bag limits in their spring seasons.
However, the change could lead to a decline in hunting quality caused by a population with fewer adult gobblers, increased hunter interference, and a potential for additional turkey hunting-related accidents. We do not expect a decline in wild turkey reproduction. Under the proposal advanced by commissioners, the season for rabbits, ring-necked pheasants and bobwhite quail, which traditionally have started the last Saturday in October or first Saturday in November, would begin with the opening of squirrel and ruffed grouse season, Oct. 17, and conclude Nov. 28. A late squirrel and rabbit season, running from Dec. 26 to Feb. 27, was also proposed. These proposed changes would have furbearer trapping and hunting seasons beginning on the same date as small game seasons and would require bowhunters to wear fluorescent orange clothing the last four weeks of archery deer season.