found this interesting and im not quite sure i understand it correctly but this is what it states on the pgc website:
Spring Gobbler Season Overview:
Only turkeys with visible beards are legal. Hunting by calling only -- no stalking -- one-half hour before sunrise until noon. Hunters should be out of the woods by 1 p.m.
we just had a thread here not to long ago if people thought stalking was fair but this actually amazed me that it is a law in pa not too.
how do you guys feel about this?
I think its a load of BS. I've stalked on public and private land for years. Never came close to getting shot. I've had more close calls when I was sitting in my blind.
Just another asinine game law that is probably impossible to enforce. I hear PA and the northeast in general are full of them
Bunch of crap. Stalking is just as much part of the game as calling. Does that mean that if a gobbler comes in & then gets hung up & walks away, that I can't try to sneak around him for another shot. Just ridiculous......
I wonder how they would enforce that law anyway? What do Pa turkey hunters do, CONFESS when questioned by the law??
im honestly wonderin what they mean by this?
Sound like bs to me! Who says you can't move to get ahead of birds or move a few hundred yards to get a better shot!
I do believe those folks voted for Obama. That should be explanation enough.
My guess is that law was put in place long before anybody heard of Obama!! It was an attempt to make spring turkey hunting safer years ago. If I am correct, PA recently changed a law that required hunters to wear blaze orange (a hat I think) while moving when turkey hunting. Put those two laws together and you would be wearing orange as you tried to get ahead of that gobbler that hung up and moved on. Would you still consider it stalking a turkey if you had to wear blaze orange? You might, but it would add a level of difficulty! I agree both laws are a questionable attempt at safety.....human vs. turkey KNOW YOUR TARGET!! But some unfortunatley don't and the rest of us have to put up with laws as consequences of the actions of a few. I too would like to know how they enforce the law!!!
I'll answer!
This law has been in place before I started hunting 20 years ago. We have had numerous safety issues over the years. Mostly in fall season though. All involving hunters mistaking hunters for turkeys. I do recall some being fatal. To this day many pa hunters will still stalk into hen yelps in the spring and every year people will get their decoys shot. The law does not apply to changing set ups when working a bird.
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First off I live in PA and didn't vote for the Muslim. Second, I've moved on birds to change a calling location. Is that stalking? Who knows. I'll pay the fine I guess.
Quote from: captin_hook on March 26, 2013, 06:56:07 AM
First off I live in PA and didn't vote for the Muslim. Second, I've moved on birds to change a calling location. Is that stalking? Who knows. I'll pay the fine I guess.
Well said Sir!! I live in PA also, it's not really an enforcable law, but if you DO shoot someone who is hen calling, I guarantee they will add this to the list of charges.
Well I have personally had this happen to me hunting public land. It's a scarry thing.
No worries my Yankee friends, Oklahoma has dumb laws too...We have rattlesnake season!
http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/reptile-amphibian-regulations/ (http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/reptile-amphibian-regulations/)
Quote from: Gooserbat on March 26, 2013, 10:15:01 AM
No worries my Yankee friends, Oklahoma has dumb laws too...We have rattlesnake season!
http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/reptile-amphibian-regulations/ (http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/reptile-amphibian-regulations/)
It is coming to us all. Some of these dumb regulations that it. The environmental and tree hugging groups have to much of a foothold, and they are wanting to protect everything.
I think it is an ignorant unenforceable feel good law. Having said that, it is the law.....one of the reasons I don't hunt in PA.
I live in Pa and this law was put in place along time ago for saftey reasons only. When I grew up here in Pa hardly anybody hunted turkeys, everbody hunted rabbits and ringnecks. I 'm not sure when it took place but we had a explosion of turkey hunters. and more than a couple people were getting shot every year. I even was hunting with somebody that was shot, we had broke up a flock of turkeys one day and went back in the morning to set up and call and was going to meet at a certain time. Bobby was headed to the meeting place and was walking and talking. Some guy heard him calling and leaves rustling and bang. People have to remember that we have more turkey hunters than most states have turkeys. I checked on the game commission website and they said we had 250,000 turkey hunters combining spring and fall. Are they saying you shouldn't move on a turkey I don't think so , Are they saying not to sneak up on the sounds of a turkey calling maybe , not everbody has as much common sense as some people and being an avid fall hunter do I want someone sneaking up on me when I'm calling NO WAY !!!!!
The law is made for people who are truly stalking turkey, such as army crawling through a field to pop up and shoot. Progressing towards and maneuvering around a turkey is not illegal.
Shot I have heard of guys calling in their blind set up with a Tom decoy and had it blasted when they were calling how do u seriously mistake a decoy for a live strutting Tom
A buddy of mine got shot at in PA. Someone decided to put the sneak on his full strut decoy and took a shot at it. Lucky my friend wasn't in the line of fire but he did get a face full of bark from the tree that was hit.
Quote from: Hooksfan on March 25, 2013, 10:22:15 PM
I do believe those folks voted for Obama. That should be explanation enough.
Not real fond of this quote.
The only Obamanites here in Pa live in Filthadelphia & Libsburgh! It is a large Commonwealth with more against him than for him.
Now on the subject of stalking...you are permitted to move anytime anywhere on a spring gobbler with NO orange..those old orange rules are gone. You are NOT permitted to stalk, sneak or what ever you want to call it upon a turkey OR sounds of a turkey..(hunter). This is for safety reasons. (I didn't write it I just obey it).
In the spring you are also NOT permitted to be lawfully hunting for a gobbler or bearded hen without some type of call on your possession. You are NOT permitted to hunt in the spring with any type of centerfire OR rimfire firearm.
In the fall, you need to wear 250 square inches of orange (head,chest & back), walking to or moving through the woods. You can remove your orange on your set-up BUT you need to have 100 square inches visible at least 10 or 15 feet(can't remember now) from your set-up. (I use and orange band around a tree).
A centerfire or rimfire IS legal in the fall and both sexes are legal.
Again...I didn't write them,I just follow them.
If you don't agree...write the PGC at PGC.com.
P.s. Ive been here for quite some time and won't leave and if any of you confeds think you can hang with me in these mountains in turkey season.......come on north of the Mason/Dixon.....hahahaha!
Quote from: CT Spur Collector on March 26, 2013, 04:07:05 PM
Quote from: Hooksfan on March 25, 2013, 10:22:15 PM
I do believe those folks voted for Obama. That should be explanation enough.
Not real fond of this quote.
The only Obamanites here in Pa live in Filthadelphia & Libsburgh! It is a large Commonwealth with more against him than for him.
Now on the subject of stalking...you are permitted to move anytime anywhere on a spring gobbler with NO orange..those old orange rules are gone. You are NOT permitted to stalk, sneak or what ever you want to call it upon a turkey OR sounds of a turkey..(hunter). This is for safety reasons. (I didn't write it I just obey it).
In the spring you are also NOT permitted to be lawfully hunting for a gobbler or bearded hen without some type of call on your possession. You are NOT permitted to hunt in the spring with any type of centerfire OR rimfire firearm.
In the fall, you need to wear 250 square inches of orange (head,chest & back), walking to or moving through the woods. You can remove your orange on your set-up BUT you need to have 100 square inches visible at least 10 or 15 feet(can't remember now) from your set-up. (I use and orange band around a tree).
A centerfire or rimfire IS legal in the fall and both sexes are legal.
Again...I didn't write them,I just follow them.
If you don't agree...write the PGC at PGC.com.
P.s. Ive been here for quite some time and won't leave and if any of you confeds think you can hang with me in these mountains in turkey season.......come on north of the Mason/Dixon.....hahahaha!
For a Yankee I think I might like this guy. When you want to trade an Sooner bird for a Yankee bird?
Love to. I'm not too sure I could walk around down there, my one leg is longer than the other! Hahaha!
Kinda windy too, ain't it?
Quote from: CT Spur Collector on March 26, 2013, 04:27:05 PM
Love to. I'm not too sure I could walk around down there, my one leg is longer than the other! Hahaha!
Kinda windy too, ain't it?
I live in Potter County, I always wondered why I had one leg longer.LOL.
Repositioning, not stalking. Im not talking belly crawling for a shot.
Quote from: ILIKEHEVI-13 on March 26, 2013, 09:57:02 AM
Well I have personally had this happen to me hunting public land. It's a scary thing.
I had a guy stalk our set up one morning on private ground in PA, all we were doing was sporadic, light yelping as it was a quiet morning that day.Quote from: RIStrutStopper on March 26, 2013, 02:56:53 PM
A buddy of mine got shot at in PA. Someone decided to put the sneak on his full strut decoy and took a shot at it. Lucky my friend wasn't in the line of fire but he did get a face full of bark from the tree that was hit.
And a very good friend of mine was shot on public when a hunter stalked his set up. My friend was working an uncommitted gobbler for nearly two hours first thing off the roost when the stalker crept up, saw the dekes and shot the inflatable jake decoy. The pattern traveled 60 yards hitting my friend, couple pellets breaking the skin and chipping his eye glasses. Nothing serious fortunately.
The law was written to prevent these types of situations. We can debate effectiveness, but that's why it's on the books.....
.....Really has nothing to do with voting in national elections..... ???
When I was on family vacation in 2011 I bought a nonresident PA fishing license and familiarized myself with their fishing laws. They have some stupid fishing laws for sure, and it doesn't surprise me that their hunting laws are equally as dumb. It's a beautiful state an I wouldn't mind hunting there but dang. I'd get tired of their rules quick.
It doesn't matter what they intend for it to be. If some DNR officer is having a bad day and sees you walking through the woods he can make a stalking case. Hopefully that won't happen but the door is wide open.
I hunted pa all my life ,,I like the law ,,, I don't think I ever needed a bird that bad to belly craw though the woods LOL :fud: :OGani:
:agreed:I like the law to , People that think that's a stupid law I really don't think we need them hunting here anyways. We have enough people that don't have common sense
Quote from: willy8457 on March 27, 2013, 03:43:18 PM
:agreed:I like the law to , People that think that's a stupid law I really don't think we need them hunting here anyways. We have enough people that don't have common sense
Quote from: willy8457 on March 27, 2013, 03:43:18 PM
:agreed:I like the law to , People that think that's a stupid law I really don't think we need them hunting here anyways. We have enough people that don't have common sense
I'm sorry fellas, This is JMHO. It's a great law! Theres a lot of jack a... out there (trespassers as well). Has anyone had someone creep in on your setup? I have,and it's outright frightening.
You know what they say about comon sense? It aint too common....
EveryOne,
Please B-Safe
You can't make laws to regulate common sense. Common sense would tell you that they don't work.
Quote from: CT Spur Collector on March 26, 2013, 04:07:05 PM
Quote from: Hooksfan on March 25, 2013, 10:22:15 PM
I do believe those folks voted for Obama. That should be explanation enough.
Not real fond of this quote.
The only Obamanites here in Pa live in Filthadelphia & Libsburgh! It is a large Commonwealth with more against him than for him.
Now on the subject of stalking...you are permitted to move anytime anywhere on a spring gobbler with NO orange..those old orange rules are gone. You are NOT permitted to stalk, sneak or what ever you want to call it upon a turkey OR sounds of a turkey..(hunter). This is for safety reasons. (I didn't write it I just obey it).
In the spring you are also NOT permitted to be lawfully hunting for a gobbler or bearded hen without some type of call on your possession. You are NOT permitted to hunt in the spring with any type of centerfire OR rimfire firearm.
In the fall, you need to wear 250 square inches of orange (head,chest & back), walking to or moving through the woods. You can remove your orange on your set-up BUT you need to have 100 square inches visible at least 10 or 15 feet(can't remember now) from your set-up. (I use and orange band around a tree).
A centerfire or rimfire IS legal in the fall and both sexes are legal.
Again...I didn't write them,I just follow them.
If you don't agree...write the PGC at PGC.com.
P.s. Ive been here for quite some time and won't leave and if any of you confeds think you can hang with me in these mountains in turkey season.......come on north of the Mason/Dixon.....hahahaha!
CT,
My initial response was not that well thought out. I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. I am perfectly aware that the comments do not reflect the mindset of the good folks in the rural areas nor most of the folks who would actually have to abide by this nonsensical law. The comment was rather intended for the government mentality at the state level that proposed it. I apologize for my comments coming across as an indictment of all the good folks in Pennsylvania.
Quote from: Hooksfan on March 29, 2013, 07:33:10 PM
Quote from: CT Spur Collector on March 26, 2013, 04:07:05 PM
Quote from: Hooksfan on March 25, 2013, 10:22:15 PM
I do believe those folks voted for Obama. That should be explanation enough.
Not real fond of this quote.
The only Obamanites here in Pa live in Filthadelphia & Libsburgh! It is a large Commonwealth with more against him than for him.
Now on the subject of stalking...you are permitted to move anytime anywhere on a spring gobbler with NO orange..those old orange rules are gone. You are NOT permitted to stalk, sneak or what ever you want to call it upon a turkey OR sounds of a turkey..(hunter). This is for safety reasons. (I didn't write it I just obey it).
In the spring you are also NOT permitted to be lawfully hunting for a gobbler or bearded hen without some type of call on your possession. You are NOT permitted to hunt in the spring with any type of centerfire OR rimfire firearm.
In the fall, you need to wear 250 square inches of orange (head,chest & back), walking to or moving through the woods. You can remove your orange on your set-up BUT you need to have 100 square inches visible at least 10 or 15 feet(can't remember now) from your set-up. (I use and orange band around a tree).
A centerfire or rimfire IS legal in the fall and both sexes are legal.
Again...I didn't write them,I just follow them.
If you don't agree...write the PGC at PGC.com.
P.s. Ive been here for quite some time and won't leave and if any of you confeds think you can hang with me in these mountains in turkey season.......come on north of the Mason/Dixon.....hahahaha!
CT,
My initial response was not that well thought out. I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. I am perfectly aware that the comments do not reflect the mindset of the good folks in the rural areas nor most of the folks who would actually have to abide by this nonsensical law. The comment was rather intended for the government mentality at the state level that proposed it. I apologize for my comments coming across as an indictment of all the good folks in Pennsylvania.
Thank you, I appreciate that. CT.
Well, I've been the object of a hunter stalking a "hen and gobbler." Luckily I saw him and spoke up. Otherwise I may have been one of those unfortunate statistics!
I think it's a good law whether enforceable or not...When reading the game laws, that one will make a person think about a scenario that maybe they wouldn't think of on their own (some people aren't very forward thinking).
That along with the realism of some of the new decoys...Combine this stuff with a guy who maybe lacks calling skill and REALLY wants a bird...It can get dicey!
I live in New Jersey, a very liberal state (I think everybody except me voted for the socialist) and most of the laws I see are just somebody trying to mind somebody elses' business...Exert control over every aspect of our lives...That law I like! :icon_thumright:
Maybe PA needs more stupid laws because they have more stupid hunters. ;) Glad stalking is not illegal here. Also seems like everyone is partial to their own state's rules.
:TrainWreck1:
Pa has had some serious safety problems in the past
Do any of you from PA remember about 20-25 years ago when they tried to get guys to wear Orange vests when moving through the woods ? I remember guys making a stink over that - its been a long time hard to remember the details
OG, do you know why PA has had such safety issues? is it something with the local culture or the way people are raised and taught to hunt? I know there are safety concerns anywhere, but from reading this thread it seems like PA has had more serious concerns to the point of making stalking illegal and requiring orange to move through woods. Just wondering what might be the cause.
i dont know if its because we have so many hunters or what?
Quote from: MrB0000M on April 02, 2013, 06:19:44 AM
i dont know if its because we have so many hunters or what?
Quote from: catman529 on April 02, 2013, 12:20:48 AM
OG, do you know why PA has had such safety issues? is it something with the local culture or the way people are raised and taught to hunt? I know there are safety concerns anywhere, but from reading this thread it seems like PA has had more serious concerns to the point of making stalking illegal and requiring orange to move through woods. Just wondering what might be the cause.
Quote from: Old Gobbler on April 01, 2013, 11:46:04 PM
Pa has had some serious safety problems in the past
Do any of you from PA remember about 20-25 years ago when they tried to get guys to wear Orange vests when moving through the woods ? I remember guys making a stink over that - its been a long time hard to remember the details
Quote from: catman529 on April 01, 2013, 10:53:55 PM
Maybe PA needs more stupid laws because they have more stupid hunters. ;) Glad stalking is not illegal here. Also seems like everyone is partial to their own state's rules.
OG.....I do remember the orange vest disaster...it was truly disgusting. I think the problem with folks understanding this thread is they do not really understand PA or have been here to hunt.
We do have a very strong hunting tradition and contrary to the "stupid" remarks (I'm not not happy with), we have an outstanding LARGE group of turkey hunters,(resident & nons). With a population of over 200,000 birds (second or third in the nation) we also see well over 100,000 turkey hunters in the spring and fall seasons. Over a 35,000 spring harvest. We also see close to 800,000 deer hunters in respective seasons...(when I was a kid it was over 1 million). LOTS of guys.
The next thing is the 1.8 MILLION acres of public hunting...not quite sure if everyone gets that. I would think we are very close to leading the nation with public hunting. Nons & residents have a varied supply of public land to try for that bird....we welcome ALL. Very different than trying to just park & walk in the woods in Oklahoma, Texas or Florida. You just don't do that....right?
The PGC and the PANWTF have worked very hard TOGETHER to try to come up with good or next to good rules for all types of events that may happen in the turkey woods of PA. We all don't agree from time to time but the PANWTF was instrumental in changing the exact law you speak of OG. We wrote letters, had meeting after meeting and finally the PGC agreed that we needed to change....we did.
Right now, I'm not sure if anyone is looking at the stalking rules at the PANWTF or PGC level...but as of this season, which opens 4-27-13, stalking a sound or a bird is illegal in PA.
I for one have been stalked many times in the last forty years. There might be times when 6 guys are surrounding one tom....sounds sick huh? I was stalked two fall seasons ago, the guy got to within 25 yards, lifted his shotgun, pointed that big black hole at me before I could yell. It was not fun at all..we both had a very stern conversation as you could imagine. I had an orange band in the tree and I also asked if he saw it. He said he was so excited he lost all control. That could be one issue that we need to address. Peer pressure.
The PGC has done a very good job here trying to educate the youth and all hunter for that matter. We've had many accidents in the past and I believe we've reduced those numbers considerably.
There are many, many reasons we have accidents while turkey hunting but if we could all remember what dad said..."make sure of your target and what's behind it"... we'd have fewer accidents.
Sorry I went on so long..but I've read this thread so long I'm bored!! Haha. I've read everything from we're socialists to were stupid and I'm a bit tired of it. I'm a native, we have a rich hunting history and a bunch of us are real good turkey hunters that would put some of your skills to shame. Let's get over this and move on.
Thanks CT.
Quote from: wvcurlytop on March 26, 2013, 10:18:46 AM
Quote from: Gooserbat on March 26, 2013, 10:15:01 AM
No worries my Yankee friends, Oklahoma has dumb laws too...We have rattlesnake season!
http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/reptile-amphibian-regulations/ (http://www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/reptile-amphibian-regulations/)
It is coming to us all. Some of these dumb regulations that it. The environmental and tree hugging groups have to much of a foothold, and they are wanting to protect everything.
Well California is trying to pass a law for total protections of montain lions. Meaning,that if your attacked by a lion you cannot kill it to protect yourself or others around you.I think that tops all of the stupid law in the country. lol jmo.
Thanks CT Spur Collector. Makes sense that the high number of hunters would make the woods more dangerous.
If you check the PGC they said we had over 250,000 Turkey hunters Last year Spring and fall combined. Thats More Hunters then two or three states togather. I have been stalked sevaral times myself in the fall, I was even fined for that orange law when I was working a bird that I had worked before, this bird would come so close ANd strut but had drawen a line in the sand ,then It would go out this big bench well when it started out thru the woods I decided i could cut him off, I didn't get 100 yards out an old logging road when I was stopped for no orange. I wasn't happy to say the least. But anybody that thinks it's a good idea to stalk the sounds of something that everybody else is trying to shoot I don't want to hunt with. Not only is he Running the chance of shooting somebody he's really at risk for being shot himself. In the heat of the moment things happen, My Dad told me one time that your best freinds might not be who you want to hunt with. I've read some comments on this thread, from people that must hunt private ground where there is nobody around, And they will change there mind the first time it happens to them, Having a gun pointed at you by some body thats Hearts pounding ,And probably has the safe off has a funny way of changing your mind. And until it happens to them they really won't understand.