Information on turkey hunting in western Pennsylvania

[packmule]

Hi,

My family and I will be making a trip to attend a wedding in Pittsburgh around May 20 this spring.  I'm starting to research public hunting opportunities in western Pennsylvania during that time.

First off, I'm not trying to take someone's honey hole, and I will be happy to trade information for turkey, mule deer, blacktail deer, whitetail deer, or elk hunting in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Montana.

I've done some research and see that public hunting areas include the Allegheny National Forest, and various state game lands and state parks.  I'm in very good shape and can take a lot of hiking so I'm trying to find areas where I can hike deep into the country and get away from some of the more accessible areas where hunters may hit earlier in the season. 

I see that there appears to be those types of areas in the places I've mentioned above, but need to narrow them down considerably before my trip so that I have 2 or 3 places where I can be pretty sure of finding turkeys, even if I have to work hard to get to them.

If you have that info and want to help, please shoot me a pm.  Again, I think I can provide some very helpful info for hunting the northwest in exchange.  Thanks for reading, and happy new year!

[chcltlabz]

The National Forest is a long ways from Pittsburgh, and while there are birds there, the densities can vary quite a bit throughout it.  Without having specific locations to try, I'd shy away from trying to show up and hunt right away there.  It can definitely be done, but be prepared to hunt a few days just to locate birds.

If you go there, hit the ridge top logging roads and cover ground.  Birds there seem to focus on the saddles and draws off the tops, so running the ridges will get you in hearing distance so you can close in.

I don't have specific information on areas, but take a look at the counties right around and south of Pittsburgh.  Turkey populations are the highest in the state there, and don't shy away from the smaller pieces of land that are overlooked.  Even with a little pressure, the birds are thick so you can probably find a bird to yourself.

PA also has public access private lands (forget the name, but think walk in hunting areas).  You can get maps of these properties off their website.  They're often not marked real well, but you can find them, and may just have them to yourself.

[packmule]

Thank you, very good information to start my search.  I appreciate it and please let me know if I can be of help to you.

I've received a couple PM's, thanks guys, you are a good group.

[Model 1300]

I have never hunted in western PA but I do live in central PA. And here they like to rooste in the pine in valleys or on the very tops of hills. So if you can find a area in between those two and where there is sign you should be good. Best of luck this year, be safe and God bless