Spring turkey regulations?

**mredder351** · April 25th, 2010, 10:33 PM

What is with the regulations on turkey blinds?

I'm quoting this right out of the PA Hunting/Trapping Digest.

"In both spring and fall seasons...
Blinds: The use of turkey blinds is legal under the following definition: Any artificial or manufactured turkey blind consisting of all man-made materials of sufficient density to block the detection of movement within the blind from an observer outside the blind. Artificial or manufactured turkey blinds consisting of all man-made materials means blinds must be constructed of plastic, nylon, canvas, cotton cloth, plywood or other man-made materials. Blinds made by piling rocks, logs, branches, etc. are unlawful. The blind must completely enclose the hunter on all four sides and from above to block the detection of movement within the blind."

I'm curious as to why it has to be man-made and block movement. Wouldn't being seen be an advantage to the turkey? Am I allowed to use a wood-pile at camp to lean my back against?

Opinions?

**smithwessn** · April 25th, 2010, 11:10 PM

I don't hunt turkey but I think (and I could be wrong here) the reason for completely blocking the detection of movement is for your own safety. Too many a-holes would shoot at a glimpse of movement near the sounds of a turkey, thus violating one of the most basic rules of hunting/firearms safety- Know your target and what lies beyond it. I'm not sure why it need to be man made, but a guess would be that 1) a pile of rocks or logs likely wouldn't block all movement, and/or 2) it should be easier for another hunter to pick out a man made object and know for sure it's a hunter's blind.

I'm not sure about the wood pile thing. A WCO may or may not consider that a natural blind with only one side. You may be better off just leaning you back up against a tree. Someone else should be along shortly to better answer that question.

Good luck, hunt safely.

**Archiver** · April 25th, 2010, 11:16 PM

Ironicly, I almost hit one with my windshield the other day in Slatington...I actually had to brake! Apparently a plane at the nearby airport spooked it.
At least it was REALLY cool...never been THAT close to one in flight before...amazing how fast it actually is! Quite majestic as well...kinda get what Ben Franklin was thinking.

**Chazman321** · April 26th, 2010, 12:50 AM

They say man-made because they don't want you cutting down bushes and trees to make a blind. As far as the wood pile, it's only 1 side, so that isn't a blind... It would be the same as sitting in front of a bush or tree, or my favorite, hay bails...

-Chaz

**Poonie** · April 26th, 2010, 10:36 AM

What about sitting inside an old blowdown, or underneath a thick pine tree? Is there anything written that says you can't do that? As long as you have something solid to lean against like the trunk, and are able to see well out of, I don't see any harm done.

**Chazman321** · April 26th, 2010, 12:01 PM

Perfectly legal... They just don't want people going out and disturbing things... I've seen a few people who have made blinds by cutting branches from trees. When you cut a branch you make it easier for the tree to get diseases or pests, which in turn, can kill the tree. And nobody is going to go out with a can of paint, cut tree limbs, and then paint over the damaged part to make a barrier... I love big blowdowns, sit right by the roots in the right clothing and it's almost like you're invisible.

Using what is naturally there is ok, but if you want to make a blind, PGC wants you to make it out of man-made materials so you aren't hurting the ecosystem, at least, that's how one PGC WCO explained it to me...

Go to Wal-Mart and buy that camo burlap, put 4 stakes in the ground (you can make them yourself out of pointed 1x3's), and just wrap and staple the burlap around the stakes. Then you can take it out of the ground and roll it up. Turkey blind. Just in between the layers, leave an opening as big as you need to fire a shot through. Non-scoped shotty, 2 inches. Scoped shotty, depends on your setup. On the corners, staple a blaze orange ribbon, and then tie them together in the middle of the blind so it can be seen 360 degrees... I've run into a couple brush blinds where people just cut tree limbs. if they're occupied, I tell them it's against PGC regulations. If they're empty, I tear them down and spread the branches out... lol

-Chaz

**Poonie** · April 26th, 2010, 12:54 PM

I can understand the PGC not wanting people to disturb the area, that totally makes sense. Me personally though, unless its for a small child to sit in or maybe a handicapped person in a wheelchair, I just don't see the need for a blind at all. Dress in full camo, get near a big tree or blowdown and don't move and you will disappear.

Was in Cabelas yesterday. They had a display for the Ghillie suits they were selling. They had a half mannequinn and what I thought was a full mannequinn until it moved. Made us all jump.

**A-5** · April 26th, 2010, 07:14 PM

It just shows you lawyers write the regulations. Anyone in the Game Commission is not smart enough to even think up half of what you posted. More than once I have read the regulations book and stood there scratching my head.

**Chazman321** · April 26th, 2010, 11:23 PM

We have a WCO among our ranks who is very knowledgeable... He just don't come to the hunting sub-forum all that much because, well, some people just really don't like the PGC...

-Chaz