If all legislation were this straightforward and simple, Pennsylvania voters might not feel so frustrated with lawmakers and the political process.

On Tuesday, the State Senate passed Senate Bill 580 by a 48-1 vote. The bill is a half-page of paper in length with 142 clear words. In those few sentences, the bill makes it legal to hunt with dogs for wild turkeys in the fall season.

Fall turkey hunting with dogs is an honored tradition across much of the country, especially in southern states in the Appalachians. The practice has been illegal in Pennsylvania because turkeys here are defined as "big game," and Title 34 of state law prohibits the use of dogs to hunt big game.

Introduced by a bi-partisan alliance of senators, Senate Bill 580 amends Title 34 by inserting an exception: "It shall be lawful to make use of a dog to pursue, chase, scatter and track wild turkeys during the fall wild turkey season."

According to the bill's backers, hunting wild turkeys with dogs is nothing like the classic image of a stoic setter pointing to a grouse or pheasant. John Plowman, a turkey dog enthusiast who has hunted with dogs in several other states, said turkey dogs take advantage of the wild turkey's flocking instinct.

The dog finds a flock of turkeys by scent or by sight, then rushes into the flock to scatter the birds in all directions, as hunters often do now in Pennsylvania. After the scatter, the hunter calls the dog, which lies concealed at the hunter's side in a camouflaged canvas bag. The hunter then imitates turkey assembly calls to lure a bird back into range. After the shot, some turkey dogs retrieve the kill or can follow up and find a wounded bird.

"There's a certain degree of misconception about turkey-hunting dogs," Plowman said. "There is nothing unsporting or unfair about using these dogs. The dog's role is finished as soon as it finds and scatters the turkeys. After that it is still a matter of the hunter's skill in calling and shooting to successfully take a bird."

Some sportsmen voiced opposition to the bill, fearing that dogs might threaten turkey populations. But a survey of state wild turkey biologists by the National Wild Turkey Federation indicates that the number of hunters using dogs in other states is small, and their success rate is no different from other turkey hunters.

"None of the biologists reported concerns about the impact of dog hunting on turkey populations," wrote Bob Eriksen, National Wild Turkey Federation regional biologist.

"This is not a revolutionary thing," Plowman said. "This is just a natural extension of what we already have. You can use dogs for ducks, geese, grouse, pheasants, even for raccoons and squirrels, but not for turkeys, even though this is a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy the outdoors in our neighboring states. Here's another case where Pennsylvania needs to catch up with the rest of wildlife and outdoor recreation management."

Seven turkey dog proponents testified before the Game Commission recently, asking the board to express its support for the bill.

"I have been an avid turkey dog enthusiast for many years, traveling to New York, West Virginia and Virginia to pursue my sport," said Scott Bashore of Lancaster County. "Through the years I have found myself carrying a gun less and less, preferring to take someone new or friends who have hunted with dogs before and love it."

But Bashore, Plowman and other turkey dog boosters aren't out of the political woods yet. The House Game and Fisheries Committee will consider Wednesday whether to send Senate Bill 580 to the full House for the vote it must survive in order to become law with Gov. Ed Rendell's signature.

Even if the bill is enacted, the Game Commission would need to propose the change, accept public comment, then take a final vote to amend its regulations, which currently prohibit the use of turkey dogs. If Senate Bill 580 becomes law quickly, the Game Commission could take those actions in time to allow hunters to use dogs to hunt turkeys in the fall.

The Commission made other significant changes to turkey hunting seasons at its April meeting. Commissioners voted to reduce the length of the 2007 fall season in Wildlife Management Units 2A and 2F by five days (Oct 27-Nov. 12). The Board also extended the 2008 spring turkey season to include the Monday of the Memorial Day weekend, when many hunters are off from work.