Fall turkey hunting doesn't attract the attention and allure of the spring gobbler season, but some hunters await the fall hunt just as much.

Wild turkeys became legal game statewide yesterday in a season that will end on different dates in various wildlife management units across Western Pennsylvania.

A two-week season (Oct. 27-Nov. 12) is available to hunters in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 4A and 4B. A longer season runs through Nov. 17 in WMUs 2B, 2D, 2G and 3A.

"Fall hunting is a lot different from hunting gobblers in the spring," said Don Heckman, executive officer of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, and chairman of its Turkey Management Committee.

"Listening is the key factor in successful spring gobbler hunting. By hearing birds gobble you have a good idea where gobblers will be. Fall hunting requires a better knowledge of the ground and scouting to find what foods the turkeys are utilizing, their travel routes and roost sites.

"Fall hunting is more about reading signs in the woods. Experienced hunters can tell the sex of birds by the droppings they leave behind and know the flock's direction of travel by interpreting their scratchings in the leaves for food."

This year, favored turkey foods are abundant across much of western Pennsylvania. Acorns are plentiful on many ridges, and wild cherries and grapes hang heavy in sheltered thickets. Veteran fall hunters consider wild grapes the ultimate wild turkey magnet. Find grapes, they say, and you'll find turkey sign and a hot place to hunt.

Heckman observes that despite the glamour of calling in strutting gobblers in the spring, calling is just as important in fall hunting -- but different.

While spring calling takes advantage of the gobbler's seasonal mating urge, fall calling exploits the wild turkey's social nature. The birds like to travel, feed and roost with other turkeys and are vulnerable to skillful calling if they become separated from the flock.

"One successful and time-honored fall turkey hunting tactic is finding a flock and scattering them," Heckman said.

"Getting close to the flock before attempting to break them is the key. You want the birds to fly or run off in all directions."

A good plan is to walk quietly along ridgetops where turkeys are known to feed and roost, frequently watching across the slopes below to locate a flock. If the birds are close enough, the hunter can run toward the flock and yell to flush and scatter them. An exciting hunt is likely to follow, Heckman says.

"Once the flock is broken up, set up exactly at the scatter site and wait quietly. What they want to do is eventually get back together," Heckman said.

"After about 15 to 30 minutes, start calling using kee-kee's and hen yelping to get the birds to regroup. The kee-kee call is a high-pitched whistle that imitates the voices of young birds born the previous spring. Once you have a turkey locked into your calling, continue with kee-kee runs until the turkey is close enough for a killing shot."

This year, for the first time, Pennsylvania hunters may use dogs to help find and scatter turkey flocks. Hunting turkeys with dogs is a tradition in many parts of the country, especially the southern Appalachians, but was formerly prohibited in Pennsylvania.

Heckman doesn't know how many Pennsylvanians will take advantage of the new opportunity but his organization supported the change.

"The Pennsylvania Chapter of NWTF supported legalizing turkey dogs for the fall hunting season," he said. "Simultaneously, the newly formed Pennsylvania Turkey Dog Association worked with legislators to craft the legislation."

John Plowman of Harrisburg was a leader in the push to legalize hunting with dogs.

"It's important to remember that good turkey dogs are specially trained, and the people who own them are deeply committed to the hunting tradition and conservation," Plowman said.

"When these dogs are trained by good handlers they are marvels. They find and scatter the flocks, then hide silently, in a camouflage bag at the hunter's side while he calls and shoots. After the scatter by the dog, the hunt is exactly the same as it's always been in Pennsylvania, but with a new dimension."

Hunters may have heard of other changes relating to wearing fluorescent orange while turkey hunting.

At its October meeting the Pennsylvania Game Commission proposed the elimination of required display of fluorescent orange in the spring season. But all fluorescent orange regulations for fall hunting remain unchanged.

Orange regulations are fully explained in the annual Hunting and Trapping Digest provided with hunting licenses and on the commission's Website at www.pgc.state.pa.us.

Orange or no orange, says Heckman, safety is the most important aspect of turkey hunting.

"The most important rule that turkey hunters, and all hunters, must practice every moment afield is to absolutely identify your target and what is beyond -- every time -- before you pull the trigger," he warned.

Heckman and his organization view wild turkeys as more than simply an object of outdoor recreation. They consider turkeys as an important part of Pennsylvania's natural heritage and have worked hard to ensure their survival.

NWTF's Pennsylvania Chapter maintains a state Superfund for wildlife habitat acquisition and improvement, promotes safe and ethical hunting, and conducts programs statewide to introduce youth to the outdoors and conservation.

One wild turkey of either sex may be taken during the fall season. Hunters may not use rifles to hunt turkeys in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B. Only shotguns and bows and arrows may be used in those units.