Rules in the park are subject to change annually, but at last look, permits were available on a lottery drawing basis. Some permits are good only for the western side of the gorge, where park officials allow hunting only until about a week before the regular statewide season ends. Others are valid on the east side of the river for the whole season.

For specifics on this year's drawing, readers should call the park office at (716) 493-3600. Don't wait, because the lottery is held in mid-April.

SUGAR HILL STATE FOREST
If you're a hunter who yearns to have a big patch of woods to himself and isn't afraid to, consider a visit to 9,085-acre Sugar Hill State Forest in Schuyler County.

Sugar Hill, west of Watkins Glen, gets a fair amount of pressure from Rochester-area hunters on the opening day of the season and subsequent weekends. However, most of the activity takes place close to marked parking areas or adjacent to the numerous bridle trails that slice through the property. If you cut cross-country with a compass or GPS unit to guide you, solitude awaits.

To get to Sugar Hill, take Route 23 west from Watkins Glen. Tower Hill Road, about six miles from the glen, has a marked parking area and a network of trails leading into the forest from its shoulder.

The property is also bisected or bordered by Maple Lane, Sugar Hill, Evergreen and Donovan Hill roads. These rural byways are marked on the map of Sugar Hill, which is included in the State Land of Region 8 brochure available from the DEC office in Avon at (585) 226-2466.

When you make your first trip to Sugar Hill, expect to find a mix of conifer and hardwood stands on gently rolling to moderately steep terrain. Here and there, the woods will be broken up by open fields and private property.

CONNECTICUT HILL WMA
At approximately 11,600 acres, Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area is one of the largest public hunting grounds in western New York. It has plenty of turkeys roaming about its steep, wooded contours.

Well known to hunters in the Ithaca and Elmira areas, Connecticut Hill sustains a fair amount of hunting pressure. However, given the WMA's size and abundance of high-quality habitat, a newcomer should have no problem finding a suitable spot to call in a resident tom.

To get to Connecticut Hill, take Route 13 south from Ithaca and turn right onto Carter Creek or Connecticut Hill roads. From the west side of the management area, take Route 224 east from Montour Falls in Schuyler County to Odessa. Take Route 228 north for about two miles and turn right onto Cayutaville Road, which leads to the WMA.

Connecticut Hill has a mix of conifers and hardwoods in varying stages of maturity, along with a scattering of clearcuts and brushy fields.

PHARSALIA WMA
In the five years from 1999 through 2003, spring-season hunters bagged an average of 230 turkeys in Chenango County. Most years, the county kill is in the state's top 10, in great part because it contains about 75,000 acres of public hunting land.

One of the more productive hunting grounds in the county is the 4,600-acre Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area off Route 23 between Sherburne and Norwich. Founded in 1926, Pharsalia is New York's oldest WMA, and hunters who look closely will see traces of historic farm roads and stone fences.

Pharsalia WMA consists mainly of mixed hardwoods and conifers on a rolling terrain. Several clearcuts carried out in recent years have promoted new growth and improved habitat for turkeys and ruffed grouse.

There are a few small wetlands on the WMA's lower elevations, and some active farms abut its perimeter. In general, the best places to look for turkeys at Pharsalia would be the habitat edges farthest from the main road.

For more information about Empire State turkey hunting, contact the DEC's Bureau of Wildlife, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.

For lodging and other accommodations near the hunting areas covered in this article, call the New York State Division of Tourism at (800) CALL NYS.