Photo by Kenny Bahr

Spring gobbler harvests in New York peaked from 1999 through 2002.

After that, the take started a downward slide due to poor nesting conditions and perhaps over-harvest -- factors currently being investigated in a three-state study along with Ohio and Pennsylvania.

That slide bottomed out in 2005 at 24,900 birds, based on the calculated harvest -- which, biologists say, is a much more accurate estimate than the reported take. That still was better than any time before the 1995 season.

According to Mike Schiavone, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation biologist, the kill rose a little in 2006. Although it is expected to drop slightly this spring, there should be a good number of adult gobblers available, thanks to a good nesting season in 2005.

Here’s a look at where to find your Empire State longbeard this season.

WESTERN REGION
No doubt, New York’s southwestern counties offer some of the finest wild turkey hunting in the Northeast. In fact, some of the best turkey hunting in the country takes place along the southern tier.

For calculated spring gobbler harvests from 2001 through 2005, the top two counties are Cattaraugus County and neighboring Chautauqua County, the westernmost of the southern-tier counties. Moving eastward, Allegany County ranks 12th and Steuben County ranks 8th.

This is where the modern turkey-hunting tradition began in New York, hunting birds that moved in from Pennsylvania. The habitat here is ideal, a mix of rolling farmland and forested hills. If you’re willing to travel to get your spring gobbler, this is the place to go.

Chautauqua County is the leading county in New York for wild turkeys. The average calculated spring gobbler harvest from 2001 through 2005 was 1,628 birds -- a number approached only by neighboring Cattaraugus County, which had an average spring gobbler take of 1,538 birds during that same period.

The habitat here is mostly rolling farmland. State lands are generally reverted farmland or wetlands. Most tracts of public land are small and surrounded by farmland, which adds to their appeal. Wellman State Forest

Wellman State Forest, a 447-acre tract close to the Pennsylvania border, is a largely ignored area, yet it lies in the middle of some of the finest turkey hunting in the state.

To get there, follow state Route 69 south from state Route 394 at Lakewood. This is flat terrain, reverting farmland covered by secondary growth forest in various stages.

Hatch Creek State Forest
Hatch Creek State Forest covers 1,283 acres in the town of Gerry southeast of Sinclairville. If you’re coming down from the Buffalo area, take Interstate Route 90 to the Fredonia exit, follow state Route 60 past Sinclairville and then turn left onto Old Chautauqua Road. This is rolling hills with forested habitat, surrounded by agricultural lands.

Bear Creek State Forest
A little farther down the road is Bear Creek State Forest, a 547-acre tract bordered on the south by 999-acre Hiltonville State Forest. Hunters can reach the southern end of this tract of public land by following Route 60 into Gerry and turning onto county Route 50.