Hunters who put a high emphasis on adventure -- and this includes most of us -- should scout for spring gobblers in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. The Catskill Park and Forest Preserve provide public hunting on a large portion of eastern Delaware County.

The higher parts of the Catskills are not ideal wild turkey habitat, but there are birds along the fringes of the park where the public land is fragmented and elevations are lower.

Scouting is the key to locating game, and this is never more important than when hunting wild turkeys. In spring, gobblers are about to raise broods of young, so good habitat is the key. This includes forest openings where the young turkeys can find insects, which produce fast growth.

If you can’t find forest openings on public land, scout the boundaries for openings on private land, and then hunt near those boundaries.

One advantage of hunting in Catskill Park can be camping. This is the ideal opportunity for an inexpensive hunting vacation. Little Pond Campground opens on May 19, in time for the latter part of the spring gobbler season. It lies near the eastern border of Delaware County.

To get there from the New York area, follow I-87 north to state Route 17, go west to the Livingston Manor exit, and bear right off the ramp. Then go to the T, turn right onto old Route 17 and follow it for a mile. Turn right onto county Road 151. About four miles from Lewbeach, go past a traffic light and turn left onto Big Pond Road. The campground entrance is 1/8 mile ahead on the left.

This is a great opportunity for a combination gobbler-hunting and trout-fishing vacation. This campground is just a few minutes’ drive from the Beaver Kill, a trout stream of world renown. Little Pond holds big smallmouth bass and brown trout.

To fish here, you’ll need a special permit from the city of New York Board of Water Supply. Motorized boats are not allowed on the pond.

For hunters who prefer seclusion, there are remote, primitive campsites on the back side of Little Pond. Call the campground for information at (845) 439-5480, or phone the DEC’s regional office at (518) 357-2234.

Primitive camping is also allowed in most places in the park. A good place to start your search for details concerning camping in the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve is to contact the DEC’s regional office at 1150 Westcott Road, Schenectady, NY 12306-2014; or call (518) 357-2049.

You’ll also need to contact a forest ranger for a free permit to camp at one location for more than three days. To reach the appropriate forest ranger once you’ve chosen a hunting area, call (607) 652-7365.

NORTHERN REGION
The Adirondack Park and Forest Preserve and the rest of New York’s northern region haven’t been well publicized as turkey habitat, but there is some fine spring gobbler hunting here nonetheless. In fact, St. Lawrence County ranks 4th for average spring gobbler harvests with 1,176 birds per year, and Jefferson County ranks 9th with 1,096 spring gobblers per year.