By Mike Bleech

Not so long ago, wild turkeys were a rare sight in New York, but turkeys have been reestablished in every part of the state that has suitable habitat, even in the Adirondack Mountains. Turkey hunting now ranks at No. 2 in the state, second in popularity only to deer hunting.

The Empire State is among the top in the Northeast for quality spring gobbler hunting. Turkeys are abundant, they are challenging and there are plenty of places to hunt for them.

During the last 10 years, hunters have reported taking an average of 8,775 gobblers during the spring season. Spring gobbler harvests have been relatively stable through this period, varying from a high of 10,341 during the 1996 season to a low of 7,117 last spring.

Weather during the past three years has almost certainly been the most significant influence on the annual spring hunt. Harvests declined slightly after the 1996 peak, reaching another peak of 9,274 in the 2001 season. Wet springs in 2001, 2002 and 2003 reduced nesting success, and the spring gobbler kills fell to 7,501 in 2002 following the first of the three consecutive wet springs, then to 7,117 last year after the second wet spring. With this in mind, hunters can anticipate another mild decline this spring, according to Mike Ermer, a New York Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife biologist.

Low temperatures and rain can kill turkey eggs, he added. Though hens protect the eggs, they must leave their nests to eat, and that leaves the eggs exposed to the elements.

Photo by Mark & Sue Werner

Another factor, which might have negatively impacted the 2004 turkey population, was the harsh winter. Deep snow makes it difficult for turkeys to reach food on the ground. This can be especially critical for turkeys following a rainy spring because the hens will have later broods, and late-hatched poults then have a lesser chance of surviving the winter than early spring broods.

A slight reduction in the turkey population should not be enough to deter anyone. This spring, turkey hunters should just plan on spending more time scouting before the hunting season begins.

From harvest reports, the best spring gobbler hunting in New York takes place in the southwest corner of the state and along the Southern Tier.

Cattaraugus County led the state with an average of 444 gobblers taken by hunters during the past three spring seasons. Chautauqua County, the southwestern-most county and bordering Cattaraugus County on the west, was second with a three-year average of 443 gobblers. Erie County, which borders Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties on the north, ranks third with a three-year average of 342 spring gobblers.

With all this in mind, here's a look at some excellent spring gobbler hunts in all parts of the state.

The key to turkey success here is habitat. Look for a mix of cover types including forest and open areas with a variety of foods.

"Generally speaking, the best turkey hunting is usually around farms, which means private land. If you can find state land adjacent to agricultural land, that's always a good place to start."

Farms in Chautauqua County provide great winter support for turkeys. Driving through the area on a winter day, it's often possible to observe flocks of turkeys feeding on grains they find in manure that has been spread on the fields.

One of the better tracts of public land in Chautauqua County is Canadaway Creek Wildlife Management Area. This 2,180-acre section is in the north-central part of the county, near Cassadaga. From the Buffalo area, take Interstate Route 90 to the Fredonia exit, and then take New York Route 60 south to Cassadaga. From the Jamestown area, take Route 60 north to Cassadaga. From Cassadaga, follow county Route 72 eastward about four miles onto the public land.

The terrain in this wildlife management area is low hills, but with some steep slopes. Most of it is forested with hardwoods, but also with some pine plantations. There are some small wetland areas. Canadaway Creek, which flows westward into Lake Erie, drains the area, cutting a steep valley gorge.

For information about local services, contact the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 1441, Chautauqua Institution Welcome Center, Route 394, Chautauqua, NY 14722; or call (800) 242-4569.

Hanging Bog Wildlife Management Area covers 4,571 acres in the town of New Hudson in Allegany County. The terrain is rolling hills. Most of it is covered by hardwood forest, but pine plantations provide good winter cover. There are also marshes, potholes and ponds.

Allegany County ranked fourth in the state last spring, with a take of 262 gobblers.

"We've also done some cutting in there, so there's quite a bit of brush. This area has more diversity of habitat than most of our state forests," Ermer said.

About 150 acres is maintained as open field. This type of habitat is important to young turkeys, which feed extensively on grasshoppers.

Two state forests are adjacent to Hanging Bog Wildlife Management Area, including Crab Hollow State Forest, with 1,154 acres along the western side; and Rush Creek State Forest, with 1,404 acres touching the northeast corner. Combined, this provides 7,129 acres of public hunting ground.

To reach Hanging Bog Wildlife Management Area from Interstate Route 86, exit at Cuba and take state Route 305 north, and then turn left onto New Hudson Road or Brown Road.

From the north, follow state Route 98 south from Arcade and turn south on state Route 243. Just past Rushford and before Rushford Lake, turn south onto Hillcrest Road (Route 49) along the west side of Rushford Lake, and then turn right onto Rush Creek Road. Rush Creek State Forest is near this last turn, and the northern boundary of Hanging Bog Wildlife Management Area is farther along the road.

For information about local services, contact the Allegany County Tourism (Chautauqua/Allegany) office, County Office Building, Room 208, 7 Court St., Belmont, NY 14813; or call (800) 836-1869 or (585) 268-9229.