About five seasons ago, Fort Campbell set its high-water mark with 435 turkeys harvested. In 2006, Fort Campbell hunters came close by tagging 342 birds. Andrew Leonard, a Fort Campbell wildlife biologist, said the increase can be directly attributed to the amount of hunting lands available. Unfortunately, the increased area available to the public is at least in part a by-product of the war: With the base’s soldiers deployed in Iraq, more lands were available for the hunting public.

Hunters utilizing the South Cherokee WMA didn’t fare badly at all either. The South Cherokee harvest of 231 turkeys had the area firmly holding the second spot in the WMA harvests. Chuck Swan posted the next best spring harvest with 150 turkeys killed. Catoosa took the fourth spot in the WMA hunts with a take of 114 birds. The fifth spot in the Top 5 in WMA harvests went to LBL with a harvest of 110 turkeys.

The Top 5 WMAs from 2005 remained unchanged in 2006, though the relative rankings of those WMAs changed somewhat. LBL’s slip from second place in 2005 to fifth in 2006 allowed the rest to move up the leader board. Cherokee was third in 2005, while Catoosa was fourth and Chuck Swan fifth, respectively.

The remaining Top 10 WMA harvests included AEDC, Cheatham, Milan Army Ammunition Plant, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Laurel Hill WMAs. Each of these WMAs was in the 2005 Top 10 WMA harvests with one exception. The Royal Blue WMA harvest fell from the Top 10 and was replaced by the totals at the Tennessee NWR.

The fall WMA hunts play a small role in the overall harvest at best. For example, the 2005 fall hunts on public lands produced a whopping 109 turkeys. The reason for even bringing it to light is the opportunity found at Chuck Swan, where a draw hunt is held. Of the 109 WMA turkeys killed in the fall of 2005, 79 of these birds were tagged at Chuck Swan.

ENJOY YOUR TURKEY TIME
In case you hadn’t noticed, you’re living in one of the best states in which to hunt turkeys in the country. Tennessee now has good turkey-hunting opportunities in every county. Sure, some are better than others, but it’s really hard to go anywhere within our borders without running into a gobbler at one time or another. Tennessee’s turkey woods are truly blessed, with plenty of toms and a healthy bunch of hens.

Last season, a friend and fellow outdoor writer, Jim Spencer from Arkansas, had traveled to eight states killing turkeys before ending his season in Tennessee. He was in the process of working on his latest wild turkey book. Spencer called me to inquire about public opportunities, and he and a friend spent two days chasing birds in the Weaver’s Bend area of the North Cherokee WMA.

Spencer had little luck in his efforts and was ready to return home without hunting his last day. It was the last Saturday of the season and there was no way I was letting him leave the Volunteer State without getting a chance on a Tennessee gobbler after taking birds everywhere else. Fortunately, I had worked a bird in recent days on a farm in Greene County near the Nolichucky River.