For more hunting information contact the DNR's Saginaw Bay office at (989) 684-9141.

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
"Southwest Michigan is rich with turkey hunting opportunities," said DNR wildlife biologist John Lerg out of the Plainwell Operations Service Center. "Southwestern Michigan has high turkey populations, and turkey hunters here enjoy success rates that compare very favorably as you review success rates from across the state. The outlook for 2007 is good."

Southwest Michigan has enviable turkey populations as a result of the good mix of open and forested lands on both public and private properties, according to Lerg. The sandy soil of southwestern Michigan is also a big help because it provides good drainage to keep turkey nests high and dry.

The Allegan and Barry State Game areas and the Yankee Springs State Recreation Area are open to public hunting and have high densities of gobblers, according to Lerg. The Allegan State Recreation Area in Allegan County has plenty of access roads. You have a better chance of getting off the beaten path in the Barry SGA in Barry County. This area is adjacent to Yankee Springs SRA, which allows hunting on limited portions of its property. Forest openings are periodically created to provide turkey habitat to complement the area's woodlands, grass and agricultural fields.

According to Lerg, good calling and a decoy are standard tools for local hunters. As the season progresses, it's wise to move away from the roads to call toms because they have a natural wariness of roads and human activity, especially in this part of our state.

"Successful hunters are often saying that they tried several birds before one came within shooting distance," Lerg said. "This can mean a lot of days afield before getting a bird. Turkey behavior and responsiveness to calling seems to change markedly from bird to bird and from day to day."

For more information, contact the Southwestern Management Unit at (269) 685-6851.

SOUTH-CENTRAL MICHIGAN
"The turkey hunting is definitely better than it was 10 years ago, and every one of our public areas around Lansing has turkeys now," said DNR wildlife biologist Earl Flegler. "Turkey hunting is still turkey hunting, and you've got to go out there and find them, but there's a lot of good turkey habitat and good numbers of birds. It wasn't that many years ago that turkey releases were being made, and now they're established all across the state."