Grand Haven SGA
The river-bottom woods, backwaters and surrounding agricultural fields are all ideal for L.P. gobblers. Most of the area is built up and doesn't look much like ideal turkey habitat, but apparently, no one's told the turkeys.

Big farm-fed toms share the area with plenty of white-tailed deer. Both species have adapted to life in the realm of humans with the exception of a few weeks of hunting pressure every year.

The Grand River SGA follows the Grand River from the east side of Grand Haven in Ottawa County for several miles to the west. Access is off smaller roads in the area and a good map is in order.

The SGA offers good mixes of cropland, woodland and heavy brush. It's hard to find one spot that looks better than another and that's where a little legwork comes into play.

Poel Island is a refuge, but there can be some good hunting north of the river channel between Dermo Bayou and 138th Avenue. Another spot to check for turkey activity this spring will be on the area's eastern edge on both sides of the river. From the north, a gravel road can be taken from 138th Avenue to the east into the area, and from the south, take the gravel road off Green Street. The key is to finding the suitable habitat.

For more information, contact the Southwestern Management Unit at (269) 685-6851. Montcalm Stanton SGA
"Some of our smaller areas are pretty good for turkey hunting in the south-central part of the state," Niewoondersaid. "They're surrounded by private land, some of which is agricultural, and these spots don't get a lot of hunting pressure."

Montcalm is one such spot. There's quite a bit of scattered private ownership around the public lands that allow for birds to utilize the forest for feeding and roosting and open fields for poult production and strutting, displaying or just getting out of the woods.

Hunters setting up along the field edges bordering the crop fields can find good shooting in the early morning and late evening hours. Setting up decoys in the forest openings can bring in a few gobblers as well.

If you're going to call, do it well. For help in improving your calling, try the National Wild Turkey Federation's "Spittin' Feathers II" CD, which is a collection of various clucks and gobbles. Match your calls to the real thing.