So gentlemen (and ladies), start your engines and consider some of the state’s best turkey plots, then throw in a little bass fishing to while away the afternoons. Remember, spring gobbler hunting is not permitted after 1 p.m. in West Virginia.

Taylor both recommends and confirms the popularity with visiting hunters of the Army Corps of Engineers Lake project WMAs from north to south: Stonewall Jackson, Burnsville and Elk River.

Stonewall Jackson’s 18,000 acres include the 2,650-acre catch-and-release bass lake of the same name in Lewis County. Braxton County’s Burnsville Lake WMA provides 12,579 acres, including its 968 acres of lake and town of the same name. Now throw in the Elk River WMA’s 18,225 acres, also in Braxton County that harbors a 1,440-acre lake of a different name just to confuse the matter. It’s named Sutton Lake after the county seat and town of that moniker.

If that’s not enough acreage to start your turkey juices flowing, than get a load of this. The DNR’s most recent Big Game Bulletin data reveals these three lake projects to be some of the state’s best gobbler producers, chalking up 26, 17 and 26 birds, respectively, for Burnsville, Elk River and Stonewall WMAs. For specific lake or WMA contacts, District 3 can be reached at (304) 924-6211.

DISTRICT 4
Now let’s move on to the state’s southeastern District 4. For lack of sounding like a repeating record, the DNR’s Colin Carpenter stated that Bluestone Lake WMA had the best year-in, year-out turkey populations and habitat. In fact, it boasts the top harvest of any of the state-owned WMAs by ringing up 41 gobblers. It is the unquestionable No. 1 in the district and state.

Likewise for this being yet another boat-in option WMA, one with 18,000 acres with 2,000 of that total comprising the lake of the same name. This project spans the tri-county corners of Mercer, Monroe and Summers with the latter’s county seat town of Hinton the best-known starting point.

For a District 4 landlubber option, the 5,300-acre Camp Creek State Forest is a good one. Though readily accessible from Interstate 77 in Mercer County, it maintains a fairly wild atmosphere while holding good turkey numbers at the same time. The District 4 office can be contacted for details at (304) 256-6947.

DISTRICT 5
For the southwestern and coalfields District 5, the staff there proposed some good points to ponder. Although Mason County’s Chief Cornstalk and McClintic WMAs are its perennial top turkey producers, they also receive the most hunting pressure. So in terms of hunter success rates, the staff recommends any one of the district’s WMAs, but particularly Beech Fork and East Lynn Army Corps Lake WMAs.

Beech Fork’s 7,531 acres is situated in Cabell and Wayne. Beech Fork is close to the population center and Cabell County and Marshall University seat of Huntington. Beech Fork information can be obtained at (304) 525-4831.

On the other hand, East Lynn’s 22,928 acres lie entirely within Wayne County. That acreage includes the 1,000-acre lake. East Lynn staff can be contacted directly at (304) 849-23255. Both of these district WMAs have solid harvest histories that go along with their rugged turf.

In testament, several personal acquaintances have contributed to the positive turkey tally at these WMAs of my home district over the years. The District 5 office can be contacted at (304) 675-0871.