DISTRICT 6
Last, but not least, is the state’s west-central and “Heart of Ohio River Bottom,” counties. For their variegated and well interspersed mixture of hay lands with that mast-producing, roost-tree affording oak-pine-hickory type, these counties are shoo-ins among the Mountain State’s annual leaders in wild turkeys killed per square mile.

Unfortunately, this district has very limited public-hunting opportunities in the presence of those most bounteous turkey areas. The DNR recognizes this paucity and has made some amends since the institution of the conservation stamp and its funding circa 1988.

The most spacious legroom for gobbler chasers in District 6 is the Hughes River WMA, which is located some 15 miles east of Parkersburg in Ritchie and Wirt counties. Formerly leased to the DNR by Westvaco then Mead-Westvaco, the new owners (the Heartwood Forestland Fund), along with Martin-Marietta, have graciously maintained the tract for public use.

ODDS & ENDS
That’s the rundown on the recommendations, but a few tidbits remain to be covered. As the DNR’s Director Frank Jezioro reminds us: Saying thanks is always in season. Along those lines, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may be one of the most underappreciated agencies of all time.

It seems the Corps is subject to continuing criticism and the butt of lawsuits for one thing or another. What about all of that much taken for granted flood protection and the commercial traffic the Corps maintains along our waterways? What about the scores of thousands of recreational lands and waterways they provide to the outdoor segment without question? Just try to imagine for a minute West Virginia without its scores of thousands of Army Corps lake and surrounding land WMAs. You can’t do it. So thanks again, Army Corps!

Another tremendous note of thanks goes to the state chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and to all the members and Superfund banquet attendees. Their recent contribution of nearly $200,000 paid for half of the Little Indian Creek WMA acquisition. Counting prior NWTF public area purchases toward the Ritchie Mines and Wallback WMAs, this group alone has accounted for some thousand of acres of public hunting.

Further along the lines of public area acquisition, are we doing enough? From the initial couple of bucks to the present-day $5 conservation stamp funds are what the DNR uses to purchases public land. Again, is that enough in today’s high-dollar real estate market? If we don’t step up, who will?

Yet those dollars have worked wonders since 1988. Just some food for thought and reminding folks of how the bear hunters recently chimed in to get that stamp price increased from $4 to $10 by their own accord.

Here’s another tidbit to share about the presently available public options with a complete statewide rundown. The DNR has recently published a handy, updated 62-page color-copy of Wildlife Management Areas Guide. It is available at most DNR offices or for the asking by calling its headquarters at (304) 558-2771 or the operations center at (304) 637-0245. It’s a must-have for any glove box or camp stash.

And if you happen to see some dreary-eyed, lost-looking, shotgun-toting, camo-donning dude at the public dock around 5:30 a.m., please give him a boat ride to that gobbling sound on the opposite shore! With that said, it’s time to go hunting.