Hunting turkeys in Hampshire County often means walking river and creek bottoms in search of birds. In fact, hunters can often find birds roosting along these waterways and feeding either upstream or down -- or in neighboring agricultural areas, wood lots or pastures -- during the day.

Hampshire also boasts a quality public land, the Nathaniel Mountain WMA (8,875 acres). Situated south of Romney, this public land features elevations from 1,000 to 3,050 feet and a mixture of oak-hickory-pine forests. Camping is allowed for a small fee.

HARDY COUNTY
Rounding out the top five is Hardy County with a harvest of 114 turkeys last fall. Hardy was one of the few counties that displayed a major increase last autumn, as the 2003 harvest was 89. This District II area could be a real sleeper destination this autumn. The harvest totals from 2000 to 2002 were 79, 140 and 119, respectively.

Moorefield is the county seat for Hardy, but the Moorefield area is known more for its chicken growing and processing concerns rather than its beef and dairy farms. In my opinion, nothing beats a dairy farm in its ability to draw turkeys, as the birds seem to flock to the requisite grain fields and pastures. Other communities include Fisher, Old Fields, Mathias, Lost City and Lost River. Cruise such routes as 259, 220, 55, 28 and 59 if you are looking for places to go afield.

If you are searching for unpressured places to hunt, many of the farms that lie along the Virginia border to the east certainly qualify. I hunted one such farm several years ago and was amazed at how many birds I encountered. This same area also offers the Wardensville WMA (55,327 acres), which is part of the George Washington National Forest.

I have visited Wardensville WMA and it is very typical of national forest lands in the Mountain State. Unbroken expanses of oak-hickory forest are the norm and the terrain is very steep. Hike a mile or so back into the forest before dawn and you likely will have this public land -- and the turkeys -- to yourself. A good strategy is to walk and call along the ridgetops early in the day and then follow the logging roads the rest of the day. Veer off these travel ways from time to time and look for sign.

QUICK TIPS
If you want to add spice to your fall turkey hunting trips, consider going with someone who owns a turkey dog. Over the years, I have done so several times in Monroe, Greenbrier and other counties and have immensely enjoyed the experience, as well as being able to tag a bird on a Greenbrier County expedition.

About a dozen states allow fall turkey hunting with dogs and West Virginia has a long tradition of human and canine going afield together. One great advantage of having a pooch, especially in this state, is that a hunter can send his dog up the many mountains and hillsides, thus allowing the dog to accomplish much of the legwork and hard work.

Another important point to keep in mind is that sitting still for long periods of time is a real plus. For instance, the Marshall County bird I tagged last October came after I had remained on one hardwood flat for several hours. My buddy and I only called every 15 or 20 minutes or so. When the topic is turkeys, patience is the proverbial virtue.

West Virginia's turkey numbers and harvest have not been what the state's sportsmen would have liked in recent years. And the inclement spring weather has been the major reason for that situation. With any luck, this autumn will see more birds ambling through the state's woods and fields -- a sight that would be most welcome indeed.