FLATBROOK-ROY WMA
Let's first take a peek at the northernmost WMA that is popular with those who chase the ringnecks, and that is the Flatbrook-Roy WMA.

Flatbrook-Roy is one of the WMAs chosen by wildlife managers to receive at least one of the lion's shares of released birds, and rightly so.

Located in the hinterlands of Sussex County, the Flatbrook-Roy WMA offers nearly custom-made ringneck cover. Division officials do manage much of this 2,000-acre-plus WMA for upland birds, primarily for the hopeful, albeit seemingly reluctant, return of the ruffed grouse some day. Grouse aside, that management also provides excellent cover for the ringneck rooster and its less colorful female counterpart. And by the way, when I mention rooster, it's because most upland hunters prefer to shoot the gaudy males. But recent game code changes now allow the taking of hen pheasants as well as roosters. The limit is two birds per hunter -- total, not two of each sex.

Nevertheless, Flatbrook-Roy received stockings of approximately 6,060 birds last season. These stockings were spread out over a period of some 15 release dates, starting the afternoon prior to opening day, up to and including the last day of December. Not bad for the most people-populated state in the Union!

Flatbrook-Roy is located just south of the town of Layton and slightly east of Bevans and the Delaware River. The WMA is dotted with fields and hedgerows that ringnecks love.

In addition, one of the ringnecks' nasty habits, when placed under a great deal of gunning pressure, is to head away from open fields and narrow hedgerows and make a beeline for the nearest hardwoods.

The birds do so not because they prefer hardwoods as their primary habitat, but because there are often fewer gunners and gun dogs running around the forested areas as opposed to the open fields.

And the Flatbrook-Roy WMA has enough hardwoods -- and, indeed, even conifers -- to hide nearly the complete feathered population of Rockport.

While addressing the potential of finding a ringneck or two in the wooded areas of Flatbrook WMA (after opening day, of course), I'm going to let readers in on a not-so-secret secret: If you're an avid bird hunter, in all likelihood you chase other varieties of feathered critters also.

No, I'm not going to tell you that Flatbrook harbors a huntable population of grouse. If only I could! As far as I know, grouse populations in New Jersey remain at one of the lowest levels ever recorded. But check out the wooded regions of Flatbrook during the woodcock season. You may be pleasantly surprised.

The Flatbrook-Roy WMA is easily accessed by taking U.S. Route 206, also called state Route (SR) 521, which runs from the village of Tuttles Corner right smack through Flatbrook. Give this WMA a try. I think you'll find it rewarding.

ASSUNPINK WMA
Next, we're heading south to central Jersey and the Assunpink WMA, located in both Mercer and Monmouth counties (though probably 90 percent of this WMA lies in Monmouth County).

Aside from the natural habitat found at Assunpink, it has another saving grace that offers hunters something that's easily overlooked by the younger generation, and that is easy walking.

With more than 5,300 acres of huntable land, much of which is planted and also cut along pathways and hedgerows, Assunpink is a ringneck hunter's dream come true. Certainly not all of Assunpink is flat, level and easily navigated. But much of it is, and therein lies the tract's attraction to pheasant hunters.