That period is broken down into segments: A is the first week, B the second week, and so on weekly through segment E, which is two weeks long.

Segment G is reserved for hunters who may not be able to hunt during the week and so is comprised of weekends (Saturdays) until the season ends on May 23.

By now, most turkey gunners in New Jersey have their permits. But there are often “surplus” or leftover permits that can be obtained at various division field offices. The cost for each permit is $19 for adults, and $10 for youth hunters up to age 15.

Regardless of whichever THA you may choose, there”s one additional element to spring turkey hunting that must be addressed -- safety.

Like many states, New Jersey doesn”t require hunters to wear blaze orange while set up on a turkey stand -- for obvious reasons. Turkeys can see well enough, even when you”re completely camouflaged.

But it”s a good idea to enter and leave the woods wearing fluorescent orange. If you do bag a bird, don”t carry it over your shoulder without some blaze orange or other warning color in which to either wrap or carry the bird out of the woods.

Now, go make ol” Ben Franklin eat his words about the gobbler”s intelligence. To do so, you”re going to have to fool this fantastic game bird that, incidentally, has eyesight at least equal to its nemesis, the eagle.

You”re going to have to convince a gobbler that you”re another turkey, if only by voice. And you”re going to have to conceal yourself so thoroughly that any gobbler worthy of its name will not even have a hint that you”re lurking nearby. That”s some tall order! In many instances, that guy on the $100 bill may be absolutely correct and have the last laugh. But to increase your chances, give one or more of these hotspots a try this season.