Has the DNR ever considered expanding the fall season into other counties? Long offered an unequivocal "No."

"We never even considered expanding the season," Long said. "Actually, we don't want an excessive harvest during fall because it could negatively impact the spring breeding season."

Maryland's fall turkey hunters may opt to hunt all day, as opposed to only during morning hours. They can also use a dog (or dogs) to break up a flock. But unlike New Jersey hunters, gobbler gunners in Maryland don't need to purchase a permit for either the fall or spring season. However, successful hunters are mandated by law to report their harvest.

"We no longer have physical check stations as we did in the past. But hunters are required to electronically register any birds taken by using the Internet and going into the DNR's Web site where there is a form to complete," said Long.

Though restricted to only one bird per fall season, Maryland turkey hunters may take a turkey of either sex. The season dates for this fall are Oct. 28 to Nov. 4. Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

NEW JERSEY'S FALL SEASON
New Jersey's contingent of fall turkey hunters increased slightly, or at least remains stable, according to Herrighty.

"If anything, we've had a slight increase in the number of fall turkey hunters in the Garden State," Herrighty said. He noted the state's 11-member Fish and Game Council set a quota of 4,875 fall turkey hunting permits, and of that number, 3,105 permits sold last year.

"That, of course, does not offer an exact count of hunters afield, but it (the sale of the permits) does offer a reasonably good representation of the number of fall turkey hunters," Herrighty said.

But what about the best bets, or so-called hotspots, for fall turkey gunners? Herrighty said just about any Turkey Hunting Area (THA) where there are permits available hold promise. But if given his druthers, he'd head north.

"Based on our harvest data, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area seems to be one of the most popular areas, as does Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. But that does not mean federal lands are the only place that hunters stand an excellent chance of bagging a bird. The Flatbrook-Roy Wildlife Management Area as well as Whittingham WMA, both in Sussex County, are equally promising, as is Worthington State Forest in Warren County," said Herrighty.

Hunters new to the fall turkey season should keep in mind that New Jersey, unlike Maryland with its three-county fall restrictions, is governed by Turkey Hunting Areas as opposed to merely hunting within a specific county. The northern sections of state forests and WMAs that Herrighty referred to lie within certain proscribed THAs. That's an important consideration for any sportsmen who are new to the game, since hunting outside of a proscribed THA during fall could result in a conservation officer offering you an invitation to a session of night court, written on a 5-by-7-inch piece of pre-printed cardboard.

For instance, fall turkey hunting is allowed only in THAs 1 through 11, 20 and 21. Unhappily for those just getting started in turkey hunting, you will not find a map or description of the locations of the specific fall THAs in the hunting edition of the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife Digest. But take heart, all is not lost.