Hardin County hunters have access to public turkey-hunting opportunities in the form of the 109,068-acre Fort Knox Military Reservation. The area consists of rolling uplands, broad ridgetops, narrow valleys with steep to sloping cliffs, all in a good mix of hardwood forests and associated open areas. About 60 percent of the area is open to hunting under special regulations, and a special permit is required.

For more information on hunting the reservation, contact the hunt control office at (502) 624-2712.

HART COUNTY
Hardin County's neighbor to the south, Hart County made the No. 9 spot for turkeys harvested in the spring of 2006. Similar in terrain to the southern portions of Hardin County, Hart County contains just the right mix of agricultural fields and woodlots for eastern wild turkeys to thrive. Because of this, hunters were able to put 503 birds in the freezer for 2006, marking an impressive 19-percent increase over the 421 birds harvested in 2005.

LOGAN COUNTY
Coming in tenth for total spring turkey harvest in 2006 was Logan County. Those 496 birds taken marked a slight decrease from the 504 and 505 birds harvested in 2005 and 2004, respectively. Also lying within the Green River Region, Logan County borders Muhlenberg and Butler counties to the north and Tennessee to the south.

Prospective hunters will have to key in on getting permission to hunt private land, since there are currently no public hunting areas in the county.

SEASON SUMMARY
Regardless of which county you choose to hunt this spring, you can bet there will be a good, huntable number of turkeys in the area. While the counties outlined in this article consistently produce high numbers of turkeys, low harvest numbers in any particular county do not always indicate low numbers of turkeys -- it may simply be the result of light hunting pressure.

So wherever you live or hunt, be sure to get out and spend some time in the turkey woods this spring. There's a good chance that you'll have the opportunity to fill your freezer with a big Kentucky gobbler.

Kentucky's 2007 spring turkey season will run April 14 through May 6. A spring turkey permit or sportsman's license is required, and the season bag limit is two male or bearded turkeys, with a daily limit of one bird. The use of electronic callers is prohibited.

Remember that season dates and regulations can differ on WMAs, so be sure and check your 2007 Spring Turkey Hunting Guide before going afield.