Turkeys are in abundance at the Big Oaks NWR. Joe Robb is the refuge manager there and believes hunters have one of the best public access opportunities in the state at Big Oaks. "I think there is a lot of great turkey hunting in the state, but Big Oaks has some great hunting. But I am probably biased. It is all about the preference of the hunter."

There are several methods of getting in on the turkey hunting at Big Oaks NWR. The first is through the aforementioned reserved hunt system, which is conducted by the DNR. In addition to that drawing, there are also local lottery drawings that are held periodically at the NWR office. The last method is standby hunting, which provides a good chance of still getting in on the action this season.

With 210 hunters scheduled to hunt, there is always a good chance that some won't show up for one reason or another. If a scheduled hunter does not check in by 7 a.m., on the morning of the hunt, then that spot is available for standby hunting. Furthermore, if this no-show occurs on the first day of the scheduled hunt dates, the remainder of the hunt dates are also forfeited and become available for standby hunting. That is unless the hunter has made previous arrangements with the NWR to retain the remaining days.

Another good opportunity to get in on the hunting at Big Oaks is as a buddy hunter. The NWR requires that all drawn or standby hunters utilize the buddy system for safety purposes. This is due to an arrangement with the army because the NWR is overlaid on army land. There is no limit to the number of times a hunter can participate as a buddy hunter, as long as he or she does not exceed the statewide limit of one bird per season.

The turkey harvest figures for Big Oaks have varied quite a lot in the past several years. The birds are there, but other factors, such as weather, the timing of peak gobbling and breeding activity, as well as the skill level of participating hunters, all play a part in harvest success. The numbers from 2001 to present have ranged from a low of 31 birds to a high of 95 birds. Last year, hunters bagged 45 turkeys at Big Oaks.

Hunters must attend a mandatory safety briefing before hunting and must also purchase a special hunting permit for the site. Time may be saved by watching this safety video and purchasing the permit before the date of the hunt. They are available at the refuge office on public use days, which are Mondays, Fridays, and the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.

More information is available at the refuge office located in Building 125, which is accessible from the main entrance. Call the refuge office at (812) 273-0783 for more information.

CAMP ATTERBURY
The Camp Atterbury Military Maneuver and Training Center has five separate reserved hunts for drawn hunters. They include three sessions in April and two in May. Standby hunting is available to fill no-show vacancies.