Hello all, Thanks to some great advice I found here (Thanks Virginiashadow!), I've been checking out some WMA areas that list the type of habitat. I found a place that listed wild turkey as a species known to be in the area, and its about 1 hour and 15 minutes from where I live. However, I just found a state forest that I recently camped in (Harold Parker State Forest in Massachusetts) that is about 3000 acres and a hell of a lot closer (about 25 minutes)! Is there any resources that would tell me the wildlife habitat in this forest? Also - What does a WMA provide that a state forest doesn't? Does the Wildlive Management Area get 'managed' for hunting species population, while state forests are left to nature? I'm not sure of the difference. I would like to hunt the closer state park, but not if I know there are turkey in the 'managed' WMA. Thanks all!!!
State forest's usually have picnic grounds, camp grounds, trails for hiking, biking and roads to all of these things. WMA's don't have those things and are usually just a big tract of land that may or may not have fields that get planted for use by game birds or game animals. State forests are managed in a way that accomodates people and their use of the land. WMA's are managed in a way that accomodates animals and their use of the land.
BA--here is a scouting tool you need to start using. I looked up that state forest for you on this website: http://mapper.acme.com/ On the bottom right, type in "harold parker state forest, MA" and search. It will provide you with an aerial view of the state forest. You can toggle between aerial views and topographic views of the state forest. You can also pan out/in and see it from a broader/tighter view(top left). From the aerial view it looks like the area is covered in a good amount of pine trees of some variety, and then rest is more than likely covered in a variety of other hardwood type trees such oaks. Play around with that website as you search for potential hunting areas. GOOD luck.
