Time is always in short supply these days. We have kids that must to be ferried to sports practices, we have civic club meetings to attend, and we have all those jobs to do -- both for the home and for the office. None of that matters, though, when you know that your big gobbler is only a short drive away.

Mike Widner is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Turkey Program coordinator and a 22-year veteran of fisheries and wildlife management. As such, he knows public turkey-hunting destinations -- both state and federal -- are plentiful near cities like Little Rock, Fort Smith and West Memphis.

Admittedly, Arkansas turkey hunting has not been in its heydays in recent years. Nevertheless, Widner painted a less-than-gloomy picture of what turkey hunters can expect.

"There's not much change for 2010 from recent years. Turkey harvest should continue at depressed levels for at least two more years. My guess is that we may be down 5 to 10 percent this spring, but weather could influence that prediction," he acknowledged.

The problem is poor reproduction. "Arkansas experienced five above-average years in a row of turkey reproduction from 1997-2001, but we have now experienced seven -- and 2009 makes eight -- years in a row of below-average reproduction."

The upside to this? "Fortunately, the conservative turkey seasons now in place are compatible with recent trends in reproductive success and overall turkey numbers. The AGFC has been able to stabilize spring harvest for the past three years," he said.

With that in mind, here are Widner's and his AGFC coworkers' thoughts on where you'll have the best chances at bagging a gobbler.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS
"Time was when all a Little Rock turkey hunter had to do was head to Winona Wildlife Management Area, but most of the large U.S. Forest Service co-op WMAs have been hit relatively hard by the recent downturn in turkey numbers," Widner lamented. Then he pointed out that spring 2009 harvest at Winona had actually gone up from 2008.

While "the good old days" of Winona are limited because of depressed turkey populations, there are at least three spots where turkey hunters might find above-average action.

Farther to the west than Winona, hunters will find Petit Jean River and Galla Creek WMAs. These two AGFC areas provide unlimited public hunting. Meanwhile, and closer to Little Rock, Camp Robinson WMA is worthy of mention for those lucky enough to draw a permit.

Petit Jean River WMA, in Yell County, provides a mix of bottomlands and uplands encompassing roughly 15,000 acres, and can be accessed from Arkansas Route 154, 10 or 7. That trio of highways enters the WMA from the north, the south and the middle.

Generally found north of the Arkansas River is Galla Creek WMA in Pope County. The WMA is accessible via Arkansas 324 or 105 from the north and east. With 3,329 total acres, Galla Creek's lands range from backwater bottomlands around the river to rolling ground that rises toward the Ozark Plateaus to the north. In between, hunters will find wildlife openings that provide spots to hunt turkeys as well as doves in season.

Finally, Camp Robinson WMA lies in Pulaski and Faulkner counties. Of the military installation's roughly 40,000 acres, about 26,000 are open to hunting. The terrain is diverse, ranging from swampy sloughs to rocky formations that mark the southern terminus of the Ozarks. Access requires an agreement-to-hold-harm­less permit that can be picked up at the Camp Robinson Fire Station. Also, wartime restrictions may mean that the main gate on North Little Rock's Camp Robinson Road provides the only entry point, so be sure to check with officials before heading out the door.