In addition to the two hunting areas mentioned above, here are a few more public areas in Arkansas that can be hunted by boat:

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' public land surrounding lakes Bull Shoals and Norfork.

• Ouachita National Forest lands bordering Blue Mountain Lake in Logan County.

• Cache River NWR lands bordering Cache River and Bayou DeView between Clarendon and Grubbs.

• Felsenthal NWR lands bordering the Ouachita and Saline rivers between El Dorado and Crossett.

• Ozark National Forest lands along the Mulberry River and Piney Creek (canoes only).

HUNT EVERY OPPORTUNITY
This and last year's shorter 21-day season structure is designed to reduce Arkansas' overall turkey harvest. If you don't want the season limitations to reduce your turkey harvest, get out there every chance you get. Most hunters can only hunt on weekends; miss a weekend this season, and you've cut your chances by a third.

Extending that philosophy a little farther: Hunt as long as you can each day you get out. If you're hunting before work, there's not much you can do in this regard. But if you're on a two-day weekend turkey hunt, don't come back to camp at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning -- stay out there. The more time you spend in the turkey woods, the better your chances of trading a tag for a broiled turkey breast are going to be.

MAXIMIZE YOUR CHANCES
By now, you'll have figured out the overall thrust of this article: In a year of diminished opportunity, it's up to the individual hunter to maximize the chances for personal success. This can be done in many ways beyond those we've discussed here; we've only scratched the surface. Think it through, and you'll be able to come up with many more ways to improve your odds.

The bottom line is that approximately 10,000 to 12,000 Arkansas turkeys are going to ride out of the woods on somebody's shoulder this spring. If one of those shoulders is going to be yours, you've got to get out there and make it happen.

(Editor's Note: Jim Spencer's book, Turkey Hunting Digest, is now available at a discounted rate of $15, plus $4 postage and handling. Send check or money order to Treble Hook Unlimited, P.O. Box 758, Calico Rock, AR 72519.)