Photo by Chris Berzas.

Bayou State gobbler hunters always deem their spring season to be special. For these wild-turkey purists, nothing’s better than hearing the thunderous gobbles of a winged monarch on an early-spring morning.

Little wonder, then, that the eastern wild turkey of Louisiana brought high adventure into the hearts and minds of youth and adults alike in the course of some particularly “distinguished” hunts in the spring of 2007: lottery hunts at several state-managed wildlife management areas.

On Saturday, April 7, 2007, five youngsters braved windy conditions and temperatures in the 40s to participate in a youth lottery hunt at Thistlethwaite WMA north of Washington. Two of those youngsters actually scored on mature longbeards, both of which could be classified as true limbhangers.

Turkey Creek’s Garrett Guillory, 13, was the first to come out of the hardwoods with his tom. Joining him on the hunt were guide Scott Pitre of Opelousas and Guillory’s father, Neal.

Eyes sparkling, Guillory wore a smile as Pitre told the story of the youngster’s hunt. Tom Woods, a technician with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries had previously scouted the bird’s location at Thistlethwaite.

“We were situated on the edge of the woods at 6:45 a.m.,” said Pitre. “Two birds were gobbling on the roost, and one was located across the road from us.”

Nearing flydown time, Pitre engaged in some light calling, and the bird responded by walking on the road about 25 minutes later.

“At about 100 yards away, the gobbler saw the decoy, and he responded by walking slowly toward us in full strut,” said the guide. “At first, the bird (strutted) about five steps forward, then ambled backwards seven steps.” It finally reached the decoy, and Guillory was able to take a shot.

The bird weighed in at 19 1/2 pounds and sported a 10-inch beard. Its spurs were 1 1/8 inches long and curved at the end. Pitre was able to video the young Guillory killing the turkey, his first.

In another section of Thistlethwaite WMA, Nick Vidrine, another youth hunter, scored on a limbhanger gobbler weighing in at 20 pounds and sporting a beard of 10 1/2 inches. Its spurs also were curved at the end, and their lengths measured an inch each.

Both of these young hunters were fortunate; as most turkey hunters will readily tell you, birds usually don’t gobble well or work easily when it’s cold and cloudy, as it was that day.

Other youngsters participating in the lottery hunt included Camille Smith of Opelousas, Steven Powell of Denham Springs and Nathan Boe of Baton Rouge. All the hunters were happy with their endeavors, even though only two of the five killed longbeards.

Just north of Washington, Thistlethwaite WMA is Acadiana’s premier hardwoods area, abounding with white-tailed deer, squirrels and waterfowl. Wild turkeys were stocked here in the 1970s and ‘80s, but many of these monarchs have struggled to flourish, hindered by the dense understory and immense sea of palmettos on the forest floor.

Throughout the Bayou State, spring youth lottery hunts for turkey were indeed very successful last season. Some 20 gobblers were taken by 93 youth hunting efforts, or 4.7 efforts per harvest during one- and two-day hunts at 10 select WMAs.

Perhaps the most celebrated youth lottery hunts occurred on the Sherburne Complex, which consists of Sherburne WMA and the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge. These lands combine to form more than 44,000 acres for youth and adult lottery hunters afield for wild gobblers.