The two-day youth lottery hunts on the Sherburne Complex in March 2007 resulted in eight gobblers out of 17 youth hunting efforts for 2.1 efforts per harvested bird. At the Sherburne Complex and other select WMAs, guides from local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation were on hand to assist the boys and girls to score their first wild turkeys. In celebration of the special occasion, the youngsters were treated to seminars, lunches and assorted goodies.

When considering the youth lottery weekend, a five-day lottery hunt for hunters of all ages and four days of hunting by general permit, the Sherburne Complex delivered a total of 92 gobblers to participating youth and adult hunters in 2007.

“It was really a great season here,” said Tony Vidrine, a biologist manager for the LDWF office in Opelousas. “I was very happy, especially with the success of the youth hunts. Hopefully this experience will add to the future of hunting, because we’re having a (difficult) time recruiting younger participants into the sport.”

As far as turkey hunting is concerned, all of Louisiana’s lottery hunts proved to be first-quality turkey hunts. World-renowned turkey caller and hunter Preston Pittman of Mississippi, who has hunted the Sherburne Complex in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin, remarked nationally of the quality of this hunt available to the participating public hunters.

Applicants for Louisiana’s 2008 lottery turkey hunts were scheduled for selection in January and February. Consult the 2008 and 2009 Louisiana spring turkey-hunting pamphlet for deadlines for youth and adult lottery application dates on specific WMAs statewide. Locations and regulations are explained in the pamphlet. Applications and dates can also be found online at wfl.louisiana.gov

Pitre, a 42-year-old shipping manager for Targil Seasoning and Butcher Supplies, merits his reputation as a statewide turkey sleuth. In 2007, he guided two youths to successful turkey kills at Sherburne and Thistlethwaite WMAs -- and managed to take his own limit of two gobblers at the Sherburne Complex, those birds weighing 19 and 17 pounds and sporting 9- and 10 1/2-inch beards, respectively.

According to Pitre, three factors are crucial for ensuring a successful lottery turkey hunt.

“Scouting, scouting and more scouting,” the guide and hunter advised. “I would tell hunters to try and locate as many birds as possible before you hunt them. I will have at least three to four birds located before opening day.

“Handheld GPS devices today make it much easier than ever before -- especially in areas as vast as the Atchafalaya Basin. I will try to locate as many vocal gobblers as I can before the season opens.”

According to Pitre, woodsmanship is essential as well. Knowing the lay of the land and the behavior of the gobblers goes a long way toward finding success during the season.

Pitre prefers soft, sweet calling -- slight yelps, clucks and purrs -- early in the morning, but depending on the results, he’ll certainly turn up the volume. “At midmorning I will definitely start cuttin’ and runnin’ on a box call,” said the hunter. “Usually the result is a dead bird.”

Pitre emphasized the opportunities that abound in special youth and adult lottery hunts. “These are quality hunts,” he stated, “and I hope the general public can really appreciate what these hunts offer, especially to our youth. Winning is everything in turkey hunting.”