Spring Gobblers in NE PA
When it comes to spring gobbler in the northeast, the region can boast an ample supply of places to try. While some may think of the Pocono Region as a place for honeymooners, some in the know realize the great turkey hunting opportunities available on public land.
State Game Lands 127 in the Poconos, offers over 25,000 acres of habitat that allows a turkey hunter plenty of access for scouting and lots of room to get away from the crowds and work a bird. SGL 127 lies adjacent to several Pocono communities where the turkeys have learned that they cannot be hunted, yet they find their human counterparts more than willing to plant them all the food and cover varieties they could hope for. Additionally, if there’s not enough natural or provided plantings, there are usually lots of folks handing out free feed as well.
This provides the opportunity for turkey hunters to set up within the legal confines of SGL 127 to hunt the skirts of these gobbler reservoirs. Of course, one has to respect the nearby homeowners and stay outside of the safety zone boundaries. Access SGL 127 from Route 380. Get off at the Tobyhanna exit and head southwest on Route 423. There are two parking areas a short ways in on Rt. 423, one before the equipment building, and one just after. There is another parking area farther south on Rt 423. You can also access SGL 127 from Rt. 940 just west of the village of Pocono Pines. Watch for the sign for Brady’s Lake. Follow this road and as soon as you enter the SGL 127 boundary there is a parking area, with several more on the way to the roads end at Brady’s Lake. I suggest getting a map of SGL 127 from the Game Commission as a way to locate the many foot trails throughout. This is a big chunk of real estate, with lots of mixed habitat and some pretty thick cover where it is easy to get turned around. •