Union and Chester counties flipped in the 2004 and 2005 total harvest numbers. We’ll look at Union County first. Union was ranked No. 4 in total harvest in 2004 and climbed to No. 3 in 2005. The harvest increased from 537 in 2004 to 612 in 2005. And in 2005, Union County was No. 2 in the acres-per-turkey-harvested category, a strong indicator of the health of the population in this area.

Chester County was the No. 3 county in 2004 with 565 turkeys harvested. In 2005, there were 604 turkeys harvested. Not only that, it was the No. 3 county in the state in the 2005 acres-per-turkey-harvested category. Because of its annual harvest ranking and the 2005 acres-per-turkey-harvested ranking, this region should be an excellent area for the 2007 season.

Fairfield County is a traditionally productive turkey area and in 2004, the harvest was 515 turkeys, putting it at fifth on the total harvest list. In 2005, the harvest was 582 turkeys, making it sixth on the 2005 list. This beautiful, rolling hill county was 11th overall in the 2005 harvest by acres-per-turkey-harvested category. Overall, this county has been and should remain a prime area to consider any season and certainly for 2007.

Continuing to look at counties that make the top 10 list in both years, we’ll check out Orangeburg County next. Orangeburg was sixth in total harvest in 2004 with 466 gobblers harvested, and in the 2005 hunting season, the harvest was 548 turkeys. In the acres-per-turkey-harvested category, Orangeburg County was 21st in 2005. Orangeburg is a huge county, so this is likely one of those areas where hunters who do some advance scouting and preparation can expect to do well in the 2007 season.

Newberry County sits in a general area known to be excellent turkey habitat. Newberry was No. 8 in total harvest in 2004 with 399 turkeys harvested. In 2005, Newberry County was seventh with 493 turkeys harvested. Plus, the 2005 acres-per-turkey-harvested data show this county to be No. 10 in the state.

Bamberg County was No. 10 total harvest in 2004 with an amount of 390 turkeys harvested. In 2005, the county was also No. 10 but with a harvest of 490 turkeys. Note that this is a significant harvest increase in a single season.

But the most striking statistic that hunters should focus on is that for the 2005 hunting season, Bamberg County was the No. 1 county in the state in the acres-per-turkey-harvested category. Since we don’t have that figure prior to the 2005 season, we cannot make comparison further back, but on an acre-to-acre comparison for turkey harvest, Bamberg County turns out as the top county. This is certainly an area to strongly consider for the 2007 season. As with most of the state, however, Bamberg County had low recruitment in 2005 and 2006.

There are other areas that made the top 10 lists in one of the two years but did not make it in both years. These can also be high-percentage areas to scout this spring.