My friend Cal and I made our annual trip to New Mexico this past week. As has been the norm, the hunting & fishing did not disappoint. The 1st morning week had gobblers right in front of us, but would not leave the 10 or so hens with them. After watching them slowly move away. I hear drumming from above us. I hear it again and a big old gobbler jumps on the ledge no more than 6' behind Cal's head.....He has no idea he's there.....I can see him, but can't move because I'm only 10 yds behind Cal. When he turns around, I start to pull up my shotgun. At almost the same time, he turns around and see's me moving.....Busted!.....After these close encounters, we decided to scout and fish the rest of the day.....1st it was smallmouths, the largemouths......Did I mention we are surrounded by elk almost constantly?.....lol
The morning of day 2, we hunted a new spot. Put a bird to bed up a canyon near our home base. He gobbled like crazy, but he was either with hens or just didn't buy the calling. Never heard him again after he hit the ground....From there, we tried another new area. Got a hit on a pair of gobblers right off the bat, but again they were with hens and just couldn't close the deal the 400 yd deal (maybe it was the javalina that spooked them....lol).....That afternoon, Cal decided to hunt a bird we had heard the evening before near the lake where we were fishing. I decided to try a canyon (The Grove) that I had taken a bird in 2 years ago.....After a mile or so walk, I found tracks and sign. Set-up till 6:00 pm, but nobody.....Walking out as I always do when I come to a hump in the land or a bend I can't see around, I yelped with the diaphragm mouth call.....Boom!.....I get a gobble....I instantly find a juniper and set down....I call again and solid gobble or was it gobbles. Just about that time, here come 4 longbeards from around the corner at around a 100 yds. They're on an old mining road, but between us is an old gate. Instead of going around it and getting back on the road. They go to the river bottom to their left. Now I'm in trouble. My only shooting lane is down the road. When they're about 45 yds out, I decided to switch to left handed. I finally get my gun into position and the front bird see's movement. He putts, butt it's too late....Down goes the Merriam leader.....20-10 lbs, 9" beard, and 1" spurs.....Very exciting to say the least!
Day 3, we were back in the same place, but at dark thirty. Hear the gobbles and the roost down the canyon, but the 3 leftover toms have 6 hens now. They flydown, but the only thing that got close to Cal were the hens as I called 60 yds behind him.....Ugh!.....Later that day, Cal hunted nearer home, but again only hens nearby. Stormed pretty good too (lightning, rain, hail). So fishing was kept to a minimum....But a couple of beauties were caught anyway....lol
Day 4 found us back in "The Grove" canyon (junipers). And I had a plan for those 3 toms....It's about 5:15 am and we're going in by moonlight. As I'm walking, I have my eyes on the narrow elk/cattle/ horse trail....Suddenly, I look up and a full blown black bear is charges me head-on down the trail....WTF!....My only reaction was to stand tall, raise my arms, and yell.....At about 10', he comes to a screeching halt! He then turns around, stops again, looks back, and then runs ahead about 50 yds. Cal finally catches up and says, "What the hell was that all about?".....He then see's the bear.....I guess that explained it pretty good.....lol.....Well, back to the plan. Cal was to go past the roost area this time and I was to stay back farther and call. Every time we had confronted gobblers with hens, The hens would take them the opposite direction.....Well, not this time. They either didn't like the bear walking underneath their roost trees or they saw Cal. They went straight up the mountain. And never to be seen or heard again.....Damn turkey!!
After the hunt, we decided to go back to our friends place near Silver City and see some of the country we hadn't seen before......Land of Enchantment is an understatement......Can't wait till next year.
The morning of day 2, we hunted a new spot. Put a bird to bed up a canyon near our home base. He gobbled like crazy, but he was either with hens or just didn't buy the calling. Never heard him again after he hit the ground....From there, we tried another new area. Got a hit on a pair of gobblers right off the bat, but again they were with hens and just couldn't close the deal the 400 yd deal (maybe it was the javalina that spooked them....lol).....That afternoon, Cal decided to hunt a bird we had heard the evening before near the lake where we were fishing. I decided to try a canyon (The Grove) that I had taken a bird in 2 years ago.....After a mile or so walk, I found tracks and sign. Set-up till 6:00 pm, but nobody.....Walking out as I always do when I come to a hump in the land or a bend I can't see around, I yelped with the diaphragm mouth call.....Boom!.....I get a gobble....I instantly find a juniper and set down....I call again and solid gobble or was it gobbles. Just about that time, here come 4 longbeards from around the corner at around a 100 yds. They're on an old mining road, but between us is an old gate. Instead of going around it and getting back on the road. They go to the river bottom to their left. Now I'm in trouble. My only shooting lane is down the road. When they're about 45 yds out, I decided to switch to left handed. I finally get my gun into position and the front bird see's movement. He putts, butt it's too late....Down goes the Merriam leader.....20-10 lbs, 9" beard, and 1" spurs.....Very exciting to say the least!
Day 3, we were back in the same place, but at dark thirty. Hear the gobbles and the roost down the canyon, but the 3 leftover toms have 6 hens now. They flydown, but the only thing that got close to Cal were the hens as I called 60 yds behind him.....Ugh!.....Later that day, Cal hunted nearer home, but again only hens nearby. Stormed pretty good too (lightning, rain, hail). So fishing was kept to a minimum....But a couple of beauties were caught anyway....lol
Day 4 found us back in "The Grove" canyon (junipers). And I had a plan for those 3 toms....It's about 5:15 am and we're going in by moonlight. As I'm walking, I have my eyes on the narrow elk/cattle/ horse trail....Suddenly, I look up and a full blown black bear is charges me head-on down the trail....WTF!....My only reaction was to stand tall, raise my arms, and yell.....At about 10', he comes to a screeching halt! He then turns around, stops again, looks back, and then runs ahead about 50 yds. Cal finally catches up and says, "What the hell was that all about?".....He then see's the bear.....I guess that explained it pretty good.....lol.....Well, back to the plan. Cal was to go past the roost area this time and I was to stay back farther and call. Every time we had confronted gobblers with hens, The hens would take them the opposite direction.....Well, not this time. They either didn't like the bear walking underneath their roost trees or they saw Cal. They went straight up the mountain. And never to be seen or heard again.....Damn turkey!!
After the hunt, we decided to go back to our friends place near Silver City and see some of the country we hadn't seen before......Land of Enchantment is an understatement......Can't wait till next year.
