New Mexico, Land of Enchantment......Cal and I arrived in Gila National Forest last Monday and our friends ranch was teaming with wildlife. Deer, elk, doves, javalina, and even a couple of jakes were seen driving the last 4 miles of a brutal 32 mile drive back into the NF.
Tuesday, I got up early to hear and see what I could find in the way of turkeys. The season would open the following morning (April 15th). I was pleasantly surprised to hear and see multiple gobbles and gobblers on my walkabout. The fact that they had a number of hens was a little troubling, but hey, it's that time of year. After sneaking out of the area, I got back to our cabin and whipped up some bacon and eggs. Boy, they just taste better when your out in the middle of nowhere......lol.....After breakfast. Cal and I decided the look in some other places and do some fishing. Saw some more sign on other places we knew about and then hit the river for smallies and the lake for largemouth. Fishing was great.....I got a smallie at about 3 lbs and numerous LM's with the biggest at about 6 lbs......That evening, I again went to the roost area and watched the birds fly-up before dark. At least 4 long beards and a few jakes....Even at 67, I was excited about opening morning.
Wednesday morning was dang nippy, but the sounds of gobbles made that a moot point. As daybreak got closer, the boys were going off. Cal & I snuck within 100 yds of the birds. As flydown started, they were all to the west of us. And no amount of calling was going to pull those gobblers away from the 11 hens. Frustrating to say the least, but what the heck, it was the 1st morning of 5 more days of hunting. In the afternoon, we tried a different spot, but never saw or heard a bird.
Thursday morning, we decided to hunt a big canyon that the owner of the ranch we were staying on said there's always turkeys. Well, the old adage about leaving fish to find fish held true. Lots of sign and tracks, but no turkeys were seen or heard. Did I mention that it was dang cold?. 7 degrees to be exact.....Brrrrr!.....That afternoon, we hunted another friends place and almost got one driving over there. A couple of gobblers near our dirt road, but when the they see a truck, they start running. When we finally set-up, Cal decided to hunt one small ravine and I another (about a 1/4 mile apart). I had seen a roost tree the night before.....As the sun started to set, I had 5 turkeys walk nearby, at least 2 were probably jakes, but just couldn't see beards. Some camp meat would've been nice (we're allowed 2 birds).....lol..... Getting back to truck, Cal had had the same birds walk within 20 feet of him. He said 2 were jakes for sure, but even at 20 feet, he couldn't see a beard.
Friday morning, we were back to our opening day spot. This time though, we came across a big meadow and set-up in a big dead fall. It was possible they saw us, but with all the hens. We decided to chance it. As the hens flew down, there wasn't a single gobble....I mean not one!....This time there was only 5 hens and we had them walk right in front of us. But again, no gobblers....We picked up and went to the spot where I got my bird last year. After a big walk, I saw no birds and little sign. It was time for me to look for some Indian artifacts while waiting for Cal.....I found what I was looking for, some Mimbres pottery (it has designs on it).....When Cal showed up, we went fishing again.....At about 2:30 pm, Cal said he was going back to the spot where we started the morning. His assumption that gobblers in the area and would come back was a good one. He stayed near where we set-up in the morning. I decided to do the walk again. As I started up an elk trail and about 1/4 mile away, I decided to make a call. Mind you, it blows here every day. This afternoon wasn't as bad. As soon as I hit the box, I heard a gobble. I hurried up and put the DSD feeding hen in the ground, found a tree, and got ready. Now, I'm on the mouth call. I give a small series of yelps and I get a double gobble and he ain't far. To my left is a big pine tree. So behind that, I raise my gun. Just as I do, out from behind the view of the tree comes this huge gobbler.....Full strut.....At about 18 yds, he notices me.....Too late buddy!....10" beard, feet like a dinosaur, 1" spurs, 30" wide fan, and 24.5 lbs.
Saturday morning, Cal and I go back to the same deadfall after Cal had put the birds to bed (your allowed to hunt till sundown). Back to bunch of gobblers roosting with the hens. We sneak back in, but instead of the birds pitching down in front of us. One gobbler was really low on the hill and I'm very sure, he saw us clearly, he gobbled a lot, but took everybody up hill. That was the last that we saw them.....Cal hunted the rest of the day here, but to prevail......I hunted for Indian stuff.....lol
Sunday morning we packed up and decided to hunt our 2nd day spot because it was on our way out of the Gila. We set-up out in front of the big canyon, but this time we heard a gobble after about 30 minutes. Unfortunately, they had worked their way above us. At this, Cal worked his way down stream and I stayed back and called. Sure enough, they gobbled to my slate, I knew Cal was down there and soon I heard the report of his Benelli.....What I didn't know was that Cal had bumped the big tom walking down. What was gobbling was a jake......No matter, Cal got his 1st New Mexico turkey and he'll eat good.....As we were driving out a hen walks across the road in front of us. Right front of her was a big tom.....Fortunately for him, it just didn't feel right shooting him by the drive-by method......lol.....The rest of the day was spent with our friend Mark (outfitter & ranch manager) and owner John. Driving the quads around the Nan Ranch was unbelievable!.....80,000 acres!.....Monster elk, monster bucks, Merriam turkeys, antelope, javalina, and 3 kinds of quail......What a place!
Great, great trip..... And I left out a bunch of other stuff I saw and found......New Mexico, Land of Enchantment for sure......A few of the 100's of pictures I took.
Tuesday, I got up early to hear and see what I could find in the way of turkeys. The season would open the following morning (April 15th). I was pleasantly surprised to hear and see multiple gobbles and gobblers on my walkabout. The fact that they had a number of hens was a little troubling, but hey, it's that time of year. After sneaking out of the area, I got back to our cabin and whipped up some bacon and eggs. Boy, they just taste better when your out in the middle of nowhere......lol.....After breakfast. Cal and I decided the look in some other places and do some fishing. Saw some more sign on other places we knew about and then hit the river for smallies and the lake for largemouth. Fishing was great.....I got a smallie at about 3 lbs and numerous LM's with the biggest at about 6 lbs......That evening, I again went to the roost area and watched the birds fly-up before dark. At least 4 long beards and a few jakes....Even at 67, I was excited about opening morning.
Wednesday morning was dang nippy, but the sounds of gobbles made that a moot point. As daybreak got closer, the boys were going off. Cal & I snuck within 100 yds of the birds. As flydown started, they were all to the west of us. And no amount of calling was going to pull those gobblers away from the 11 hens. Frustrating to say the least, but what the heck, it was the 1st morning of 5 more days of hunting. In the afternoon, we tried a different spot, but never saw or heard a bird.
Thursday morning, we decided to hunt a big canyon that the owner of the ranch we were staying on said there's always turkeys. Well, the old adage about leaving fish to find fish held true. Lots of sign and tracks, but no turkeys were seen or heard. Did I mention that it was dang cold?. 7 degrees to be exact.....Brrrrr!.....That afternoon, we hunted another friends place and almost got one driving over there. A couple of gobblers near our dirt road, but when the they see a truck, they start running. When we finally set-up, Cal decided to hunt one small ravine and I another (about a 1/4 mile apart). I had seen a roost tree the night before.....As the sun started to set, I had 5 turkeys walk nearby, at least 2 were probably jakes, but just couldn't see beards. Some camp meat would've been nice (we're allowed 2 birds).....lol..... Getting back to truck, Cal had had the same birds walk within 20 feet of him. He said 2 were jakes for sure, but even at 20 feet, he couldn't see a beard.
Friday morning, we were back to our opening day spot. This time though, we came across a big meadow and set-up in a big dead fall. It was possible they saw us, but with all the hens. We decided to chance it. As the hens flew down, there wasn't a single gobble....I mean not one!....This time there was only 5 hens and we had them walk right in front of us. But again, no gobblers....We picked up and went to the spot where I got my bird last year. After a big walk, I saw no birds and little sign. It was time for me to look for some Indian artifacts while waiting for Cal.....I found what I was looking for, some Mimbres pottery (it has designs on it).....When Cal showed up, we went fishing again.....At about 2:30 pm, Cal said he was going back to the spot where we started the morning. His assumption that gobblers in the area and would come back was a good one. He stayed near where we set-up in the morning. I decided to do the walk again. As I started up an elk trail and about 1/4 mile away, I decided to make a call. Mind you, it blows here every day. This afternoon wasn't as bad. As soon as I hit the box, I heard a gobble. I hurried up and put the DSD feeding hen in the ground, found a tree, and got ready. Now, I'm on the mouth call. I give a small series of yelps and I get a double gobble and he ain't far. To my left is a big pine tree. So behind that, I raise my gun. Just as I do, out from behind the view of the tree comes this huge gobbler.....Full strut.....At about 18 yds, he notices me.....Too late buddy!....10" beard, feet like a dinosaur, 1" spurs, 30" wide fan, and 24.5 lbs.
Saturday morning, Cal and I go back to the same deadfall after Cal had put the birds to bed (your allowed to hunt till sundown). Back to bunch of gobblers roosting with the hens. We sneak back in, but instead of the birds pitching down in front of us. One gobbler was really low on the hill and I'm very sure, he saw us clearly, he gobbled a lot, but took everybody up hill. That was the last that we saw them.....Cal hunted the rest of the day here, but to prevail......I hunted for Indian stuff.....lol
Sunday morning we packed up and decided to hunt our 2nd day spot because it was on our way out of the Gila. We set-up out in front of the big canyon, but this time we heard a gobble after about 30 minutes. Unfortunately, they had worked their way above us. At this, Cal worked his way down stream and I stayed back and called. Sure enough, they gobbled to my slate, I knew Cal was down there and soon I heard the report of his Benelli.....What I didn't know was that Cal had bumped the big tom walking down. What was gobbling was a jake......No matter, Cal got his 1st New Mexico turkey and he'll eat good.....As we were driving out a hen walks across the road in front of us. Right front of her was a big tom.....Fortunately for him, it just didn't feel right shooting him by the drive-by method......lol.....The rest of the day was spent with our friend Mark (outfitter & ranch manager) and owner John. Driving the quads around the Nan Ranch was unbelievable!.....80,000 acres!.....Monster elk, monster bucks, Merriam turkeys, antelope, javalina, and 3 kinds of quail......What a place!
Great, great trip..... And I left out a bunch of other stuff I saw and found......New Mexico, Land of Enchantment for sure......A few of the 100's of pictures I took.
