manzano mountains turkey hunting

Easily find land for sale at LANDFLIP.com. Easily find ranches for sale at RANCHFLIP.com. But this is big country, and chances are you'll find turkeys ranging anywhere from the valley floors all the way up to 4,200 feet come spring. We had hoped to give Bubbles, the new decoy, a chance to strut her stuff, but she had to leave without a date for the day. They only have a couple of months to reproduce, and they do the same things anywhere. I watch their silhouettes fade in the morning light as they stot off. He kept answering, but stayed on the roost until it was full daylight. This property backs up to forest land. By keeping a ridge top between you and the turkey, you will be amazed at what you can get away with on a move. Box calls, slate calls, wooden peg yelpers, gobblersnothing provoked a response. After a while, I heard something, and was surprised to see a hen not 30 yards away. Of course, some people might wonder whether hunting public land is worth the extra difficulty. Hes already told me where hes at, and I know from experience that he probably isnt going anywhere else soon, so I try my best to get in the toms head by portraying myself as a coy and aloof hen. Gary working a bird with his own custom-made call. Thats how the beautiful light feels falling on my teenage daughter, Willow. On the eve of our Montana turkey hunt, before heading to bed at the lodge, the last order of business is to determine hunting partners and pick spots for the morning. Find your piece of land, call your local Mossy Oak Properties land broker today! This allows you to prepare for a shot at two different ranges. Seemingly out of nowhere a plump Merriams turkey appears on the edge of the opening. Full disclosureExperts agree that turkeys on public ground are generally tougher to kill than their private-land cousins. Well find one, he says. I always try to put myself where I can basically hunt with my ears and cover as much ground as possible in the most efficient manner, typically using spine ridges or logging roads that make navigating through the timber easy, or maybe following a creek bottom, Owens says. Then head back to your Hunting HQ at night to kick up your feet and admire the natural beauty of this New Mexico mountain region. Level ground can be almost nonexistent in some areas, and when you get out of the truck, that old gremlin known as gravity climbs on your back and whispers in your ear, How bad do you want to get to this turkey? Setting up on a gobbling turkey in the mountains usually entails a gut-wrenching uphill climb. I learn that my hunting buddy for the week is Matt Rice from Vista Outdoors and our guide is Terry Honkanen, a seasoned turkey expert. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. I throw down the latch to the sound of all-too-familiar laughter. Your email address will not be published. We interviewed three turkey-hunting experts and a few wild-game biologists to give you an edge this spring, By Day 1 Saenger Outdoor Sports, LLC offers hunting trips in the Catskills for turkey, deer, bear, coyote, and small game. The toms shut up as soon as that yelping started. The trailhead to reach the observation area is on the west side of the road at Capilla Peak. The turkey liked to travel up this ravine after flying down off the roost. I switch from the lower barrel with a modified choke to the upper barrel with a full choke and slide the safety off. Missouri: The state has millions of public acres, including properties owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its primal, as though Im sown in this steep hillside that takes extra breath to traverse. My daughter is the fit one, a high school sprinter and state-qualified pole vaulter; she eases right along. The guides had discovered a piece of property loaded with gobblers the morning before. The Manzano Mountains are part of the Cibola National Forest. While Im still turkey-free, I saw and heard plenty of turkey in those few short days I made it out there. If Im not in the woods hunting, Im driving and scouting.. I release the tension of the wire and let the truck get past before reclosing the gate. RM 2GJEYW1 - Sandhill cranes flying into Bernardo Wildlife Area, New Mexico with Manzano mountains in the background. Try to cover a lot of ground during that 30- to 40-minute window when the turkeys first start gobbling before they fly down and the gobbling might cease. I got in the area even earlier, and snuck up to a high point near the roosting spot, setting up in a direction the turkey like to head in the mornings. All that brush apparently disguised me well enough to fool her, but made getting a photo of her impossible. In most cases, you will shoot a male in spring (though up to 10% of the hen population may have beards). You'll pass small farming villages that date back to the Spanish Land Grants. A Game Hunting License and either an Over-the-Counter Turkey tag or draw permit is required to legally take wild turkey in the state. So we went back to the same area, arriving just before daylight. Willow Springer and Gary Roybal on an unforgettable turkey hunt in New Mexico. Having a comfortable and light gun sling is crucial when covering big tracks of land. scott and white temple directory. rooster that kept crowing. Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos, this park provides a quiet retreat and is a nice family get-away. Turkeys have excellent eyesight and hearing, and are extremely wary. Many hunters in the Appalachian Mountains will tell you it is the most difficult place in the country to kill a gobbler. Here are the five that stood out to me. Here are some tips that will help you with these denizens of the high country. Hunting public property has become cool these past few years, thanks in part to state-hopping sportsmen who have chronicled their adventures in places that everyone can hunt. There was turkey sign, little poult droppings, and tracks all over this area. Youll find: Full-scale cattle facilities w/extensive water systems Land management and top-quality facility improvements throughout Vast hunting prospects Completely remodeled 3-bedroom/3-bath lodge And loads more! The typical landscape here is often a high ridge with numerous smaller finger ridges running off of the highest point. As I said, there are fewer turkeys on public land, and as a traveling hunter with limited time, I cant afford to waste any of it hunting where the turkeys aint. Good private ground will consistently have more turkeys on it than good public ground. Manzano mountains, New Mexico, USA. Im much more cautious when hunting public property because I cant risk messing up what few opportunities I might get to kill a bird there, he says. Theres also a public-lands lottery for Delaware Forest Service lands. Site Access Drive-In. We roll down the driveway of Trophy West Outfitters in pitch dark and drive 40 miles to the property that everyone was crowing about last night. Its usually a quota hunt, although it was open to everyone in 2020. We hunker in some brush and wait. As long as the gobbler cant see you, you should be good. In setting up on a gobbling tom, I think good positioning is half the battle won, so Im going to be much more selective in finding a location that feels right before I ever make my first call, says Weddle. The Manzano region of Cibola National Forest also fosters a critical wildlife mission: the Manzano Mountains Raptor Migration Project. $95.00. California: Low-elevation national forests and areas along major rivers in the Central Valley. No matter where he huntsunpressured spots or hard-hunted areasOwens arrives well before daylight and gets in position to hear turkeys and have his calling be heard when birds begin gobbling. The bespectacled man was an ardent outdoorsman, a naturalist, and prodigious writer on all matters, including conservation. I tried to be quiet, but maybe he heard me? The gleam travels from the sun, bounces off the moon, and lands on us to light up our way as we walk into the forest at 4:30 a.m. Were in the Manzano Mountains after Merriams turkey, a bird named for a famed zoologist. Careful to avoid cracking sticks with our steps, we move quietly along. Rhode Island: Arcadia Management Area, which covers 14,000 acres in the southwestern part of the state. This morning is pretty much the opposite of the previous day; the birds are gobbling their heads off. He still behaves like a turkey and does turkey things. $12.00. In rare cases, wild whitetails can live for Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Generally considered a challenging route. He strives to beat the competition by hunting when other folks cantoften Wednesdays through Fridaysand going where they wont, by traversing long distances or identifying overlooked tracts. Were good.. The horizontal pad on the upper back may be my favorite feature as it allows for maximum comfort when leaning up against a tree. H rH+rS$g`*UCt @ endstream endobj startxref 0 %%EOF 124 0 obj <>stream | If they repeatedly encounter something thats dangerous, they avoid it.. Regulations require that a spring harvested turkey be bearded. So we had a long, vigorous argument, but no gobbles. Just $1 per month , The countrys public lands are chock-full of gobblers but they arent easy to kill. If you lock yourself on the wrong side again, were driving away, Terry warned. As I peek over the rise, I see the jakes on a mad dash for us. In hunting turkey, Gary resurrects how the mountains of northern New Mexico have been used by Native peoples since about the time the wind began to blow. Observers in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico counted 4,248 migrant raptors of 17 species in the fall of 2012. Your rifle is your most important hunting tool, and knowing how to properly clean and store it when hunting season comes to a close is critical in keeping it in tip-top shape. He had been in the area the day before, and heard two toms gobbling. Not available. It was a pleasure to wear this vest around the hills of Montana for a few days. But in the rolling hills of Eastern Montana, a gobbler may appear further than you think. So it's obviously an opportune time for them to blame the virus on China. Hes been a writer and editor in the outdoors industry for more than 30 years, specializing in turkey and waterfowl hunting, and also covering deer, small game, fishing, and shooting. Im the first one back thereas far in as I can get, says Jeff Budz, of Okeechobee, Florida, owner of Tag It Worldwide guide service. Hunters continually find success in the Long Pines and Ashland areas of Custer National Forest in the Southeast (though wildfires moved through the upper . Once I get set, the gobbler drops into the drainage and does the exact opposite of what we expected. Address: Rio Puerco Field Office 100 Sun Avenue NE, Suite 330 Albuquerque, NM 87109. 3. Discover 824 listings of farms for sale over 5 acres, under $25K. When the tom stepped out at 35 yards, I switched to the over barrel and smoked him. A clear turkey track in the Manzano Mountains, New Mexico. This is especially true later in the season when the foliage is heavy. A one-mile, looped trail guides you through the remains of a 13th century Anasazi pueblo. We parked, snuck out and set up, and calledbut no luck. The spring turkey hunt opens March 27 and continues until May 2 with a daily bag limit of one bearded bird, three for the season. Blocker Outdoors Finisher gloves, headcovers and other accessories are available in Mossy Oak Bottomland and Mossy Oak Obsession NWTF camouflage patterns to match various turkey hunting terrain. Length: 3.9 mi Est. I waited for the tom to gobble, then I called. Easily find farms for sale at FARMFLIP.com. the Manzanita and Manzano Mountains to the south. Although I couldnt make it out opening day, some friends offered to take me turkey hunting the first weekend. OK, he went into full strut. We ended up climbing much higher than we anticipated, but were rewarded with some fabulous views before having to scramble back down through the dry brush. The area has panoramic views, plenty of wildlife, and fantastic outdoor recreation such as hunting, hiking and biking. These permits are allocated through a raffle and an auction. The Manzano Mountains provide a great day hunt for turkey. 2h 11m. Published Feb 2, 2021 10:00 PM EST. Most of this area is still dry and brown this time of year, but there were a few green spots. Peaceful, beautiful and views to die for! Required fields are marked *. Up to two persons may apply per application. During the spring conservation order, you can hunt with outfitters from Arkansas to Saskatchewan. As wary as they may be and as difficult as mountain turkeys are to hunt, they are not invulnerable. PROPERTY FEATURES: Hunting . The biggest difference between public versus private is simply the number of birds found on a given piece of property, says Weddle. We ended up climbing much higher than we anticipated, but were rewarded with some fabulous views before having to scramble back down through the dry brush. Site Details. Later that morning, there was also some incessant yelping along a nearby road. Posted by callsofthewild on May 3, 2013. https://callsofthewild . Run-and-Gun is the Name of the GameBecause the terrain can be so extreme, moving and getting into position is very important. Also, the Gila, Santa Fe, and Carson national forests, and the Smokey Bear and Sacramento ranger districts in the Lincoln National Forest, support decent turkey populations. A luxury that you dont get with a single-barrel turkey gun. And the company, of course, was excellent. As I shut my eyes in disbelief, I know that I just locked myself on the wrong side of the gateagain. Well, the globalists are trying to stir up some schitt with China. Willow shoulders her 20 gauge, stock-still. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. We get on a few, but I guess the live hens are a tiny bit more enticing than even Terrys calls. National forest and Bureau of Land Management properties in the Panhandle, Clearwater, Southwest, and Southeast regions offer good hunting. Turkey populations are located on both public and private ground throughout Montana. So I slowly wandered through that high area south of the roosting spot, calling very sporadically, but didnt hear anything the rest of the morning. Were back the following day at the same spot, and its Matts turn. Goulds wild turkeys are the largest of the wild turkey subspecies. Owens pointed out that turkeys on heavily-hunted private properties can become increasingly wary and difficult to hunt, but birds on lightly-hunted public groundlarge tracts in the West, for exampleoften behave like turkeys in relatively unpressured spots. Authorized work such as roost site maintenance is partially funded with these dollars. This week Luke and Larry are talkin camo! Furthermore, the North Manzano Mountains had been mapped by Reiche (1949), and the Los Pinos Mountains to the south had been mapped by Stark and Dapples (1946), so that this study completes the continuity of geologic information along the entire front south of Sandia Mountain. Im not sure what she was doing (maybe trying to rally the troops? In these mountains, the Precambrian exposures are lo-cally mor e highl y dissected with c anyo ns than is the c ase in the S andia Mountains. Matt and Terry are in hysterics again and all I can do is accept it. Pennsylvania: State Game Land properties. Most of his turkeys were taken on public ground. Spend your days exploring the outdoors and enjoying all that nature has to offer. In my opinion, turkeys just condition themselves to negative interaction. They spend most of the daylight hours on ground, but roost in trees at night. Folks often dont mind you crossing their property as long as youre not hunting their property.. Weddle takes a careful approach in the woods, striving to minimize his impact and avoid bumping birds. Information on turkey harvest in New Mexico can be found in the harvest report below: Merriams wild turkeys are the most common sub-species in New Mexico. The over/under CZ Reaper Magnum is designed for the turkey woods. Pets Allowed Y. The Manzano Forest Reserve was a short-lived name; reserve soon became national forest. In 1931, several forests in the middle of New Mexico were consolidated into todays Cibola National Forest.

Laredo News Car Accident Today, Power Shake Joe And The Juice Recipe, Articles M

manzano mountains turkey hunting