Sharp-shinned Hawk, the most abundant species, made up 39 percent of the total. 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. Truth is, we are far from the first people to try and harvest the bounty of nature here. And how many guys do you know who are going to stay in the woods all day? Weddle also pays close attention to see if other hunters are moving closer as hes calling. I tried to be quiet, but maybe he heard me? 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. The specific habitat types vary by wild turkey subspecies. Arkansas: The Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis national forests, which comprise almost 2.7 million acres. Hawk watch operates daily from 9-5, August 27 through November 5. Delaware: Division of Fish and Wildlife properties, which are open to turkey hunting only by permit. Coming from the east, Im used to seeing game in tight and up close. Sure enough, I say to Terry. The youth season is April 3 - 9, and the statewide season is April 10 - May 8. Whether you harvest your turkey in spring or fall, you may have questions about the turkey you shot. This is an ancient endeavor, and there's a moral message to be discovered in harvesting your own local, free-range organic food. Just $1 per month , The countrys public lands are chock-full of gobblers but they arent easy to kill. Checkout Time 2:00 PM. Here are the National Wild Turkey Federations guidelines for estimating your male spring turkeys age. The turkey liked to travel up this ravine after flying down off the roost. hb``a``f`a`H @!oU9CE+wwK7 wV^ Lf@ Hunting turkeys in open country was a whole new ballgame for me. I thought it might be another hunter because he or she called every minute or so for almost an hour, but who knows? Description Don't let this area deceive you. As the bird spots the decoy, I am staring down the barrel of a CZ Reaper Magnum over/under at a gorgeous Montana Merriams at 35 yards. The most distinguishing feature of adult male and female turkeys is their breast feathers. When the tom stepped out at 35 yards, I switched to the over barrel and smoked him. This allows you to prepare for a shot at two different ranges. The best times to visit this trail are May through October. Try this 7.3-mile out-and-back trail near Torreon, New Mexico. This includes West Virginia, Pennsylvania, east Tennessee, east Kentucky, north Georgia and western Virginia. 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. We were still calling back and forth when I heard him fly down. Check regulations for 2021. When youre fatigued, your perseverance is going to fall off because you just dont have it in you. It doesnt faze Terry in the least. Flight summary. Discover 11,510 listings of land for sale under $200K. Each outing brings more lessons learned about nature, forest ecology, and New Mexico history. 55 in Manzano, take Cty. Once I get set, the gobbler drops into the drainage and does the exact opposite of what we expected. Theres also a thrill in making that return hike with a big tom slung over your shoulder or in the game pouch of your vest, and a great sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from getting results on land where other people have come up short. Activities and Amenities Directions Contact Information Additional Information There are no water hook-ups at campsites. Can Coolers | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Find More Great NRA Publications Perfect For Every Interest, Discover Everything That The NRA Has To Offer. He could easily walk (or fly) over there, but he wont. Turkey hunters from coast to coast have come to embrace a new craze: hunting public land for spring gobblers. 1. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. All that brush apparently disguised me well enough to fool her, but made getting a photo of her impossible. In mountain country, we dont always get this luxury. Manzano Mountain Wilderness Introduction The United States Congress designated the Manzano Mountain Wilderness ( map) in 1978 and it now has a total of 36,764 acres. hbbd```b``V djm &,n 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. 20 September 2022. And generally, the private property will have far fewer hunters to compete against. N, 106 deg. View photos, research land, search and filter more than 56 listings | Land and Farm Hunters continually find success in the Long Pines and Ashland areas of Custer National Forest in the Southeast (though wildfires moved through the upper . Mississippi: Any of the six national forests in the state. It got extremely windy, so I didnt stay to see if the turkeys roosted in the same area again. We listen intently for the tell-tale sounds of a tom. Paddle Downriver to Find a Spring Gobbler. The main components of suitable turkey habitat include water, roost sites, nest sites, and summer/brood areas. Nebraska: Hunters should check out outdoornebraska.gov/publicaccessatlas. The slightest movement or unnatural sound will turn a tom away. Information on turkey harvest in New Mexico can be found in the harvest report below: Length: 3.9 mi Est. Here are some tips that will help you with these denizens of the high country. All across the state, Rocky Mountain bighorn have reclaimed their native range, from the Manzano Mountains, southeast of Albuquerque, to the Dry Cimarrn region in the northeast, where a tri-state herd roams Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. scott and white temple directory. Since being reintroduced with the release of nearly 300 birds in 1993, San Diego County has become a turkey hot spot, with both spring and fall seasons allowed. Theres an old adage that describes my overall strategy well: Its far easier to call in a turkey to where he wants to go rather than to where you want him to die.. Budz echoes Owens thoughts on persistence, urging public-land hunters to use every available minute to pursue birds or gain valuable insights. Im going to put him right in your lap. On the ride over, Terry only stopped telling hunting stories long enough to give us what he calls a free concert when Lynyrd Skynyrd played on the radio. Be readyas soon as the gobbler steps onto the bench where youre seated, start taking the slack out of the trigger. Michigan: Allegan State Game Area, in southwestern Michigan. 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. Your email address will not be published. Their body feathers are paler and copper colored, and their tail feathers are tipped with a yellowish-buff or tan color. Parent: Manzano Mountains 1567 miles away New Mexico, United States, North America davebobk47 Big Block, 5.7 - 5.12a Parent: Manzano Mountains 1568 miles away New Mexico, United States, North America davebobk47 Point 6860 Parent: Manzano Mountains 1 Saves 1573 miles away New Mexico, United States, North America Garon Coriz Mosca Peak Iowa: Iowa Hunter Access Program hunting areas. But thats not necessarily because of where they live. Were good.. From Hwy. In 1954, department biologists introduced 13 Colorado birds into the Judith Mountains of central Montana. 20.14 Acres in Mountainair, NM - $599,000 New Mexico Estate. Yet another beautiful, relatively uncrowded area of New Mexico. While we would much prefer to call to a gobbler that is below us, if the situation merits the need to call to a turkey uphill, do it. This morning were with our friend Gary Roybal from San Ildefonso Pueblo. State forests and wildlife management areas provide good opportunities. Typical roost tree are 14+ inches in diameter, and have branches parallel to the ground that are spaced at least 18 inches apart. The only problem is that the birds are walking side-by-side, bumping into each other and not offering a clean shot. Phone: 505-847-2990 Fax: 505-847-2238 The Mountainair Ranger District is made up of the Gallinas and Manzano Mountains. Rhode Island: Arcadia Management Area, which covers 14,000 acres in the southwestern part of the state. The estimated battery life is 5+ years or up to 50,000 hours. The end of August to the beginning of November marks the migration season for raptors such as the sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, red-tailed hawk, and turkey vulture, which keep watch for small prey from the . As long as the gobbler cant see you, you should be good. Many of those turkeys came from public land. 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! Page 37 of 44. Easily find farms for sale at FARMFLIP.com. Owens stays in shape during the off-season and makes sure hes consuming enough calories and water during physically demanding hunts. Box calls, slate calls, wooden peg yelpers, gobblersnothing provoked a response. Jeff Budz, of Okeechobee, Florida, owner of Tag It Worldwide guide service, myodfw.com/articles/hunting-private-lands-access-habitat-program. Owens has taken a U.S. Super Slam (shooting a bird in each of the 49 states that have seasons) and chronicles his public-land obsession12 to 14 states per yearon his wildly popular online Pinhoti Project videos. You'll pass small farming villages that date back to the Spanish Land Grants. Observers in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico counted 4,248 migrant raptors of 17 species in the fall of 2012. There is a profound sense of freedom that comes from hunting public land turkeys unlike anything else I know. An Emory oak that I cannot see rakes my face when I walk right into it as we move uphill. 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. The feature service includes both wilderness polygons and non-wilderness lands found within wilderness (private, state government, local government or tribal inholdings and edgeholdings from the Bureau of Land Management's National Surface Management Agency Area Polygons - National Geospatial Data Asset). Wyoming: The Black Hills in Hunt Area 1. I have never felt more like an easterner in my life. I wouldnt trade the more meager results I get on public land for any opportunity to hunt some private turkey zoo, even if I could afford it. Wild turkeys are an increasingly frequent sight across the Treasure State, ranging from the Flathead's pine forests to Fallon's river bottom breaks. We load up the truck and make our way out to meet the group back at the lodge. Having a comfortable and light gun sling is crucial when covering big tracks of land. New Mexico: Merriams turkeys are mostly found in New Mexicos mountain ranges, where land management is primarily through the U.S. Forest Service. 2. While Im still turkey-free, I saw and heard plenty of turkey in those few short days I made it out there. Ive never hunted with a red dot before this trip, and I may never chase turkeys again without one. The 26 barrel also makes moving through the woods easy, and the already assembled railing makes mounting optics a breeze. X-Vision Optics long-range ImpactThermal Scope (TS300) boasts a 640 x 480 thermal sensor that can detect big game well past 3,000 yards. Page 12 of 19. study of the South Manzano Mountains was especially in order. Some food options include grass leaves and seeds, forbs, pine nuts, juniper berries, acorns, invertebrates, and cultivated crops. Turkeys are often found in forested areas interspersed with edges and fields. 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. They do circles around a tree in full strut, not leaving each others sides, and the turkey merry-go-round lasts minutes before Matt finally gets his opportunity and doesnt miss. Alluring views from this vacation, retirement horse property in Deer Canyon Preserve, New Mexico, located in the red rocks of the Manzano Mountains just 60 minutes southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico. So we had a long, vigorous argument, but no gobbles. Ohio: The recently acquired Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area and the Jesse Owens Wildlife Area and State Park in eastern Ohio make up the states largest contiguous area of public access. The Cibola also has four wilderness areas: Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Withington and Apache Kid and administers four National Grasslands: Black Kettle, McClellan Creek, Kiowa and Rita Blanca covering 263,261 acres in northeastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma and northern Texas. I cover lots of ground to find birds, and you cant do that if youre huffing and puffing after climbing one gentle slope, says Weddle. - 3,855 Deeded Acres - 640 Acres State Lease - Quail, Dove and Deer Hunting - 2 Springs - 4 Windmills - Nice House - Steel Corrals Call for Price and More Information. Turkeys use mature trees for roosting. My daughter is the fit one, a high school sprinter and state-qualified pole vaulter; she eases right along. 2022-06-29 /; Posted By : / glen helen raceway death /; Under : pottery barn great white pasta bowlpottery barn great white pasta bowl 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. 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. I swung south, loosely following him, but didnt hear anything else that morning. Indiana: The Hoosier National Forest, DNR state forests, and reservoir properties in the southern portion of the state. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Kansas: The state has more than 759,000 acres of public access during spring turkey season, including more than 328,000 acres through the Walk-In Hunting Access Program in 2021. They inhabit brush areas near stream and rivers that contain large trees for roosting. I could only see his tail fan and head above the scrub oak brush. Within seconds of stepping out of the truck, a group of gobblers sound off to an overhead crow. Consistently, successful turkey hunting for toms requires a high degree of skill. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Discover 824 listings of farms for sale over 5 acres, under $25K. There was also a demented (perhaps wild?) The public lands of this country are also some of its most beautiful, and the scenery makes hunting there extra special.. ), but she left after about 20 minutes or so. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. With that, we decide to change gears and head over to a new property to see if we can find some fresh birds for Matt. Turkeys are ground nesters, and will scratch a shallow depression on the ground to use as a nest site. Time with my friend Gary and my daughter, who is growing up way too fast, is time to be treasured. A lot of our public lands include ground that was simply too rugged and steep to be turned into farm ground anyway, and if you want to see whats way over there on that next ridgeline and beyond, youve got to be able to handle the rigors of getting there.. Each of the hunters pulls a card from the mosh pit, and my ace combined with Matts seven of spades takes the win. In northern Utah, turkeys can be found in Box Elder County on the north side of the Raft River Mountains up Clear Creek, One Mile, Johnson and Wildcat canyons. Windswept and lovely, the spring is a romantic time at Manzano Mountain Retreat. Site Reserve Type Site-Specific. Its bright enough that the bill of her camouflage cap casts a shadow over her eyes in this pre-dawn dark. To iron out who gets first dibs on the hotspot, we draw cards. | Montana: Southeastern Montana has many public-land opportunities for turkeys, including national forests, Montana State Trust lands, and Bureau of Land Management properties. Theres just enough light to see the shimmer of Tajique Creek. Also, the Sumter National Forest, which extends into multiple counties in the piedmont. Hes taken a U.S. Super Slam and 106 Grand Slams, the most in history. Ryan Chelius But the tom started gobbling in the darkness. All of this wilderness is located in New Mexico and is managed by the Forest Service. I throw down the latch to the sound of all-too-familiar laughter. As you peruse your maps, check for hard-to-access public areas at the lowest elevation you can get to without trespassing. Naturally, the guys give me a hard time back in the truck and go on to tell stories about other idiots whove closed the fence on the wrong side before. Goulds wild turkeys are the largest of the wild turkey subspecies. "y""d2X?0&U@dK Xb Weddle takes a patient, deliberate approach when yelping at public birds. Day 2 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. Today, I hunted with an old friend and hunting partner, again in the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque. The bespectacled man was an ardent outdoorsman, a naturalist, and prodigious writer on all matters, including conservation. The subspecies distribution can be found here: New Mexico Turkey Subspecies Distribution Map. Owens eschews areas with easy access, knowing other hunters will likely use them. 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. 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. 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. Its arc technology accounts for terrain angle, giving you true distance to target on uphill and downhill shots. Spend your days exploring the outdoors and enjoying all that nature has to offer. Some of my most memorable turkey hunts haven't been in areas where you drive to a likely spot, park the truck, walk out, and start calling. Required fields are marked *. The imported wild birds quickly adopted their new home . 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. The Manzano Mountains are located primarily in Torrance County with a small section on the west side of the mountain located in Valencia County. Situated on 7,680 deeded acres in the foothills of the stunning Gallinas Mountains this central New Mexico ranch has it all! As soon as he is out of sight, I move my entire body again to reposition a second time. I set up a blind near a little water hole. 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. He had been in the area the day before, and heard two toms gobbling. If Im not in the woods hunting, Im driving and scouting.. Weddle takes a careful approach in the woods, striving to minimize his impact and avoid bumping birds. It is common to be engaged in a duel with a gobbler and for reasons known only to the turkey, he simply will not come to your position. Full disclosureExperts agree that turkeys on public ground are generally tougher to kill than their private-land cousins. Come tour all 5,110 acres of this Chavez County Ranch, 20 Miles West of Elida, New Mexico. Some people will tell you that its bittersweet to tag out in the first two hours of a hunt, but in the moment, at least, its just sweet. It was completely quiet until the sun was well up, then a couple of hens started yelping. 69 0 obj <> endobj 94 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<4480FDB74DC749338B993B3CA45CA7B1>]/Index[69 56]/Info 68 0 R/Length 121/Prev 279575/Root 70 0 R/Size 125/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream He seeks spots other people will probably avoid or even asks private landowners if he can cross through their property to access public land. Between about 9:30 and 1:30 I set up at the edge of a meadow, but didnt see or hear anything. The most recent available kill data here in early 2022 is for 2020, when Montana hunters took 3,266 birds. This year, a friend let me in on their turkey hot spot, so I hunted it exclusively over the season. Hopefully you can set up on a narrow bench that is often found on the mountainside. Find your piece of land, call your local Mossy Oak Properties land broker today! Terry decides we should set up in an open meadow that he knows birds like to work through. This slope narrowed into a rocky ravine. We started hiking up a trail, then forked off on to game trails, calling periodically. Theres also a public-lands lottery for Delaware Forest Service lands. 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. Lovett is a freelance outdoors communicator who started working with Field & Stream in 2016. Still, it was a good day, with good company, out in the wilderness. The guides had discovered a piece of property loaded with gobblers the morning before. This is an ancient endeavor, and theres a moral message to be discovered in harvesting your own local, free-range organic food. In my opinion, turkeys make the same sounds and do the same things. Experienced mountain hunters have learned they may only have to move a short distance to hear a gobbler that had gone undetected. Not many. This subspecies is smaller than the Merriams and Goulds. What this means is that youre far more likely on public land to have someone else mess up your chances of killing a bird thats working to your call. Dont be one of these typical knuckleheads. I expect gobbles all around as we step out of the truck to listen, and the initial silencesave for the constant whoosh sweeping over across the prairie and through the scattered pineshas me instantly, and unreasonably, down on our prospects. But the average age of deer, especially bucks, depends a lot on the choices hunters make. Booking Window Camping Fri Mar 03 2023 - Sun Sep 03 2023. I do this with gentle calling, and more often than not, answering at the tail end of his gobbles instead of calling to get an answer. Plenty of sign littered this meadow, and turkey tracks lead into and out of it. The Manzano region of Cibola National Forest also fosters a critical wildlife mission: the Manzano Mountains Raptor Migration Project. Centrally located, this peaceful, secluded park in the Ponderosa pine forest of the Manzano Mountains will relax and invigorate you. Ive watched birds in those situations just sort of hunker down for a second, and when they hear the motor go away, they resume their normal activity.. | Matt wants to hold off for a tom, so we have some fun as the fired-up birds come to 8 yards acting all tough. Wildlife viewing, birding and photography along the many trails are great activities at this park. Wildlife viewing, birding, and photography are great activities at this park. They only have a couple of months to reproduce, and they do the same things anywhere. The over/under CZ Reaper Magnum is designed for the turkey woods. She piddled around, clucking and yelping, getting no response at all. Authorized work such as roost site maintenance is partially funded with these dollars. And I have some new hunting buddies who cant wait to tell you all about it.