Turkey season here in Texas starts in the middle of March each year. By this time the gobblers are fired up and very vocal, which makes for a exciting Spring turkey hunt. Hunters from across the Country travel to Texas to take advantage of the early start to the season, warm weather, check off a Rio for the Grand Slam, and plenty of action. We are located in Sutton County, the #1 County in the state of Texas for turkey hunting.
Our hunter showed up the day before season started, Friday March 15th. Opening day was March 16th ,2019 here in the South zone. We have 2 ranches here in the South zone we have for turkey hunting that are loaded with birds. As the hunter settled into the lodge that evening, we discussed are plans for opening morning. We would sit early morning in a ground blind tucked into some cedars under a live oak tree. This blind was set between food/water, and two open meadows along a dry creek wash. If this didn’t work we would then pick up and set further to the North in a large meadow and spend the day there.
After a breakfast of coffee, eggs, bacon, and toast, we were eager to get to the blind. As daylight broke the anticipation grew higher as gobbles echoed across the meadows from the oak ridge behind us. The very first thing we had come into our blind was some axis deer. The hunter was amazed at the size of the antlers and how cool it was to see free range axis deer in the wild for the very first time. Axis deer are in season year-round but the hunters focus was to harvest two Rio Grande gobblers on this trip. It wasn’t much longer before things started to heat up.
The gobbling got closer and closer. There where birds gobbling to our right, and birds gobbling to our left. A few soft yelps every now and then only assured the birds there was at least one willing hen at our location. The sight of these turkeys running towards us and telling the hunter, “here they come”, will always be etched into my memory. First to come in was about 9 hens, then 3 long beard Rio Grande gobblers following in half strut. When the hens stopped to feed, the 3 gobblers went into full strut and put on a show.
With so many birds the hunter had to wait for a clear shot on one of the toms. Another long beard joined the party and now we had 4 shooter birds in front of our blind, all in full strut. What seemed like a eternity waiting for a shot, was about 4-5 minutes and the coast was clear. The sound of the shotgun blast sent the birds scrabbling except for one long beard Rio. He fell in his tracks and the hunter was supper excited to knock down his very first Texas Rio Grande turkey so quickly.
After some photos we decided to head back to the house and take care of the bird before headed out for bird #2. Some great story telling and lunch passed quickly and it was time to head back out. We harvest a lot of bird’s mid-day here in Texas so by 1:00pm we where back at the same spot, only to watch 2 more long beards run off as we got to our location. We decided to circle the birds in a large loop hoping to call them in about a ¼ mile in the direction they were headed. As we were looking for a location to set up, we stopped at a few spots but they didn’t really offer the best shooting lanes or decoy set up so we kept searching. Looking back we should have set down and got ready, because as I looked back to check for shooting lanes two red heads popped up and stared a hole through us. They didn’t stick around and they where literally walking right to the area we wanted to set up just a few minutes ago.
We decided to go back to the morning blind since it was getting hot and there was water at that location. We got to the blind about 4:00pm and started to settle in for the afternoon tearing into our food stash. Halfway through my snack pile I looked up and saw a large group of hens running full speed right at us like they where sprinting to the checkered flag. I told the hunter get ready, here comes a pile of birds. The hunter had to set down his granola bar and grab his shotgun. Trailing the group of hens was this big long beard. As the hens settled down the gobbler went straight into full strut. The hunter, still chewing on his granola bar fired the first shot and sent the birds into a sprint headed the other direction. The second shot rolled the Rio into the dirt and his second bird was officially down.
A great opening day of turkey season here in Texas ended with the hunter taking both his Rio Grande gobblers. We have turkey hunting ranches in both the South and North zones here in Texas. This allows us to provide a quality turkey hunting experience and take advantage of two opening weekends! Plus, we have the luxury or hunting multiple ranches and the North zone extends our turkey hunting opportunities into Mid May. To experience Rio Grande hunting at it’s best, come experience a guided Spring turkey hunt for Rio Grande turkeys here in Texas with Texas Trophy Whitetails, LLC.