Texas Rio For The Book

Spring turkey season, 2020 gave us more challenges then we were ready for. With the Covid pandemic shutting down some states non resident hunting, Texas was still open for business. However, with 37 cancellations we where putting down the turkey calls and picking up paint brushes, shovels, and power washers. While all this was going on, the turkey woods was being ruled by young birds, jakes. Little did we know when hunters started showing up, how much of a challenge hunting toms would be.

With so many jakes the mature birds where being pushed away from feeding areas, as well as some hens. As the long beards approached, the jakes would run at them and start fighting. Therefore, a lot of mature birds where staying away from calling. Yes, there where that many jakes, several groups of 4 to 16 jakes, and every ranch was loaded with them! One hunter I set with late in the season we had 46 gobblers come to our set in a 9 hour sit. 28 different jakes, some repeat groups, some hens, and one long beard. Another hunter I set with on a different ranch, we had 19 different jakes come in several groups. The next two years are going to be phenomenal turkey hunting here in Texas.

Opening weekend found a hunter from Wisconsin trying to harvest 2 Rio Grande turkeys to finish some slams he was working on. All he was looking for was Scor-able beards, no problem. A damp, dreary opening day with very little gobbling and only a few jakes and hen sightings greeted us on day 1. Day two awakened us with beautiful sunshine, and lots of gobblers sounding off in every direction. Setting up on some moving birds we called in two hens, the mature long beard stayed just out of range and let us know he wasn't buying it as he continued to keep our adrenaline high gobbling at a regular clip. Eventually, he, and the group of hens moved off. As we tried to relocate, we saw a group of 5 jakes. The hunter said I'll take one of those to gets the ball rolling, they all had measurable beards. We backed off and set up. Fifteen minutes later they walked straight into the Avian X hen decoy, hook, line, boom...and down for the count. That's one bird for the books. He wasn't big but sported a 5" beard and eats just the same. We checked a trail camera in that area and saw a Jim dandy of a long beard. The plan was set.

The following morning we set up where the long beard was the evening before hoping he didn't roost far away. When the dark skies started to crack light off to the East, the long beard let out a gobble that sent excitement and anticipation through both of us. thirty minutes later he was on the ground and going the opposite direction, typical mature bird. Jakes filled the area around us and the hunter made up his mind, I'm killing one of those birds. When it was apparent the long beard was not interested in our set up, the shotgun sent another jake slumbering to the ground. Bird number two for the books, mission accomplished...or was it?

Texas has a lot of opportunities for hunters, that's why so many people visit the Lone Star state for hunting. The next morning we woke up before dawn to go after hogs. While eating breakfast the hunter asked if he could harvest a 3rd turkey, with 10-15 turkey hunter cancellations, I said sure why not. Our plans changed and we decided to sit in the area we had captured the big tom on camera one more morning. A few groups of jakes appeared early and by mid morning things started to slow down. Then it happened, a mature gobble off to the South. We both looked at each other and said, "That's him". Twenty minutes later he gobbled again, this time closer. Another twenty minutes passed and he let out another thunderous gobble, he was headed our way. We started hearing hen calls coming from his direction, we set still not making a sound, letting things unfold naturally. Ten minutes later the hens where fifty yards from us and closing, he gobbled right behind them, just out of sight. That's when the unthinkable happened. These turkeys had crossed a hardtop County road within sight of a diesel pickup truck that saw the birds. We heard the truck roll to a stop, the turkeys shut up, a minute later the truck pulled away, and all the emotional anticipation went out the window along with it. We set there over a hour contemplating our bad luck and timing of the passing truck, he was within shotgun range, just covered up by a few small bushes behind some oaks. It was the only vehicle that passed on that County road for the 5 hours we set there.

We knew the turkeys had to be close, or headed back the way they come from. We tried to stay positive because the birds where between us and the pickup, making us believe they headed into the thick cedars directly in front of us. About twenty minutes after the vehicle pulled away, a thunderous gobble snapped us straight up in our seats! He was close, less than 40 yards. We had nothing to loose, I told the hunter none of these mature birds are responding to calls. However, in this situation I told him maybe he will think he lost a hen when they split away from the vehicle stopping to look at them. A gave 3 soft yelps on the slate call and put it down. Five minutes later he poked out of the thicket but stood behind a cedar tree. The hunter said "there he is, all he needs to do is take one more step". That turkey did not want to step out into the open. He knew it wasn't safe but in his mind he lost a hen, and he was cautiously trying to find her. After probably one full minute, he took one more step and stopped. The shotgun broke the silence and big bird was down, turkey number 3!

The success came down to knowing when the birds don't respond well to calls, sit and wait them out. This old turkey ranked in the top 275 Rio Grande turkeys recorded in the book. A hunt neither of us will ever forget due to the circumstance and emotional roller coaster this bird, and pick up truck put us through. And the fact it was the bird we targeted. Congratulations Jim on a fantastic Texas Rio!