manzano mountains turkey hunting

Still, it was a good day, with good company, out in the wilderness. Try this 7.3-mile out-and-back trail near Torreon, New Mexico. Mississippi: Any of the six national forests in the state. 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 . The Manzano region of Cibola National Forest also fosters a critical wildlife mission: the Manzano Mountains Raptor Migration Project. Most public-land veterans agree that avoiding human interference and finding relatively lightly-hunted areas boost success considerably. Print/PDF Map. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. But in the rolling hills of Eastern Montana, a gobbler may appear further than you think. Im among the first humans to walk into this forestor so it feels. He had been in the area the day before, and heard two toms gobbling. So we went back to the same area, arriving just before daylight. California: Low-elevation national forests and areas along major rivers in the Central Valley. While Im still turkey-free, I saw and heard plenty of turkey in those few short days I made it out there. 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. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Two jakes and a tom charge in, swinging their snoods and gobbling like crazy. RM CYKGYT - Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway at Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest at Albuquerque, New Mexico. The trail wanders about two miles to the top of the mountain, and you will see some springs along the way. They only have a couple of months to reproduce, and they do the same things anywhere. 20 September 2022. The majority of turkey travel is by walking or running, but they will make short flights when startled. woman jumps off carquinez bridge 2021 manzano mountains turkey hunting. Nests are often located in dense vegetation consisting of grass, fallen leaves, shrubs, or at the base of a tree. Hence, I expend a lot more energy and effort looking for turkeys or scouting to find sign of their presence.. It wraps around to our right and leads to a big openinga perfect place for the tom to cross. Come tour all 5,110 acres of this Chavez County Ranch, 20 Miles West of Elida, New Mexico. Turkey populations are located on both public and private ground throughout Montana. Manzano Mountains State Park. Hes taken a U.S. Super Slam and 106 Grand Slams, the most in history. This property backs up to forest land. As night melts into day, weve settled into an edge of a small glade in the cover of junipers near a ridge line. The turkeys in this part of the world have been hunted since the days of Simon Kenton, and they are nobodys foolone wrong move at the wrong time and these turkeys are gone. But the tom started gobbling in the darkness. We took along the new decoy, which a friend of mine had named Bubbles. Alas, she saw no action today. If every turkey hunter treats other turkey hunters how they want to be treated, things will go smoothly., Read Next: The Ultimate Decoy Spread for Pressured Turkeys. If moonlight were a fabric, it would be a blend of silver satin and a charcoal chenille and fuzzy like a florescent caterpillar. It was too dark to see anything, but I heard a funky yelp/cackle south of the roosting site before first light, and then a few gobbles after the sun came up. 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). The breast feathers are the best way to determine a young of the years sex. So I grabbed bow and decoy and sprinted back up the hill, yelping here and there to keep track of where he was. 1. It was a pleasure to wear this vest around the hills of Montana for a few days. Find Moriarty, NM recreational land for sale, under contract and sold properties. That little guy covered a lot of groundI could hear him all morning as I moved around. 2h 11m. The decoy is 25 yards out, and just behind it is a small drainage with pines and brush. Truth is, we are far from the first people to try and harvest the bounty of nature here. 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.. This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Today, I hunted with an old friend and hunting partner, again in the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque. Hunting turkeys in open country means putting miles on your boots and keeping up with gobbling birds. 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. A plaintive whimper issued by two pieces of reddish alligator juniper rubbed together gets an immediate response. Park Elevation 7,250 ft Activities Camping Education Programs Page 605 of 606. 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. Its primal, as though Im sown in this steep hillside that takes extra breath to traverse. Nothing. Coming from the east, Im used to seeing game in tight and up close. The oversized seat with an easy release magnet makes for comfortable setups and quick mobility when hiking. OK, he went into full strut. Spend your days exploring the outdoors and enjoying all that nature has to offer. State forests and wildlife management areas provide good opportunities. I approach private and public turkeys exactly the same. As Matt opens a wire fence, I catch a glimpse of elk skirting across a bottom to flee the lights of the truck. In my opinion, turkeys just condition themselves to negative interaction. Rio Grande wild turkeys are found in river valleys in New Mexico. Although the day was supposed to be calm and clear, the wind had started to pick up, so we decided to climb a bit higher in hopes of being heard, or of hearing something from a neighboring valley. This spring, dont fret too much about securing a lease or knocking on doors. We listen intently for the tell-tale sounds of a tom. I am standing there like a kid who knows he is about to get in trouble, and there is no way out. The specific habitat types vary by wild turkey subspecies. Brian Lovett Kentucky: The Daniel Boone National Forest offers lots of acreage and is open under statewide regulations with no special quota hunts. Forin depthhunting and license information, reference theTurkeysection of the New Mexico Hunting Rules & Infoin publications. Today, I hunted with an old friend and hunting partner, again in the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque. Bubbles the decoy is about 15 yards away. When you reach the T intersection of NM 55, take a right, which takes you west and into the small town of Tajique. 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. One more consideration: Ultimately, youll probably encounter other hunters on public property. For listings of NYS DEC- and NYC DEP-managed lands, go to dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7844.html. It wasnt until we were driving back to Albuquerque when we saw a jake feeding along side the road. 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. We took along the new decoy, which a friend of mine had named Bubbles. Alas, she saw no action today, Your email address will not be published. Rhode Island: Arcadia Management Area, which covers 14,000 acres in the southwestern part of the state. Sound Travels Differently on Steep TerrainOne of the greatest lessons the mountain turkey hunter can learn is that hearing turkeys is different on steep terrain as opposed to flat. Teddy Roosevelt harvested his own food. Pennsylvania: State Game Land properties. Prepare for Your Visit Recreation Sites Male turkeys are well known for their spring courtship displays. Illinois: The Shawnee National Forest, which spans 289,000 acres across nine counties. Situated on 7,680 deeded acres in the foothills of the stunning Gallinas Mountains this central New Mexico ranch has it all! Many of those turkeys came from public land. This slope narrowed into a rocky ravine. Almost everywhere in New Mexico is dry right now, including the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque. After some debate about shuffling, Dalley puts the cards on the table and mixes them all upjust like how a kid would shuffle a deck. Ryan Chelius started freelance writing during college and landed a summer job as an editorial intern with Field & Stream in 2019. Fair enough. When youre fatigued, your perseverance is going to fall off because you just dont have it in you. Paddle Downriver to Find a Spring Gobbler. A luxury that you dont get with a single-barrel turkey gun. For in depth hunting and license information, reference the Turkey section of the New Mexico Hunting Rules & Info in publications. The birds gobble constantly the whole time. The best times to visit this trail are May through November. Brush your hand against the breast feathers to find new growth. Site Access Drive-In. Turkeys have excellent eyesight and hearing, and are extremely wary. Most of his turkeys were taken on public ground. The Butler Creek Featherlight sling has a soft shoulder foam pad for comfort and can easily be adjusted. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. We load up the truck and make our way out to meet the group back at the lodge. The over/under CZ Reaper Magnum is designed for the turkey woods. As long as the gobbler cant see you, you should be good. by Craig Springer | May 2, 2017 | BIRD HUNTING | 0 comments. Late in the morning, we strike a group of birds, and Terry decides to get real aggressive with them. Alabama: Barbour, Choccolocco, Black Warrior, and James D. Martin-Skyline wildlife management areas. Nex Mexico Ranch for Sale! Yet another beautiful, relatively uncrowded area of New Mexico. 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. Terry decides we should set up in an open meadow that he knows birds like to work through. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Most are of the four-legged type, but the area was once inhabited by . 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. Then, one of the other guides, Chris, who goes by Dalley, throws a deck of cards on the table. Once again, we called back and forth while he was still on the roost. As you peruse your maps, check for hard-to-access public areas at the lowest elevation you can get to without trespassing. Arkansas: The Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis national forests, which comprise almost 2.7 million acres. The trailhead to reach the observation area is on the west side of the road at Capilla Peak. Matt looks at me and says, youre up first tomorrow.. Rd. 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. A gobbler that hears you walking in the leaves may actually come over to check you out. Facility Offers (viewing campsites) AttentionThe water potable water hydrant at the park dump station is available for visitors 24 hours per day. We saw and heard nothing, but a day in the wilderness is still a day well spent. It got quiet again. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Texas: Some U.S. Senior Sportsman's* (Includes same license and permits as Resident Sportsman's License, plus additional deer permits.) This allows you to prepare for a shot at two different ranges. As I lock it back into place, I start to hear hysterical laughter from the open windows of the truck, and I look up to see that Ive locked myself on the wrong side of the fence. Wildlife viewing, birding, and photography are great activities at this park. America's Top Public-Land Turkey Hunting Destinations Here's a list of potentially productive public properties across the country, courtesy of state turkey biologists. Booking Window Camping Fri Mar 03 2023 - Sun Sep 03 2023. The shark was given the nickname "Godzilla Shark" when it was first discovered in 2013 via fossils found in the Manzano Mountains in New Mexico. The public lands of this country are also some of its most beautiful, and the scenery makes hunting there extra special.. hunting, Manzano Mountains, turkey. One of my biggest struggles was my perception of distance. Indiana: The Hoosier National Forest, DNR state forests, and reservoir properties in the southern portion of the state. Wild turkeys own the keenest sight and hearing. Last year while the campground was closed, they changed the layout an. Every Rocky Mountain bighorn in the state is descended from those original Banff transplants. In rare cases, wild whitetails can live for 20 years or more. Gary clucks and whelps ever so softly on an assortment of calls that he artfully crafted from local native woods or a turkey bone from a bird he previously killed. Manzano Mountains State Park is an excellent destination for hiking and camping. Check the muddy bottoms of seeps for turkey tracks and strut marks. The mainstream media has an agenda. 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. However, those folks would also tell you that chasing turkeys on public dirt often requires a different mindset and some innovative approaches. The 26 barrel also makes moving through the woods easy, and the already assembled railing makes mounting optics a breeze. The stunning Manzano Mountains are renowned for turkey hunting and also sport good populations of mule deer and some elk. One was pretty far away and had a coarse, cackly yelpshe might have been the one I heard the first day out. The crest of the mountains in the wilderness varies from elevations of 8,200 feet (2,500 m) to 10,098 feet (3,078 m). Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. The best times to visit this trail are May through October. Learn More Echo Amphitheater We kill the lights and ease down a dirt road. Typical roost tree are 14+ inches in diameter, and have branches parallel to the ground that are spaced at least 18 inches apart. At the first safe spot past the intersection with NM 333, reset your trip meter to zero. Colorado: Abundant opportunitiesbiologists couldnt pick just one. Once I get set, the gobbler drops into the drainage and does the exact opposite of what we expected. And I have some new hunting buddies who cant wait to tell you all about it. He had been in the area the day before, and heard two toms gobbling. I swung south, loosely following him, but didnt hear anything else that morning. Forget What You've Been Told About Turkeys Coming DownhillWe have been told a gobbler will never come down hill to our calls, but turkeys walk up and downhill every day in this country. Overall, this is a beautiful hike to enjoy the solitude of Manzano Mountain Wilderness Area.

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