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Planning a cool trip anyone deal with this outfitter?

Started by LI Outdoorsman, February 09, 2022, 10:47:58 AM

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LI Outdoorsman

A friend's wife called me and asked me to setup a cool turkey trip for him as an anniversary gift from her.
I know he needs a Merriams for his slam.
Of course I will be going too ( lucky me!!)
I have done my slam over a few times and wanted to hunt merriams in possibly either a state i havent hunted or something different to make it special for both of us.
I've contacted a guide service in NM called Hi Lo Country Outfitters LLC who does wilderness turkey hunts on horseback with camping and hunting in the public wilderness areas.
It sounds interesting and something I've always wanted to do after reading about it in a hunting book years back when I first started.
Anyone have any reviews on this outfit?...good or bad you can pm me if you want to keep it private.
they seem to have a fairly active facebook page with lots of likes just wanted to see if anyone here has any experience....
Or possibly recommend another horseback outfitter?
Its for this spring I know time is running out
thanks!

GobbleNut

I can't give you any information about this outfitter, but I might be able to give you an idea about what to expect in terms of the turkey hunting in the Gila NF.  I will preface these comments by stating that, although I live fairly close to that area, it has been many years since I have personally hunted it.  I do know some folks that hunt it regularly, however, and these are my thoughts based on my history and their more recent experiences.

First off, although there are pockets of country that hold good numbers of birds, generally speaking, the density of wild turkeys in the Gila is pretty low and they can be widely scattered.  I also think that, with the increasing popularity of turkey hunting, those areas that hold good numbers of birds are probably getting hit pretty hard, even in the most remote areas of the wilderness.  Furthermore, a major fire a few years back burned a good portion of the wilderness areas and that has no doubt negatively impacted turkey numbers in those areas.

So, I suppose my comment to you would be that, if you are heading into this deal thinking that you are going to be put in the middle of country that is covered with turkeys and without any competition, I would be very surprised if that turned out to be the case.  On the other hand, if you are looking at it from the standpoint of it being a horseback, wilderness-camping adventure and with the turkey hunting as being secondary to that, this might just be what you are looking for. 

Then again, you never know.  You might have the wilderness turkey-hunting adventure of a lifetime!     :D




LI Outdoorsman

#2
Thank you for the reply...
I have hunted NM before in the Lincoln NF so I'm experienced with competition and I also remember seeing lots of trucks riding the roads and trying to elicit gobbles from the car windows and some outright road hunting especially during weekends. i was pleasantly surprised to find out that in the Gila supposedly there is no mechanized vehicles allowed where this outfitter hunts..please correct me if thats wrong.
Plus i'm hoping that going with an outfitter they would have done some pre-scouting and hopefully put us in the vicinity of a few birds.
When I first got into turkey hunting years ago i bought every book i could get my hands on and one contained a story of a hunt in the mountains on horseback and it was always a goal of mine to give that a try.
So fast foward a bunch of years and I've already killed my share of Merriams and did the lodge thing and also camped and did DIY hunts. I'm just looking to get my buddy on a bird and have it be a special trip to remember by being something different
So yes if i can get out into the wilderness on a horse with a good buddy and do some camping and sitting under the stars with possibly a chance on a nice merriams that would be fine by me...
I'm still working out the dates so its not a done deal but if we go i will definitely post the resulting experience.

GobbleNut

Sounds like the trip you have planned might be just what you are looking for.  You are also correct in that no mechanized transportation...not even bicycles...are allowed in the wilderness.  It's hiking or horseback.
I suspect your outfitter will put you on turkeys, probably just not too many and they will likely be pretty localized.  And if other folks know about them, you may have company (but at least they won't be driving around in vehicles calling to them.. ;D ).  Of course, none of that matters...unless you are thinking that because it is wilderness that there are going to be turkeys everywhere.  It is a very dry forest and the turkeys are going to be around the limited water sources, and compared to the size of the area, those places are somewhat limited.  Good luck!

LI Outdoorsman

No I wasnt expecting it to be chock full of birds but a gobble here and there will sure spice things up...I've hunted these birds before I know the deal..
Like I said its not a done deal but if we go ill post it up here without giving away any specific locations