New Mexico 2018

[quackaddict]

Congrats!

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[tomstopper]

Congrats

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[JMalin]

I'm off to bed.  I'll recap tomorrow morning or perhaps tomorrow evening.  Going to sleep in and head back to the spot I got my bird this afternoon before heading home.  There were two others with him and I don't think I spooked them too bad.

[bluerivertrapper]

Congrats to all the lucky hunters. Would love to hunt that country someday.

[AlleninNM]

My daughter tagged out opening day of youth season.  This is her second year turkey hunting and she has gotten both her birds opening day from the same location.  And both of them flopped into the pond, so they are a little worse for wear.

Birds were shot in north central New Mexico at about 8000 feet.

Wow, these pics are huge.  Not sure how to resize.





Last years bird.

[JMalin]

^Nice spur!

[tomstopper]

That's awesome. Congrats to that young lady

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[ddturkeyhunter]

Nice, Congrats everyone!!

[JMalin]

So as anyone that has ever hunted the Lincoln knows, it can be pretty darn tough unless you luck out on the right bird early in the season that wants to die.  I spent time in a couple of areas I had seen and heard birds the last two years, but also encountered hunters at those spots.  From what I saw, they were typically out of the areas when the birds stopped gobbling, a couple hours after fly down at the latest.  So I did some internet scouting and found what I hope will be a sweet little honey hole somewhat off the beaten path for years to come, in some less rugged country to boot!  I struck a bird at this new spot midday Friday, but wasn't aggressive enough with him/didn't move on him quick enough.  He continued to gobble while walking away from me.  I came back Saturday an hour before I struck him Friday, and eventually heard a distant gobble on the ridge above me.  As I worked up the ridge and got out in front of them, one gobble became what sounded like multiple birds sounding off.  So, I get on their level and in front of them by a couple hundred yards and set up.  I work the ceramic pot call giving off quiet clucks and yelps.  The birds are pretty hot and sound off several times, but take their time working to me.  I eventually put the call down until I hear them working closer, and only give a few clucks as they continue their approach.  Eventually I hear a gobble super close.  I see the heads of two birds peering my direction cautiously.  I'm not sure why I didn't take the shot at one of the first two birds when I had the chance.  They were behind some pretty dense scrub oak at 35 yards and I guess I just didn't feel comfortable with the shot.  The lead bird clucks nervously (I left my hen decoy at the bottom of the canyon wanting to be fast/mobile as possible) and eventually both birds work to my right out of sight.  I was a little down on myself, but there was one other opening I thought they may pass through to the right.  I give a serious of yelps with my mouth call and a third bird that I hadn't seen fired off just short of the scrubby oak that I saw the first two birds in.  As soon as he cleared a large juniper, I put the red dot on the base of his neck and fired away.  The other two birds shock gobbled immediately after the shot.  I wasn't concerned about tying to work the two remaining birds at that point.  I was just elated to have bagged a hard earned public land Merriam after the last few days of striking out.  And I thought I'd possibly be able to return Sunday and go after the two remaining birds, but the wind really picked up, and I missed on my opportunity when I struck one up earlier before the wind started gusting by not setting up where he wanted to be going (a common theme with these NM birds). 




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[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Congrats JMalin and Allen. 

Just got back from the Gila.  Wish I could say the birds are all fired up now, but that wasn't the case.
We found gobblers every day, but the amount of gobbling was way down from the same week last year,
and the toms did not want to work. But camping out there is good for the soul.





Had two surprises in store for me this morning.  On my way back out from a long hike in on a logging road,
found fresh bear tracks following mine going in.  Have to wonder how far behind me he was. 
Got back to my truck in the middle of nowhere, miles from anything, and just as I put my gear away
and was ready to close my rear door a tri-color border collie crawled out from under my truck. 
Trembling scared, but obviously looking for help.  He was injured, wouldn't put weight on one hind leg. 
Took all the water I could give him and a roast beef sandwich.  Being a border collie figured it was a rancher's dog. 
Took some time but found his home. Turned out he had taken a spill out of the back of the rancher's pickup
at speed and ran off scared.  Lucky the coyotes didn't get him.

[codym]

Good job rap, that was a cool thing to do. I bet they were happy to see their pup.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Good job rap, that was a cool thing to do. I bet they were happy to see their pup.

Yeah, I was glad to see he was dearly missed and the rancher and his three young boys had been actively looking for him.

[JMalin]

Good job rap, that was a cool thing to do. I bet they were happy to see their pup.

Yeah, I was glad to see he was dearly missed and the rancher and his three young boys had been actively looking for him.

That honestly would have made my trip, moreso than killing a bird.

[JMalin]

Any updates from this weekend?  I'm wondering if birds at 6500' will still be receptive the call or if I should target birds higher up.

[quackaddict]

I hunted Friday evening in an area loaded with fresh sign up high (9400' in the Lincoln) in an area I know birds roost regularly. Not a peep during the evening or after fly-up time.

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