We kill the lights and ease down a dirt road. One more consideration: Ultimately, youll probably encounter other hunters on public property. Were good.. Spend your days exploring the outdoors and enjoying all that nature has to offer. That prompts an obvious question: Whats the best approach for hunting pressured public turkeys? Folks often dont mind you crossing their property as long as youre not hunting their property.. Hawkwatch International - Meet the 2022 Crew: Manzano Mountains . Yet another beautiful, relatively uncrowded area of New Mexico. In hunting turkey, Gary resurrects how the mountains of northern New Mexico have been used by Native peoples since about the time the wind began to blow. Maximum Vehicle Length 52. I watch their silhouettes fade in the morning light as they stot off. You want to be the first one in the woods and also the last one out of the woods, waiting on that golden minute when they gobble to let hens know theyre there, says Budz. I wouldnt trade the more meager results I get on public land for any opportunity to hunt some private turkey zoo, even if I could afford it. I turn around to see the truck rolling down the highwayuntil finally I see the brake lights flick on as Terry decides its time to turn back and get me. If Im not in the woods hunting, Im driving and scouting.. Some of their opinions might surprise. bP|]Sh#_3Dy?L3X20- w"D@ sZ. endstream endobj 70 0 obj <> endobj 71 0 obj <. Time with my friend Gary and my daughter, who is growing up way too fast, is time to be treasured. Because public-land hunting often involves long hikes, difficult terrain or conditions, and extremely long days, experts agree that fitness and effort are paramount to success. The area feels alive with wildlife, but the windy morning has us worried about silent toms. Forin depthhunting and license information, reference theTurkeysection of the New Mexico Hunting Rules & Infoin publications. The upper valley near Frances, Lebam, Holcomb and Menlo is rumored to hold turkeys, as is the land west of the Wynoochee River. Arkansas: The Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis national forests, which comprise almost 2.7 million acres. A clear turkey track in the Manzano Mountains, New Mexico. Nestled in the wooded foothills of the Manzanos, this park provides a quiet retreat and is a nice family get-away. PDF Checklist of Vascular Plants in the Sandia and Manzano Mountains of Youll find: Full-scale cattle facilities w/extensive water systems Land management and top-quality facility improvements throughout Vast hunting prospects Completely remodeled 3-bedroom/3-bath lodge And loads more! Situated on 7,680 deeded acres in the foothills of the stunning Gallinas Mountains this central New Mexico ranch has it all! A clear turkey track in the Manzano Mountains, New Mexico. I dont think I spooked him, because he was still gobbling. In rare cases, wild whitetails can live for 20 years or more. The Cibola also has four wilderness areas: Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Withington and Apache Kid and administers four National Grasslands: Black Kettle, McClellan Creek, Kiowa and Rita Blanca covering 263,261 acres in northeastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma and northern Texas. Moriarty, NM Recreational Land for Sale with Recently Sold Properties First some generalities. Required fields are marked *. A luxury that you dont get with a single-barrel turkey gun. Corps of Engineers lands offer season-long hunting with decent numbers of birds. Each of the hunters pulls a card from the mosh pit, and my ace combined with Matts seven of spades takes the win. We interviewed three turkey-hunting experts and a few wild-game biologists to give you an edge this spring, By 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. Coming from the east, Im used to seeing game in tight and up close. Hawk watching in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico Seemingly out of nowhere a plump Merriams turkey appears on the edge of the opening. Page 11 - Find 2096 farm houses for sale on MossyOakProperties.com. The bad taste that people have surrounding public land always comes back to interacting with another person. Hes taken a U.S. Super Slam and 106 Grand Slams, the most in history. After that, Im much more patient in waiting for results. Consistently, successful turkey hunting for toms requires a high degree of skill. I do this with gentle calling, and more often than not, answering at the tail end of his gobbles instead of calling to get an answer. We cant complain though, since we were among the weekend warriors. Manzano Mountain Land for sale in Albuquerque New Mexico, New Mexico Being in the turkey woods requires forbearance of the elements, as well as understanding of bird behavior. In setting up on a gobbling tom, I think good positioning is half the battle won, so Im going to be much more selective in finding a location that feels right before I ever make my first call, says Weddle. Setting high expectations for a hunting spot has its downsides. He kept answering, but stayed on the roost until it was full daylight. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 48 min to complete. Hunters are limited to two turkeys for the season, only one of which may be taken during the youth season. Hopefully you can set up on a narrow bench that is often found on the mountainside. 19.793 min. 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. There are pockets everywhere for the turkey hunter with more calls and gear than he needswhich is most turkey hunters. manzano mountains turkey hunting - assicurazione-casa.org Day 3 Generally considered a challenging route. Spring turkey season looks promising in San Diego County Their body feathers are paler and copper colored, and their tail feathers are tipped with a yellowish-buff or tan color. We ended up climbing much higher than we anticipated, but were rewarded with some fabulous views before having to scramble back down through the dry brush. He strutted around and answered my calls, but after a few minutes he wandered off, still gobbling. We load up the truck and make our way out to meet the group back at the lodge. Nex Mexico Ranch for Sale! b i_0w0x2f3s0` Up to two persons may apply per application. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "The wild turkey really deserves a place beside the deer [and elk]; to kill a wary old gobbler by fair still-hunting, is a triumph for the best sportsman." Site Reserve Type Site-Specific. RM CYKGYT - Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway at Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Information on turkey harvest in New Mexico can be found in the harvest report below: Merriams wild turkeys are the most common sub-species in New Mexico. Theres also a thrill in making that return hike with a big tom slung over your shoulder or in the game pouch of your vest, and a great sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from getting results on land where other people have come up short. Found across Maryland, eastern wild turkey populations are near an all-time high - now numbering around 40,000 - thanks in part to an intensive trap and translocation effort by the Maryland Department of Natural . In the Moonlight of the Mountains - Sporting Classics Daily I wait for the tom to come out of full strut, and he drops at the sound of the shot. For a long time he seemed to pace near the roosting site, not coming in, but not leaving either. After topping the ridge and managing to get ahead of him, I set the decoy and waited in some cover. Arizona: Most of Arizonas turkey habitat is on public land. National Forests and Public Wilderness Lands - New Mexico You'll pass small farming villages that date back to the Spanish Land Grants. 2h 11m. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Bottles & 12-oz. Today, I hunted with an old friend and hunting partner, again in the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque. Owens pointed out that turkeys on heavily-hunted private properties can become increasingly wary and difficult to hunt, but birds on lightly-hunted public groundlarge tracts in the West, for exampleoften behave like turkeys in relatively unpressured spots. Overlooked Mountain Gobblers | An Official Journal Of The NRA Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands - Districts 4. Get away for a weekend, or make us a stop on your road trip. Truth is, we are far from the first people to try and harvest the bounty of nature here. Maryland: There are thousands of acres of state forests and wildlife management areas in Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. Sharp-shinned Hawk, the most abundant species, made up 39 percent of the total. Careful to avoid cracking sticks with our steps, we move quietly along. Day 4 The. The youth season is April 3 - 9, and the statewide season is April 10 - May 8. Hunting turkeys in open country means putting miles on your boots and keeping up with gobbling birds. He has chased turkeys on public land in all but maybe five states and prefers it to hunting private land. PDF 20222023 Turkey - New Mexico Department of Game and Fish A turkey is a turkey, no matter where you find him. A Game Hunting License and either an Over-the-Counter Turkey tag or draw permit is required to legally take wild turkey in the state. Put your ears on areas turkeys would be. 59.317 min. Couldnt blame him! Check the muddy bottoms of seeps for turkey tracks and strut marks. 10 Acres of Land for Sale in Manzano Morning Subdivision New Mexico The best times to visit this trail are May through November. I waited a few moments, and yelped with a different call. But whats back at the hotel? A tom heartily gobbles from down the ridge. This allows you to prepare for a shot at two different ranges. Massachusetts: State forests and wildlife management areas in the central and western parts of the state. Not a peep from those sneaky toms. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Montana: Southeastern Montana has many public-land opportunities for turkeys, including national forests, Montana State Trust lands, and Bureau of Land Management properties. Centrally located, this peaceful, secluded park in the Ponderosa pine forest of the Manzano Mountains will relax and invigorate you. They spend most of the daylight hours on ground, but roost in trees at night. The most distinguishing feature of adult male and female turkeys is their breast feathers. This is especially true later in the season when the foliage is heavy. The most significant benefit of this gun is the ability to have two barrels with different chokes. The biggest difference between public versus private is simply the number of birds found on a given piece of property, says Weddle. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. 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Some food options include grass leaves and seeds, forbs, pine nuts, juniper berries, acorns, invertebrates, and cultivated crops. Prepare for Your Visit Recreation Sites Manzano Mountains State Park is an excellent destination for hiking and camping. The idea here is to position yourself so the turkey has to come into gun range to see you. 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 . Run-and-Gun is the Name of the GameBecause the terrain can be so extreme, moving and getting into position is very important. The only problem is that the birds are walking side-by-side, bumping into each other and not offering a clean shot. The guides had discovered a piece of property loaded with gobblers the morning before. Day 2 Further, the greatest public grounds Ive ever hunted pale in comparison to the greatest of private grounds. Connecticut: Cockaponset State Forest, which covers more than 16,000 acres, with a variety of smaller parcels some hunters might overlook. Posts: 75,341. This morning were with our friend Gary Roybal from San Ildefonso Pueblo. Matt and Terry are in hysterics again and all I can do is accept it. After a while, he wandered off. Tips for Hunting Mountain Gobblers | An Official Journal Of The NRA manzano mountains turkey hunting. THE 5 BEST Things to Do in Mountainair - 2023 (with Photos Also, there are some public opportunities on national forest land south of Douglas in Hunt Area 2. rooster that kept crowing. We get on a few, but I guess the live hens are a tiny bit more enticing than even Terrys calls. monzano mountains NM and Turkey's | Hunt Talk Each outing brings more lessons learned about nature, forest ecology, and New Mexico history. The toms shut up as soon as that yelping started. The Most Beautiful Towns in Bavaria, Germany Hawkwatch International - Manzano Mountains, NM Were all feeling good, and I eagerly hop out to open and close the last gate of the trip. And generally, the private property will have far fewer hunters to compete against. "y""d2X?0&U@dK Xb A Game Hunting License and either an Over-the-Counter Turkey tag or draw permit is required to legally take wild turkey in the state. Willow shoulders her 20 gauge, stock-still. Page 12 of 19. Public-land hunting isnt easy, and its often frustrating. Manzano Mountains, NM - New Mexico State Parks - ReserveAmerica Turkey populations are located on both public and private ground throughout Montana. In New Mexico, free water is essential for turkey survival since vegetation may not be able to meet moisture requirements. Having a comfortable and light gun sling is crucial when covering big tracks of land. Thats how the beautiful light feels falling on my teenage daughter, Willow. He seeks spots other people will probably avoid or even asks private landowners if he can cross through their property to access public land. It was still a blast seeing him so close. Hes been a writer and editor in the outdoors industry for more than 30 years, specializing in turkey and waterfowl hunting, and also covering deer, small game, fishing, and shooting. Your email address will not be published. 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. And I have some new hunting buddies who cant wait to tell you all about it. 20.14 Acres, 623 Moho Trail, Mountainair, NM 87036 | Land and Farm 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. Youll hear a lot of people talk about how you have to call less or be timid with your calling, and I dont buy into any of that. Alabama: Barbour, Choccolocco, Black Warrior, and James D. Martin-Skyline wildlife management areas. Level ground can be almost nonexistent in some areas, and when you get out of the truck, that old gremlin known as gravity climbs on your back and whispers in your ear, How bad do you want to get to this turkey? Setting up on a gobbling turkey in the mountains usually entails a gut-wrenching uphill climb.