Texas Turkey Hunting

Are you ready to go turkey hunting?

To me, there are few thrills in hunting that can compare to that of bringing a mature tom turkey to the call. The sight and sounds of that big bird strutting and gobbling makes every hair on my body stand straight up with excitement. Even after the several hundred turkey gobblers I’ve had in my face, it is an adrenaline rush that just never seems to dull.

We work with several Texas ranches, of all sizes, to insure that we can put you in an area with a good number of rio grande turkeys. We are very experienced at turkey hunting, so we know how to get you set up on a bird properly, how to work a variety of calls, what calls to make, and when to make them. That usually results in a close encounter of the gobbler kind.

My personal success rate on guided hunts for spring turkey hunting in Texas, has been 100% for the past 5 years. There has been some misses, but I can’t hardly be blamed for those. I just get them up there for you to shoot at — you have to make the shot count!

I love chasing rio grande gobblers across Texas. It is estimated that we have more than 750,000 of them in the state. That means Texas has more birds than any other state in the U.S. When conditions are right, you can hear more toms in a single day than many spring hunters hear in a year! I shot three mature birds in one day, and actually could have shot another, but he was just a two year old tommy.

Spring turkey hunting update. Another great year! The weather has been perfect for reproduction for three years now, and most of our ranches have the highest turkey populations they have ever recorded. Of course, that means there are lots of hens around, too, and that made the toms a bit reluctant to run to a call. They would stand out there and gobble their heads off, but they were slow to come in. Many times a real hen would show, and then it was over for that one. Everyone that kept after it though, did get their chance for harvest. Most people had multiple chances. My personal success rate on the guided hunts was 100% opportunity again. Every person I took out had at least one chance to shoot, and I did a lot of guiding this year. I didn’t get to go hunting for myself until way late in the season. That actually worked out good for me though, because the hens finally started to disappear off to the nests, and even though the birds had been worked hard for three weeks, I was bagged out after just two days. I then put about a dozen gobblers on video. That’s even more fun than shooting one, if you ask me!

Turkey Hunting FAQ

I haven’t been turkey hunting long. It seems I get mixed messages from people when I ask them about how much to call. What is your opinion?

A little aggressive calling is okay, but if we keep pouring it on because we want to hear the turkey gobble and keep track of it, then you may cause the bird to stop and strut, waiting for the hen to come to him. He is just doing what is natural, but if the gobbler is out of sight or range, it doesn’t do the hunter much good. If you have his attention and are pretty sure he is on his way, lay back and let him come find you. You have already turned the tables in your favor.

When should a hunter shoot a turkey?

Most properly choked turkey guns can easily kill a turkey at ranges of 40 yards or more. Once a bird gets into range, a hunter’s trigger finger starts to get itchy. Take a few seconds and relax if the gobbler is still headed your way and enjoy the show. You will end up getting a higher percentage shot. Just remember to remain motionless and hold your nerves together. Put your sights on the spot where the turkey’s neck meets his body and squeeze off the shot.

I really have a problem remaining motionless when I am holding my gun up in the direction of the gobbler. What do you do that helps?

It happens to all of us. At the moment of truth, you have to move and you end up blowing it. There are a couple of products that Hunter’s Specialties makes that you might want to try this season. The V-Pod shooting stick attaches to any shotgun barrel and holds your gun up for you. The other product is called the Gun Rest. It is a padded rest that attaches to your knee. It cradles the forearm of your shotgun so you don’t have to hold the gun up. You can ease the gun to your shoulder with minimal movement when you get ready for the shot.

I am always losing calls and equipment. How do you manage to stay organized?”

A comfortable turkey vest with plenty of well-placed pockets is a must. I like the SUV vest that is made by Hunter’s Specialties. If you will put all your gear in the vest at the start of the season and remember which calls are in what pocket, you can reach for the one you need with less movement. It makes it easier when you go hunting if all you need to do is grab your vest and gun and not have to worry about forgetting your gloves or even your shells. A good vest will also have plenty of room for a sandwich and water bottle.

What about call care?

You can keep that favorite yelper around for many seasons if you just take a little time to care for it. Diaphragm calls should be stored in a cool dark place, like your refrigerator. Purchase a good storage container to keep them in. Wash them periodically in cold water and allow them to dry before you put them away. Calls with multiple reeds often have the reeds stick together. Don’t try to pry them apart with your fingers because you will stretch out the reeds and ruin the call. The best way to loosen them is to blow the call before you go hunting. For slate or glass calls, you always want to keep them sanded or roughed up before you call. Don’t put them in your back pocket. Lots of calls are broken every year by people sitting on them. Hunter’s Specialties makes a padded neoprene case called the Twin Pan Holster that holds two friction calls. It also has a clip so you can attach it to your vest.