Game:
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
Weapon: Remmington 870 Express
Ammo: Winchester Triple X 3.5in 5 Shot
Call: Tru-Tone Double Slate
Date/Time: May 1st 2009, 3:15pm

The
First week of the Kansas Archery Turkey season I found myself
chasing Rio Grande Turkeys in Western Kansas. I was met with an
unseasonal snow storm and some tuff breaks and I was unable to
fill my tag. I had the opportunity to head back May 1 st and I
jumped at the chance. This time I decided to take my shotgun to
increase my odds of taggin' my first Rio.
The
weather forecast that weekend was not looking good, but, I have
learned not to trust a weather forecast and this was not going
to keep me out of the woods. Daybreak met us with wind, cold and
overcast as if the skies could let loose at any minute with a
downpour. My good Friend Donovan who had invited me out to his
place was doing the calling for me. We covered a lot of ground
that morning without any good prospects for success. We decided
to head in have a little Breakfast and re-evaluate our plan of
attack.
While
driving back to town, we were scouting the fields and spotted
a group of toms strutting in a field on the east side of town
next to a creek bottom full of cotton wood trees. We decided to
set up on a wood line on the edge of the creek thinking we could
call the toms into our set up or at the very least the rafter
would return to the wood line to roost for the evening.
When
we returned, not only had the weather cleared up some and the
wind had laid down. But, the birds had moved to the exact spot
where we had wanted to set up. We decided to sneak into a spot
a couple of hundred yards south along the wood line and attempt
an ambush there. A couple of yelps from the Tru-Tone double slate
and a gobbler immediately answered our calls. It was looking to
be a promising afternoon.
Suddenly,
an amazing sight of the Rio that came over the hill, strutting
down the field edge, it looked as if this hunt would be over quickly.
The cautious Tom decided he did not like what he had to see and
hung up at about 80 yards. He had some hens in the woods and after
about an hour of cat and mouse the old bird skirted around our
set up chasing the hens gobbling all the way out of our hunting
area.
We
then moved up the hill on a point on the field edge, the spot
we had originally wanted to set up on. After a couple of hours
with nothing happening and thinking the birds had all moved south,
we decided to give one last call on the Tru-Tone Slate before
heading to another roost spot, when I heard a yelp close behind
me. There were 4 Jakes that snuck into our set up.
I
would have happily filled my tag with any one of these birds,
but I was out of position and they had come in on my weak side.
Another call to try and lure them into better position triggered
a thundering gobble from behind the Jakes. When suddenly in full
strut I saw a huge Rio Strutting up the creek bed. He got to the
field edge and I was hoping he would come running into our set
up. But, this old bird was cautious and decided something was
just not right and turned to walk back to the cover that the creek
had to offer.
Donovan
made a quick call to stop the bird, he puffed up and I made the
adjustment to get into position for a shot. The large Rio still
was on his retreat toward the creek and was one step away from
disappearing over the hill when I took aim and made the shot.
At 25 yards the Tom disappeared down the hill toward the creek.
I knew my shot was true, but without seeing a bird lying there,
I had a moment of concern, when I noticed the wing of the tom
fluttering near the creek.
We
jumped up and celebrated with some high fives, a hug and a handshake.
We ran down to retrieve not only my first Rio Grande Turkey, but
the largest bird I had ever harvested. The size of the birds head
was the first thing that caught my eye, but the spurs and the
beard were also just as impressive to me, and when I picked up
my trophy to carry it up the hill the weight was noticeably heavy.
Even walking back to the truck Donovan asked me several times
if I wanted him to carry the bird for a while. I gladly declined
as I was proud to bear the weight of my first Rio Grande Turkey
all the way back to the truck.
Western
Kansas with its wide open terrain and rolling hills was a different
hunt than hunting the woodlots for the Eastern Wild Turkeys here
in Missouri that I am accustom to. Spending time in the outdoors
is such a pleasure, it is always a learning experience every time
I get in the woods no matter where I am hunting and I cannot wait
to return next year to Donovan's place for a crack at the Rio
Grande Turkey with my bow.
Turkey
Stats:
Rio Grande
Wild Turkey
10.75" Beard
1 3/8" Inch Spurs
24 lbs.
NWTF
Score: 73.00
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