Mountain turkeys - Boating & Fishing Information and Reports Forum

Greg Manning · #1 (**permalink**) 04-19-2008, 06:01 PM

Went to Boone to hunt with a good friend. The weather and the turkeys were cooperating with us in a big way. We heard more gobbling and saw more birds hunting than any time I can remember. Friday morning I got a bird with a 9" beard and 1" spurs and Saturday my buddy got a beard with a 7" beard and 3/4" spurs. We had jakes and hens all over us both days and worked birds gobbling throughout both days....just doesn't happen much like that! Great scenery but my calves are feeling the steepness of all the slopes we were running up and down.

Daddy'O · #2 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 05:45 PM

Nice birds Greg!

Wayne

Capt. Fred · #3 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 06:24 PM

Nice birds. Looks like real pretty country. I love those misty mornings when the sound carries so well.

Greg Manning · #4 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 07:04 PM

10-4 on the sound....that last bird came across from the mountain ridge in the background gobbling all the way for 45 minutes maybe 600 yards away...all to soft slate calls. I was amazed he was answering me from that distance on just light calls. Those birds are amazing.

Wayne, what kind of turkey do you have in Texas?

offshore · #5 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 08:27 PM

We used to hunt in NY and they would come from the next mountain over!! You could watch them go down the mountain , loose them at the bottom and watch them come up to you. Their hearing is amazing...Mark

Daddy'O · #6 (**permalink**) 04-25-2008, 05:49 AM

Greg,

Mainly the Rio Grande. However, the Eastern does exist in my area.

Funny you ask this question. I live in Grayson county and it has a spring Eastern turkey season with a 1 turkey limit. I live maybe ½ mile from the Grayson/Cooke county line. In Cooke county you have a spring & fall season with a 4 bird annual limit. If I kill a turkey in my county I have to use the specific “Eastern or Rio Grande” turkey tag (whether the bird is a Rio or an Eastern). In Cooke county, the remaining 3 Rio Grande tags are used unless I take all 4 birds in Cooke county. In that case I can use the “Eastern or Rio Grande” tag.

I think it’s funny because of all the turkey I’ve taken whether in Grayson county or Cooke county the birds have always been of the Rio Grande variety. I have only seen one real honest Eastern turkey in this area. We have seen a lot of birds that have both or mixture of markings. Maybe these are cross breeds?

Wayne