Any turkey hunters?

[ClayW]

If anyone can steer me toward Rios within 5-6hrs of Houston I’m all ears. I have nothing set other than the dates.

I'd recommend just spending some money and finding an outfitter here in Texas. By the time you buy your non-resident tags, gas, and other travel expenses, it'll be close to a wash...especially if you're going solo.

[DKirk]

There are a lot of places you can hunt pretty cheaply around here on private land. Day hunts with lots of birds. Probably worth looking into, unless you are just set on public land?

Do you have any contacts? Not set in public but not looking to break the bank for a bird. I’m not even sure what I should expect to pay.

[DKirk]

I'd recommend just spending some money and finding an outfitter here in Texas. By the time you buy your non-resident tags, gas, and other travel expenses, it'll be close to a wash...especially if you're going solo.

License would be $127, gas wouldn’t be much more than the distance I’d probably have to travel in Texas, I’m pretty far from turkey country lol. I also still have family I can stay with in MS. I’m considering taking my son so that would be an added cost if I went through an outfitter.

[DKirk]

How different is the approach in hunting them between Rios and Easterns? Going to do some more youtubing but any advice from you seasoned guys is welcome.
Thanks again

[Arrowsmith]

We have got a decent populations of birds (Easterns) here in SE Iowa. With our terrain (very hilly, pockets of timber, Ag fields) they can be very tough. They will sneak it quiet on you as much or more often than gobbling and strutting in......and this is on private ground that is not hunted by anyone except me. Its dang sure fun though !!!! I am just hoping to find some TSS shotgun shells in the next month.

[quackadikt]

Pressured turkeys are hard to kill...doesn’t matter if they are an Eastern or a Merriam’s. Non-pressured birds can be stupid, regardless of where they live.

I will say though, the distance a Merriam’s or Rio will travel every day can make them harder to chase down. Easterns, in my experience, don’t have NEAR the home range the other two do.


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[ClayW]

License would be $127, gas wouldn’t be much more than the distance I’d probably have to travel in Texas, I’m pretty far from turkey country lol. I also still have family I can stay with in MS. I’m considering taking my son so that would be an added cost if I went through an outfitter.

How old is your boy? For a first turkey hunt experience, I'd definitely recommend an outfitter. If you're set on public land, I'd set the expectations with him as more of a camping trip with a possibility of finding a turkey

How different is the approach in hunting them between Rios and Easterns? Going to do some more youtubing but any advice from you seasoned guys is welcome.
Thanks again

Public land easterns will be total different ball game compared to private land rios...plus the added bonus of pressure, other hunters, and unfamiliar land.

The actual hunting tactics will be the same but just take it much slower with the Easterns.

[TwoHighways]

We have got a decent populations of birds (Easterns) here in SE Iowa. With our terrain (very hilly, pockets of timber, Ag fields) they can be very tough. They will sneak it quiet on you as much or more often than gobbling and strutting in......and this is on private ground that is not hunted by anyone except me. Its dang sure fun though !!!! I am just hoping to find some TSS shotgun shells in the next month.

Head on over to Mac's prairie wings. They are going fast

[DKirk]

How old is your boy? For a first turkey hunt experience, I'd definitely recommend an outfitter. If you're set on public land, I'd set the expectations with him as more of a camping trip with a possibility of finding a turkey


Public land easterns will be total different ball game compared to private land rios...plus the added bonus of pressure, other hunters, and unfamiliar land.

The actual hunting tactics will be the same but just take it much slower with the Easterns.

He’s about to be 13, I would definitely be keeping realistic expectations and treating it like you said. The adventure and experience will be great either way. I guess that is part of the appeal of going out of state and just winging it.

[ClayW]

He’s about to be 13, I would definitely be keeping realistic expectations and treating it like you said. The adventure and experience will be great either way. I guess that is part of the appeal of going out of state and just winging it.

Yessir

My dad and I have the same approach on our trips. We expect to be successful but we are fine with just spending time together and enjoying the experience.

[.243 WSSM]

We have got a decent populations of birds (Easterns) here in SE Iowa. With our terrain (very hilly, pockets of timber, Ag fields) they can be very tough. They will sneak it quiet on you as much or more often than gobbling and strutting in......and this is on private ground that is not hunted by anyone except me. Its dang sure fun though !!!! I am just hoping to find some TSS shotgun shells in the next month.

https://bossshotshells.com/products/12-ga-3-tom-18-2-oz-9/

[JackRyan]

Do you have any contacts? Not set in public but not looking to break the bank for a bird. I’m not even sure what I should expect to pay.

I’ve looked at a few outfits in Texas recently and they were all close to $1,000 for a turkey hunt. I love turkey hunting and think it may be the most exciting hunting I’ve ever done but I’m also not going to pay $1k for a turkey hunt. I would much rather do a trip like you’re talking about, even with the low odds of “success.”


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[DKirk]

How do y’all like to hunt them? Run n gun, or set up with decoys on a promising location or something else.

[Harvey]

How do y’all like to hunt them? Run n gun, or set up with decoys on a promising location or something else.

All the above! There in lies the appeal of turkey hunting...the overall chase. Start out sitting in the morning and then "run n gun" throughout the day. It's truly an all-day pursuit! Good activity to get in shape, cover lots of ground, find sheds, scout deer country...all in hopes to carry out a big tom!

[Arrowsmith]

https://bossshotshells.com/products/...tom-18-2-oz-9/

Thanks !!!

I ordered a box of the .20 gauge TSS #7

I guess Iowa DNR has not heard how effective TSS #9 are on turkeys. They limit the shot size at #8. 8s are hard to find in TSS .20 ga. They are all hard to find as far as that goes.

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