NM turkey hunt with video

[Andy]

I went hunting in NM last weekend. After setting up camp we headed out to the property. My Step Grandpa knows the area like the back of his hand and we stopped at the opening of a small canyon where he had seen birds in the past. I got out and there were tracks everywhere. I was pretty excited and I worked my way up the canyon on a logging road. I stopped at a junction of several logging roads to call. I have a box call, diaphram call, and a push button yelper (I think it is made by H.S. Strut). I really like the push button call, but the only problem is the sound doesn’t carry as far, but I would recomend it in a heart beat especially for when the birds are up close and personal. I called for about 5-10 minutes and didn’t hear a thing. I got up and continued up the canyon and took a logging road that went up higher because I figured the turkeys might be on the lower road that had more grass and was flat. I hadn’t walked more that 200 yards from my calling location when I heard a gobble that was pretty close. I dropped down in the logging road. The location was perfect because the logging road was washed out creating a depression and there was a rock that was on the side of the road that I could hide behind. As soon as I got behind the rock I started to call and got an immediate response and then I could see movement through the trees. There were 3 gobblers coming in. They would interrupt me with a gobble the instant I started calling. The first bird stepped out at 26 yards ( I ranged the bush after the shot) and I lifted up above the rock and drilled him with my dads Browning upland special 12 gauge. I was using 3 inch #4’s. As soon as I shot the other 2 birds didn’t know what was going on and were gobbling and looking at the other bird. I could have easily dropped the second bird and been done hunting for the trip, but I didn’t want to be done that soon because those birds made it seem so easy, which I know isn’t true and found out later, but I had never hunted private land and non pressured birds. Instead of shooting I got my camera out and started talking pictures and video.

 

 

 

Then the birds just walked off. After regaining my composure and realizing what just happened I noticed the 2 gobblers were only about 75 yards away and had started feeding, so I started calling again and to my amazement they gobbled and started coming back. Without hesitating I set the camera on record and set it on a small clump next to the rock I was hiding behind. I could see the birds in the viewfinder and I would peak around the corner of the rock. The birds were just behind some tree branches and stayed there for a few minutes, but the whole time they were gobbling and clucking. One of them finally stepped out exactly were I shot the first bird not 5 minutes earlier, but then stepped behind another bush. Knowing that I had the whole thing on film as soon as he cleared the bush I raised up and ended my NM turkey hunt and drilled the second Tom. I was so excited I pulled a CMC and turned the camera around and talked into the camera about what I had just accomplished and I was clearly shooken up. I did however edit that out of the video clip here. The first gobbler I took had a 10-inch beard and the second had an 8-¼ in. beard.

 

Here is the video of the second bird that I shot.

 

Turkey Video

 

There was 5 of us hunting but now only 3 still had tags because my Step Grandpa killed his 2 last weekend when he was up scouting for us. So I hunted with my dad the rest of the weekend we had a great time with some close calls and one missed shot. Sunday morning 2 other birds were taken by my step grandpa’s brother and their friend. I did learn that even though it was private land these birds aren’t stupid and it takes some skill but it also takes being in the right place at the right time. Just when I thought I had figured things out it would completely blow up in my face, but I guess that is why I love doing it. They don’t read this forum but I couldn’t have done it without there help. They made all the arrangements. I just flew into Albuquerque and the rest was taken care of.

 

Here are a couple more pics from the weekend

 

 

[jim]

Thats some awesome footage. Great job.

[BASS]

Good job Andy! Thanks for shooting the video for us!

[IHunt2live]

Way cool. Great job.

[bowhunter4life]

great video!

[Lance]

Nice peices and what a great story with video to boot! They are just too much fun arn't they!

[111]

The video is Awesome! Congrats on the birds!

[tjhunt2]

That was really enjoying. Great piece of work. Concrat on your birds.

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Andy-Great job again. You sure made it sound really easy. beautiful birds and video to boot.

[COOSEFAN]

That was awesome! Thanks for sharing that with us!!! Congrats, JIM>

[azcouesandelk]

That video was great looking forward to many more posts from you.

[azpackhorse]

Very nice! awesome video!

[Huntn coues]

Great job.

[GameHauler]

Thanks Andy,

Great video, you got me all pumped up for my hunt.

I won't be able to get out till Saturday so I'll just keep watching your hunt Friday

[cramerhunts]

Great job on the story, pictures, and video. Thanks for sharing this with us. Awesome post.

 

Phil