A bit about my Gould's hunt.......

[Strut10]

What a turkey hunting dream come true!!!

I spent last week at El Halcon lodge in Chihuahua, MX on a Gould’s hunt. You could not ask for a better run place, friendlier folks or better hunting areas. We were on birds from before daylight Wednesday until I killed my second bird at 6:20 P.M. Thursday. I had heard that Gould’s birds were cake-walks to call in and kill. Ain’t so. The toms were pretty well henned up and took a good deal of coaxing. I had two different gobblers walk away from me before lunch the first day after having been inside 65 yards, both of them. Eventually I capped a 17 ½ lb. 10” beard , ¾” & ¾” spurred tom at 5:55 that afternoon from 15 yards or so. Thursday was a little slower in the morning. But still was on birds. Then about 5:15 that afternoon I got into a knock-down, drag-out brawl with a stubborn strutter and his hen. I had the hen in (like at 3 feet) twice and even had her go 30 yards behind me and yelp her head off. Her boy wasn’t coming. He was anywhere from 35 yards (and I couldn’t see him) to 70 yards (where I could see him well) just spitting, drumming, strutting and gobbling……..but not coming. His hen went back to him and beyond. I thought it was all over. But in a last ditch effort, I discovered he was a softie for a cluck/purr/cluck on a diaphragm followed by real soft cutts. Then, a few minutes later, his hen came back to me from down over the mountain to my left. She crossed the arroyo to my left and came up on the bank right in front of my barrel. Her boyfriend started breaking strut and taking a few steps….strutting…..then repeating. He came up the far bank of the arroyo and dropped down into it where he went into full strut at about 14 yards. When he pulled up out of strut he was at about 11 yards and I ended the battle. 17 ½ lbs. 7” beard (after I shot about 4 inces off of it….idiot) and a pair of ¾” spurs. It was a 3 ½ to 4 mile carry back out. Vigorous, to say the least, as I had him by the legs over my shoulder…..didn’t pack the vest.

Here’s some bird pics and a little of the typical terrain:

First bird......

Second bird....

The Chihuahua Cadillac....

[Ohiobucks]

Sounds like a great place to go, congrats to you on your Goulds!!

[Strut10]

The Sierra Madre at around 8000 feet above sea level.



On the mesa:



Typical "woods":

[Rhino]

Congrats on both your goulds Strut. Looks like a beautiful place to do battle with those beautiful birds. Sounds like you had one heck of an exciting hunt too. With action and scenery like that I'll bet you'll be back down there again.

[toddyboman]

Way to go!! 2 great looking birds!! SOunds like some very exciting hunting!
Congrats!

[redbeard]

Awesome. Might have to get that info from ya one of these days. Sounds like a reputable outfitter. Many congrats.

[buckbuster11]

Congrats on the birds Don. Those sure are some pretty tail fans.

[need2hunt]

Congrats on a couple great birds!!!

[Covehnter]

Sounds like it was definately the trip of a lifetime!! Congrats on the white tipped beauties, man they almost make a Merriam's tips look dirty!! Way to Go!