Well my season was difficult for multiple reasons, but I gave it one last shot in ole Mejico.
What a way to end the season!! In another country, seeing a completely different way of life, and marveling at the rugged beauty of the setting of the hunt. And I do truly mean rugged beauty. It was a mix of absolutely gorgeous scenery, interspersed with some of the most rugged terrain I've ever set foot on. That, and an old, somewhat primitive way of life, living with the animals made for a truly special and once in a lifetime hunt.
Our "outfitter", who in real life is just a good ole hombre from Mexico, picked our crew up in El Paso, took us across the border, and up, up, up into some remote mountains to his family owned 8,000 acre horse and cattle ranch. They were wonderful and polite people who live a simpler life with a family focus. We saw whitetail and Coues deer, porcupines, skunks, unique songbirds, and of course a bunch of Goulds turkeys!!
The weather was not ideal, with the wind howling at 20+ MPH sustained with frequent higher gusts. Still we all saw turkeys the first afternoon, but no one could get a shot.
The next morning was in the upper 30's with the wind just as strong. Nonetheless I heard 5 gobblers and a hen sounding off from the roost. I gave them some tree talk with a glass pot, and they answered. At 0610 they flew down. At 0615 two hens showed up. They started pecking around, clucking and purring. I caught movement out of my peripheral vision, and eased my head over to spot a gobbler walking in eyeing the hens.
The hens angled to the left and the gobbler followed. He came in and stood 15 feet in front of me!! I was statue still, contemplating my move. I had eased the stock up to my shoulder as he walked in, but the barrel wasn't raised and was pointing in the wrong direction.
He turned and looked directly away from me as a third hen came in. I quickly raised the gun, aimed for the back of his neck, and squeezed the trigger. He went down with devasting damage. It was 0620!! Royal Slam complete!!! :icon_thumright:
15 minutes later, I heard a distant shot as another one of my friends shot a gobbler also. That afternoon my other 2 friends scored as well.
3 hunts, 4 gobblers down, and memories to last a lifetime!!! We woke the next morning to a picturesque setting. No wind, temperatures in the high 30's, crystal clear skies, the sun warming up the crisp mountain air, and gobblers hammering in the woods all around us!! I'll never forget this trip!!
The pictures don't do justice to the beauty of the land and the turkeys. But here are some of them. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/5ce68a8be55ad0ee564594350023a061.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/2385017cb09dcabf577b4540ab9780a4.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/5c81dbb31f78bf9f87a8bd2f5240828e.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/0ce34576c88ac10d8e0945c567a3e207.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/0e6f17136060641a4a72a2e41ce96788.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/b1a30b18c17ee5331345db66496a60cf.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/bb1593fb77c066e0273d234dec6fd77c.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/fe01126fdf14ba7ffe2f9f830c88681d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/0a2e26ba93af8810fdfc4821a64d029f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/70ed486741e9f7dae9329037e22cfb12.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/228ed0e2b62dcc3194dafc58ecc38c39.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/32f4f94d8521f818bfbaf8fb43adf7a3.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/212c8fe2869be47609ac5debfb76235f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/8e1558f83c3ba35b15a17ba1606b1aa5.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/4656135d3821a1f2c60d97359221bdee.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/7ad6582d39f888b9c2bd55591f309922.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/25bee5712d2ce32ea612e540f408b4d5.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/196abe6ac479ac3eae5a6bef48766162.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/7962103b4fc9e98f82fe1cb66875c6d2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/5cf1d9afd4139ccd663f7d0d73e95f02.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/7ed1ec47aa9c65f153080f32f38e6673.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/4a6e345dc3332d8080be3b5dc5fe7401.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/0bd2449c5316fbf75f7a517a38502651.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/a7baffa2b9d2d85a6d5d82ef8e8065a8.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/cb4ff284902df375f833bab9c998e7dd.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/dfd0ab975fcfaa722c901eaa3c703e4f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/583f993ef21a9714c834aae1e06af05c.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/7ff45c3fe99c553aadf592dfc5a8e4c6.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/f596b124a0e138d4be259c3b6adb802f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/2ac0e204f35280e4206500ce97c4eeb0.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210505/b7c0f87e44da5bd21521dd48812d863a.jpg)
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Congrats on a fine hunt.
Great story must've been a cool experience and congrats on some great gobblers
Congrats! Great pictures.
Outstanding and congratulations !
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Great Stuff!
Flat out awesome!!! Congratulations on such a grand adventure!!
Thanks guys!!
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Congrats!
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Congrats on a great hunt and thank you for sharing beautiful pictures, number 1 bucket list turkey hunt.
Amazing. What an experience. Love to do that myself....
Beautiful! Congrats! Thanks for sharing
That's great. Heading to Durango, Mexico on Friday and I can't wait.
Congrats
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Congrats on a great hunt, wonderful story, and beautiful pics.. Thanks for sharing!!
Def on my bucket list..
Congratulations on your hunt! Beautiful country and great story.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Quote from: MShillhunter on May 05, 2021, 04:56:44 PM
That's great. Heading to Durango, Mexico on Friday and I can't wait.
Congrats
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Best of luck to you!! The birds were on fire when we were there.
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Thanks guys!! I knew y'all would enjoy the pics.
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Looks like a really cool place, that one is on my list.
A dream hunt. Congrats
Great pictures. Congratulations!
Thanks guys!!
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Amazing. I'm looking into booking a hunt for Gould's next year
Beautiful pictures!!! Was it a one gobbler limit and could you bring your own gun?
Quote from: J.D. Shellnut on May 07, 2021, 10:57:58 AM
Beautiful pictures!!! Was it a one gobbler limit and could you bring your own gun?
I'll send you a message.
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Congrats!Thanks for sharing a great story and pictures. I would think it would be much warmer there in Mexico. Goes to show what i know, lol!
Wow, congrats, great photos....
Nice! Congrats - what a trip. The Screamin Demon got it done.
The landscape is stunning. Each picture seemed like John Wayne should be in it riding a horse, looks just like the setting of so many of his old movies.
Very nice Jim. That sure ain't central Florida! Beautiful pics and bird!
Thanks guys!!!
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Nice birds, looks like you had a great hunt. I'm headed there next week. Just hoping we're as lucky.
Quote from: lacire on May 08, 2021, 01:01:11 AM
Nice birds, looks like you had a great hunt. I'm headed there next week. Just hoping we're as lucky.
The birds were on fire when we were there. I'm sure you'll do well.
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Awesome! Congratulations!!
Congratulations!! Enjoyed the story and pictures! That's on my bucket list
Congratulations on the Royal Slam, Jim. Thanks for posting. Looks like a great trip in some beautiful country. Remote is a fun place to be. Glad to hear you had a great time.
Jim
Congrats!
Thanks guys!! It was a trip that I'll always remember!!
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Congrats on a great hunt and the Slam.
Awesome thanks for the great pics and story!!
Congrats nice pics
Are you willing to share the outfitter y'all hunted with? Thanks