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General Discussion => General Forum => Topic started by: bchilde on April 01, 2023, 11:27:07 AM

Title: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bchilde on April 01, 2023, 11:27:07 AM
I couldn't find my original post so I started a new one. Me and 2 buddies went to south texas and hunted with Wildlife Systems. We seen literally hundreds of turkeys on this 3 day hunt. All 3 of us tagged out . The food and the hospitality was out of this world too. By far the best hunting trip Iv been on. If anyone is wanting to go fill their rio tag use Wildlife Systems. Unbelievable how many turkeys are there. I for some reason can't load my pictures. Highly highly recommended
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: hipp2412 on April 01, 2023, 12:41:28 PM
That is my next target for the grand slam. Thanks for the info
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: Jmarek on April 01, 2023, 01:26:25 PM
I've hunted with Wildlife Systems in Texas many times dating back to when Greg first started. He runs a first rate operation.
He has great land to hunt on and I saw so many turkeys I was usually sitting with my mouth open.
Also, i've gone Whitetail hunting and Pronhorn .
Can't recommend him more - He's great
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bchilde on April 01, 2023, 02:17:16 PM
Yes I agree,  We seen so many birds . I had my 2 birds killed in the first 40 minutes. I was told the hatch was 40 percent lower than back 4-5 years ago. I couldn't imagine having that many more birds. We seen hundreds of turkeys . I wouldn't look anywheres else to hunt my rio.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: arrow1 on April 01, 2023, 09:55:04 PM
I've hunted with them multiple times and have always had great hunting,  great camp atmosphere and great food. My favorite is the  mesquite grilled steak night! Ive taken 5 rios with them. One year I decided to bowhunt and only took one bird. Glad you had a good experience.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: RND1983 on April 03, 2023, 09:11:11 AM
Great to hear you had success. I am wrapping up a Texas hunt as we speak that was the polar opposite. This outfitter advertised a good population and many many thousands of acres. There are two other guys in this particular camp. I was fortunate enough the first afternoon to kill probably the only turkey that was on this ranch the first five minutes of hunting. The next few days we were taken to the same ranch that had no tracks, strut sign, or any sign of turkey life. There were no offers to try and relocate at least the other two guys who were trying to get their Rio and have a positive Texas turkey hunting experience. I know it's turkey "hunting", but if you are an outfitter in Texas, you should have a good idea of how many birds you have and maybe go listen before people pay their hard earned money to have a different experience than back home. When I asked before I came about the turkey report, I was told nobody had hunted the ranch and there were plenty. This may be my last Texas trip. With last years drought, I anticipate next year will be a challenge in many areas. Just gonna put this one behind me.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: Jstocks on April 03, 2023, 09:14:44 AM
Quote from: RND1983 on April 03, 2023, 09:11:11 AM
Great to hear you had success. I am wrapping up a Texas hunt as we speak that was the polar opposite. This outfitter advertised a good population and many many thousands of acres. There are two other guys in this particular camp. I was fortunate enough the first afternoon to kill probably the only turkey that was on this ranch the first five minutes of hunting. The next few days we were taken to the same ranch that had no tracks, strut sign, or any sign of turkey life. There were no offers to try and relocate at least the other two guys who were trying to get their Rio and have a positive Texas turkey hunting experience. I know it's turkey "hunting", but if you are an outfitter in Texas, you should have a good idea of how many birds you have and maybe go listen before people pay their hard earned money to have a different experience than back home. When I asked before I came about the turkey report, I was told nobody had hunted the ranch and there were plenty. This may be my last Texas trip. With last years drought, I anticipate next year will be a challenge in many areas. Just gonna put this one behind me.

Would be good to know at least an area or town you were near.
Outfitter name would be even better.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bchilde on April 03, 2023, 09:19:00 AM
What's the name of the outfitter ? Maybe you will save someone else's hard earned money.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: Dtrkyman on April 03, 2023, 09:27:37 AM
Texas seems to really be all or nothing!  A friend went down with a guy he knows that was guiding deer hunts and wanted to guide turkey hunts.

Spent several days down there and never saw or heard a turkey, zero sign as well.  Driving around a loarge area there were one or two ranches with all the birds.

Definitely post up the lousy outfit!
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: RND1983 on April 03, 2023, 09:27:56 AM
Feel free to PM me for specifics
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bchilde on April 03, 2023, 09:48:08 AM
There should be a thread on here for all bad outfitters. If I had a bad experience I'd tell the whole world about it.

Go hunt with Wildlife Systems and I guarantee you'll have the best turkey hunting experience in your life.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: RND1983 on April 03, 2023, 09:50:56 AM
I would love to bash them, but my experience could be different than others. Who knows. I am more than happy to respond to a DM.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: Dtrkyman on April 03, 2023, 03:08:29 PM
No need to " bash" just state facts!


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Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: dzsmith on April 03, 2023, 03:27:58 PM
Quote from: RND1983 on April 03, 2023, 09:50:56 AM
I would love to bash them, but my experience could be different than others. Who knows. I am more than happy to respond to a DM.
don't feel bad . I've been to Texas twice and have been skunked twice . With Rios in that environment , you are either in them or not.... That's all there is to it. Now.... I did miss a turkey ... so I can own some of that.... However , the opportunity outside of the miss on both places was basically zero. It's just reality.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bbcoach on April 03, 2023, 03:33:03 PM
Sounds like a target rich environment.  Is Wildlife Systems a Fully guided hunt or semi-guided?
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: sixbird on April 03, 2023, 05:06:37 PM
Quote from: RND1983 on April 03, 2023, 09:50:56 AM
I would love to bash them, but my experience could be different than others. Who knows. I am more than happy to respond to a DM.
If you didn't see turkeys or hear them, that outfitter knew that before you showed up. They screwed you and they knew they were screwing you. There's a lot of that in Texas (I was the target of some of it but I pursued it legally and prevailed).
They deserve to be held to account. Shout it out brutha' It'll keep some other folks from wasting their money and time.


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Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bchilde on April 03, 2023, 05:19:54 PM
Semi guided. Me and my 2 other buddies had 6000 acres to hunt ourselves. We were dropped on 3 different watering holes and was told to do what ever we wanted to do to kill a turkey, just be back at the drop off by pick up time.  We run and gun the whole trip. Target rich environment for sure. The H. Yturria cattle ranch in south texas was loaded with turkeys. We had 5 Tom's killed in the first 1.5 hours of the hunt, our guide said that never ever happens that quick and he was right because we spent 2 more days trying to get my buddy his last turkey which we did on the last day. Seemed like a turkey around every bush . Them rios cover a lot of ground quickly
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bbcoach on April 03, 2023, 09:05:45 PM
Quote from: bchilde on April 03, 2023, 05:19:54 PM
Semi guided. Me and my 2 other buddies had 6000 acres to hunt ourselves. We were dropped on 3 different watering holes and was told to do what ever we wanted to do to kill a turkey, just be back at the drop off by pick up time.  We run and gun the whole trip. Target rich environment for sure. The H. Yturria cattle ranch in south texas was loaded with turkeys. We had 5 Tom's killed in the first 1.5 hours of the hunt, our guide said that never ever happens that quick and he was right because we spent 2 more days trying to get my buddy his last turkey which we did on the last day. Seemed like a turkey around every bush . Them rios cover a lot of ground quickly
This is what I look for when booking an out of state hunt.  I want to be in charge of my success or failure and I want to do my own calling.  If the birds are there, I have no one but myself to blame if I don't fill my tags.  Setting up with a couple of guys and a guide that does everything isn't my cup of tea.  I've never been to Texas but this place has some definite possibilities.  Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: RND1983 on April 04, 2023, 12:52:09 AM
After much thought I will state the facts so here they are...I hunted with TC Outfitters. I was fortunate to strike a bird five minutes in the first afternoon and killed him. The two other guys hunting that I did not know had zero opportunity. The next two days, there were no gobbles, no tracks, no strut sign, no turkey droppings, etc. They never offered to relocate us to at least get us on a property with turkeys. There was no frustration on their part. It was shrugged off and they kept saying "well they've been there." I do not expect to hear 20 birds in a day, but there has to be opportunity. Weather was not a factor. The owner of the outfit never so much as showed his face at the house knowing there were 3 very frustrated turkey hunters there. We bumped into him one afternoon and he said there were turkeys gobbling all on the power line. It seemed very staged and of course, there were no turkeys gobbling on the power line where the other gentlemen had spent 1.5 days in there. I ended up changing my flight and leaving early. Some people may have had a great experience with them, but I can say it was a negative experience. The food was good, but the only thing missing were enough turkeys to enjoy multiple days of hunting.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: bchilde on April 04, 2023, 07:23:25 AM
Quote from: RND1983 on April 04, 2023, 12:52:09 AM
After much thought I will state the facts so here they are...I hunted with TC Outfitters. I was fortunate to strike a bird five minutes in the first afternoon and killed him. The two other guys hunting that I did not know had zero opportunity. The next two days, there were no gobbles, no tracks, no strut sign, no turkey droppings, etc. They never offered to relocate us to at least get us on a property with turkeys. There was no frustration on their part. It was shrugged off and they kept saying "well they've been there." I do not expect to hear 20 birds in a day, but there has to be opportunity. Weather was not a factor. The owner of the outfit never so much as showed his face at the house knowing there were 3 very frustrated turkey hunters there. We bumped into him one afternoon and he said there were turkeys gobbling all on the power line. It seemed very staged and of course, there were no turkeys gobbling on the power line where the other gentlemen had spent 1.5 days in there. I ended up changing my flight and leaving early. Some people may have had a great experience with them, but I can say it was a negative experience. The food was good, but the only thing missing were enough turkeys to enjoy multiple days of hunting.
I hate that you all had a bad time and it's crazy to think that the guide or outfitter didn't try to relocate you. That's what I liked about wildlife systems. We killed 5 birds on the same ranch which was loaded with birds but our guide decided to leave them alone for the next group of hunters. He took us to another ranch again loaded down with birds where my buddy killed his last one at. These birds have little to no pressure because there are so many and so much ground to cover.  I'll definitely be back one day I hope
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: HuntMD75 on May 03, 2025, 08:26:08 AM
I am headed to Texas for Rios, anyone have any thoughts on Double Diamond Outfitters?
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: wchadw on May 03, 2025, 08:33:07 AM
I used a guy that's about 2 1/2 hours south west of Dallas. He had us on birds every day. It was $1500 for 3 days/3 night including lodging. 1 bird and extra $ for additional
If you want his contact info send me a message


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Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: HuntMD75 on May 03, 2025, 08:42:45 AM
Double Diamond is already booked. It was a surprise gift from my  girlfriend:)
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: joey46 on May 03, 2025, 09:58:33 AM
As many have discovered you are now looking at 2026 for a reliable outfitter with good references.
Title: Re: Texas Rio outfitter recommendations UPDATE
Post by: HuntMD75 on May 03, 2025, 10:05:13 AM
Agreed, seems like a great outfitter that does all the hunts. Reviews look good.