My '09 Chiricauha Gould's Turkey

[standman]

Ever since the first time I saw my first transplanted Goulds turkey in the Chiricauha Mountains, I always hoped that some day I would be able to hunt one of these beautiful birds. This past November when spring draw results release, I found out I had drawn one of the five tags for the second hunt in Unit 29. My dream had come true and I was on cloud nine.

 

Knowing the unit real well, and have seen lots of turkeys over the years I figured I had an idea of where to start looking for turkeys. My brother and I traveled 5.5 hours the day before the season started to get to our camping spot. After setting up, we had a few hours before dark to try and located some gobblers and hopefully roost a few birds. The country was extremely dry and we knew that the turkeys had to be around water. We started working some of the creeks checking for sign and there was no problem of finding where the goulds were. Anywhere there was water there was turkeys. I was walking into one spring late in the afternoon and I walked right up on a strutting tom not twenty-five yards away from me. I just eased out of the area without spooking him. About a half hour before dark we got another tom to gobble. Then right at dark we drove up on another tom heading to roost. We sat there till dark till he roosted and we knew exactly how we were going to work him the next morning.

 

We were up at 4 am the next morning and then headed to out to set up on the tom we roosted the night before. We waited in the dark, wanting to him to start gobbling on his own. He finally started and we headed up the draw to get in position to start calling. We set up and started calling to him, and he would just hammer back at every call we made. Sometimes even double and triple gobbling. There was also another gobbler gobbling further up and to the east of us. Finally the tom gobbling six times in a row and flew out of his roost. Problem was he flew off in the opposite direction and to the bottom of the opposite canyon. His gobbles kept getting farther and farther away unil we couldn'thear him any more. To our supprise thoug the other gobbler who was quite far away to begin with was now getting closer and closer until I could finally see him up the draw. He was with a hen and in full strut. coming right for us. He never stopped and continued straight at me until he was 20 yards away. He finally stretched his neck out and I let him have it with a load of #5's from my twelve gauge. He was down and I had my first ever Gould's turkey. My hunt was over at 5:40 a.m. on opening morning.

 

What an experience. One of the greatest experiences of my hunting career.. The tom had an 8 1/4" beard and spurs just over 1". I hope I will one day get another chance to hunt the Goulds turkey again. Thanks for reading and looking and I hope you enjoy the pictures.

 

Brian

 

 

 

 

[GameHauler]

Sweet and great pictures

I came THIS CLOSE to putting in for that hunt

but owning my own 1 man company its hard to hunt that far away.

Maybe in the next year or 2.

Thanks for sharing.

[CouesWhitetail]

Congratulations! I am jealous!! That's a gorgeous bird!

 

So was it the hen that led that tom over to you due to your calling, or did he leave the hen and come over once he got closer?

 

Amanda

 

[standman]

Congratulations! I am jealous!! That's a gorgeous bird!

 

So was it the hen that led that tom over to you due to your calling, or did he leave the hen and come over once he got closer?

 

Amanda

 

I figured it was the hen that led him over or we just happened to be set up just in the right spot where they always came down to head to the creek.

[Kilimanjaro]

Way to make the most of a RARE opportunity!! Congrats on a successful hunt for an AZ GOULDS TURKEY!!!

 

 

[Gr8 White Jr]

Wow! Big congrats to you! You are very fortunate to have taken a AZ gould's. Way to go!

 

-Tracy

[cramerhunts]

Awesome job on a beautiful bird! Great write up and pictures, thanks for sharing your hunt with us.

 

Phil

[standman]

Thanks everyone. Sure was an awesome trip. I really, really, really hope to be able to do it again, except next time it will be with the ole stick and string. And thanks again for reading.

[Red Rabbit]

Brian,

Gorgeous bird! The white feather ends really provide contrast. Congrats on filling a premium tag.

 

Doug~RR

[AZP&Y]

Brian,

 

I must agree that these are some rare and special birds. Ever since I saw them in the Huachucas I also have wanted to give them a run! Thank you for sharing the hunt with us on CWT and you really took some nice pictures!

 

Thank you for all of your knowledge and tips!

 

AzP&Y

Doug

[tjhunt2]

Great job of getting it done Brian. That is one nice bird you got there. Thanks for sharing.

 

TJ

[azpackhorse]

Nice! Great looking bird, congrats!

[ehunt]

what a great looking bird!!! how long have you been putting in for that hunt??

[Coach]

Great job, Brian. What an awesome story!

[standman]

what a great looking bird!!! how long have you been putting in for that hunt??

 

Thanks, this is only the second year of permits in 29. Last year there was only 2 permits. A good friend of mine had one of the two last year. So to answer your question, only two years. Had 5BPs. I hadn't put in for any of the other goulds tags over the years because I have never been in those units.

 

Brian