| Author |
Message |
Ryan Tucker
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 2:51 pm: | |
I got off the plane in Montana and there was about 12 inches of snow on the ground. We got to the 27,000 acre ranch and found out due to the weather conditions that we would only be able to actually get in and hunt about 1/10 of the ranch. All of this had me a little bit discouraged. However, the first night I took a kid I taught how to turkey hunt out. We called in three longbeards and two of them strutted and gobbled like it was 80 degrees and no snow. It was amazing watching them do the spring stuff in such cold and snowy conditions. We doubled on two brothers probably. They were both 18 lbs, 9 1/2 inch beard, and 1 inch spurs. It was the other guys first Merriam's. My other friend also killed on that night which was 16.7 lbs, 8 1/2 inch beard, and 7/8 inch spurs. This was his first Merriam's and his first turkey he called in by himself. Despite the weather we worked birds off and on the next day. The second morning I called in a bird that gobbled about 150 times in 30 minutes and he was 17.7 lbs, 9 inch beard, and 1 1/16 inch spurs that were really sharp. The second evening brought another small snow storm, and the final day we worked a few birds but the wind made it difficult to track direction. All in all it was a great hunt! If you consider the weather being the worst ever in 10 years of turkey hunting at that ranch then I think it was a awesome hunt. We also only hunted a small part of the ranch since we could not access much of it due to snow and melting snow making roads hard to drive. The ranch is 44 square miles of difficult terrain so walking in wasn't an option either. The owner said he had about five other places to hunt turkeys and two of them were better for turkey hunting than where we hunted. That is amazing since the place we hunted was loaded with birds.
Ryan Tucker |
Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 4:17 pm: | |
Congrats Ryan... sounds like a winter wonderland! Great hunt! |
HODY
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 9:59 pm: | |
Congrats Ryan, you did what I REALLY want to do. I will have to get the info from you and see if maybe I can go out there next year if you think the place is OK. What was your cost of the trip?
PS Get us some pics. |
knight_va
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 7:40 am: | |
In The snow even...thats cool!
Max |
Ryan Tucker
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 7:55 am: | |
Hody,
The cost of the trip was $150 a day. That gets lodging on the ranch and permission to hunt. You pay for travel out there and food as well. It is as cheap as I have seen for the quality of hunting. When you book you also get the entire ranch no mixing parties. It is a great hunt! I highly reccomend it! |
Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 8:27 am: | |
Hey HODY... need a buddy to go with you? Seriously... Amy wants to try for a Merriams too... |
Ryan Tucker
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 8:57 am: | |
Here are the birds I took in Montana.
The first one was 18 lbs, 1 inch spurs, and 9 1/2 inch beard.
[img]http://www.tuckeroutdoors.com/1st_bird.jpg[/img]
The second one was 17.7 lbs, 1 1/16 inch spurs, and 9 inch beard.
[img]http://www.tuckeroutdoors.com/2nd_bird.jpg[/img]
Ryan Tucker |
knight_va
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 9:51 am: | |
$150?.....the wheels start turning.....now that would be FUN!!!!
Max |
HODY
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 11:03 am: | |
FreddY and Amy, LETS GO!!!!
Max you are welcome too. I say we put it in motion. Ryan how about shooting me an e-mail with the info. THANKS |
knight_va
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 11:19 am: | |
If ya want a 4th....seriously.....get me some details guys.
Max |
GN
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 11:48 am: | |
way to go Ryan...I wondered where yo u were...when Montana roads get wet and snowy they disintegrate prett quikly...I have seen 4wd trucks with chains on every tire that cannot move in that stuff....congrats on a great trip though. |
Ryan Tucker
| | Posted on Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 1:50 pm: | |
Your right GN, the roads are terrible and the terrain is so up and down that you just can't get back out of a bottom if you have to drive into it. The mud isn't deep, but it is slick. |