Category Archives: Turkey Hunting

Eastern Turkey Hunting

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Eastern turkey hunting is one of the best bird hunts in the U.S. Whether you’re aiming for an NWTF Slam, a trophy tom, or just a great time, Global Sporting Safaris can set you up with the hunt you’re looking for.

The Quarry

This is the bird most people think of when they imagine a turkey—it’s the same one that early North American settlers first encountered, and the one commonly pictured as the centerpiece of a Pilgrim’s thanksgiving feast. It can be found all along the eastern U.S. coast, from Florida to Maine. Estimates of the total population are over five million.

Eastern turkeys are distinguished from other subspecies by light brown upper tail coverts, black- or white-tipped breast and side feathers in males (these are brown in females), and bronze iridescent body feathers that are more pronounced in males. Their wings’ secondary feathers have white bars and edges.

Males can grow as large as four feet tall, with the largest beards reaching up to a foot in length. Spurs can be anywhere from ¾ of an inch to 1½ inches long. A sizable male will generally weigh 20-24 pounds, though record-breakers can weigh as much as 30.

The fall Illinois turkey hunting season is short for shotgun hunting, usually lasting for about a week in October, but there is an extensive bow hunting season from early October to late January. In Alabama, there is a spring season and a fall season, generally lasting from March through late April in the spring and November through January in the fall. Most of our outfitters’ hunts last about three days, with hunts taking place during the morning, with the rest of the time spent in a comfortable lodge or enjoying the various other activities available.

The Hunt

Illinois turkey hunting can range from relaxing to demanding, and most hunts can be tailored to the level of challenge the hunter wants to face. Beginners can feel confident working with any of our guides. Standard hunting grounds for both our Alabama and Illinois outfitters include fields and river bottoms, plus hills and crop fields with the latter.

Bow hunting is a great choice, especially considering the long season. Those who prefer to bring a shotgun on their eastern turkey hunting trip should use anything between a 10 and 20 gauge. Full camouflage is recommended, as hunters will often be working without blinds.

Call today or fill out the form on the right and let us know what type of eastern turkey hunting experience you are looking for. We’ll send you information on opportunities that match your goals. Our experienced outfitters are second to none and we’re happy to share personal experiences with you.

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Goulds Turkey Hunting in Aguascalientes, Mexico

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No hunter should pass up the opportunity to go Goulds turkey hunting. As the largest turkey in the world, it makes an enviable prize.

The Quarry

You can find this turkey in Mexico and along the U.S.-Mexico border. Hunting restrictions are fairly intensive on the U.S. side, where there are only a very small number of these turkeys. A lot of effort is going into increasing their number in order to allow more Goulds turkey hunting in the U.S., but it could be many long years before hunters get the chance to pursue this impressive bird in Arizona or New Mexico. For those who don’t want to wait, there are large populations in northwestern Mexico, and some of the best hunting opportunities can be found in Aguascalientes.

Perhaps this turkey’s most attractive feature is its tail: the feathers are white at the tips and coverts, and create an eyelash effect when they separate. Males have iridescent blue-green to bronze-colored feathers on the majority of their bodies, with darker feathers on the back; the iridescent feathers of the females aren’t as bright and tend to be more purple in coloration.

No other subspecies rivals the Goulds turkey for sheer size, and it has the longest legs, largest feet, and biggest central tail feathers of all turkeys. They also carry multiple impressive beards—as many as three—which can grow up to more than ten inches in length. The males can weigh as much as 25 pounds and carry spurs that can grow up to one inch long.

Hunting begins in March or April and lasts through late May, and hunting trips generally last three days.

The Hunt

The Goulds turkey is generally found at high altitudes, anywhere from 4,500 to nearly 10,000 feet. Our outfitters take clients hunting in the Sierra Fria mountain range where they can be found in abundance.

While the terrain can sometimes be rough, the hunting is done from blinds, so our Gould’s turkey hunting trips aren’t any more physically intensive than most people can handle. It’s an excellent choice for hunters with any level of experience.

Central Plateau whitetails are also found near Aguascalientes, and hunters interested in pursuing them on this prime land can work with the same excellent outfitters. The hunting season for Coues and whitetails lasts from December through February.

Call Global Sporting Safaris today at 888-850-HUNT, Ext. 702 or click one of the links and let us know what type of Goulds turkey hunting experience you are looking for. We’ll send you information on opportunities that match your goals. Our experienced outfitters are second to none and we’re happy to share personal experiences with you.

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Ocellated Turkey Hunting in Old Mexico

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Hunting Ocellated Turkey

Ocellated Turkey Hunting

There are only two (2) species of turkey in the world; the North American wild turkey [Meleagris gallopavo] (divided into 5 distinct sub-species) and the Ocellated turkey [Meleagris ocellata].

Even though the Ocellated turkey is the smallest of the turkey species (11-12 lbs.), it is without a doubt the most unique and eye-catching of all the turkey species and sub-species, truly the most beautiful bird of them all, with their colorful and iridescent plumage!  Ocellated Turkey Hunting is the ultimate hunt for any turkey hunter.

Adding to the uniqueness of the Ocellated turkey is the fact that it is only found in the Yucatan Peninsula of Old Mexico and small parts of Guatemala and Belize, with the largest concentration of them found in the State of Campeche.

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), now recognizing the Mexican Turkey Slam in its wild turkey records program, states that for a hunter to complete the Mexican Slam, it consists of the Gould’s, Ocellated and Rio Grande turkeys being harvested in Old Mexico. Once a hunter completes a Mexican Turkey Slam, he is well on his way to complete the Royal and then the World Turkey Slams.  It is noteworthy to mention that the current Top three (3) Ocellated turkeys in the NWTF record book are from the State of Campeche!

Old Mexico has the only abundant and huntable populations of Ocellated Turkey in the world. Most Campeche turkey hunting staff and guides have the knowledge, equipment and most importantly, the natural resources necessary, for both the beginner and hardcore turkey hunter, to have a successful hunt.

In Campeche, the hunters usually arrive on Sunday to camp, the hunt begins on Monday and ends the following Friday. A typical hunting day starts with a wake- up call at around 4:30 am, hunters will be treated with a light breakfast with coffee, juice, fruit, cereal and toast, then they will start the journey on 4X4 vehicles to the hunting areas and hunt until noon, (a box lunch is usually provided for snacks in the field) then return to camp for lunch, at around 1:30 p.m. The hunters will return to their hunting areas at about 3:30 p.m. and hunt until dark and return to camp for supper at about 8:00 p.m.

Most Ocellated Turkey Hunting guides will provide one guide for each hunter (1X1) and one 4X4 vehicle for 2 hunters and their guides.

The pristine Yucatan jungle habitat and abundant population of birds all come together in a formula for certain success on your Ocellated Turkey hunting trip of a lifetime!

Alberto Valdes Fisher is the Mexico Agent of Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. based in Piedras Negras, Mexico and is responsible for developing hunting venues in Mexico such as Ocellated Turkey Hunting.