Where did they go?

[antlerrick]

We helped transplant a bunch of birds onto a new hunting unit in South Central Utah 4 or 5 years ago. They were supposed to be Rio's. We see them in the bottom of the canyons all thru the winter, but now we have drawn a permit, they have dissappeared! We have looked high, low, and in-between and can't even seem to find any tracks or sign. We have cottonwood creek bottoms, cedar and pinon hillsides, going up into oak and mahogany at higher locations, and then into the aspen and pine forests on top. There is still a ton of snow on top, so I don't think they are up that high yet. Where should we be looking? What type of country would you search to find the birds? Later in the year, they all hang on top of the mountain. Do they need to be near running water this early in the season, or what tips can you give us to find these birds?

 

[Wally Dog]

AR,
In our country the merriams birds tend to follow main drainages up country.....They'll follow a natural corridor that usually has water...You may find that the bulk of the flock has traveled chasing the snow. How many birds are/were in the area, roughly? 8, 15,150 ? If the number is small they may be in the same drainage. This is the hunting part that preceeds the shooting part.
Best o luck,
WD

 

[antlerrick]

Hey Wally Dog,
We released about 75 birds over 3 different drainages 4/5 years ago, and during the winter you can see from 20 to 40 birds in each drainage depending on the day. We hiked and followed the main canyon from bottom to top, nearly 4 miles, and only found some old tracks, probably over a week old, near the bottom. We hit the other drainages near the bottom, and a couple of places up higher with no luck of any sign. I've heard rumor they go clear up on top, but with all the snow up there, I can't imagine they go there unless they have a clearing or some other food source. There is 3 to 5 feet of snow up where the rumors say they go.
I know they get there during the summer, but this time of year???? The local biologist figures they must be a Rio/Merriam cross so they wander a lot. We have done fairly well on the other units around the area that we have drawn tags on, but this one is a killer... We have all of May to hunt, but hate to wait until the last moment...
Thanks for the post...

 

[Wally Dog]

AR,
I would think that at least half of the hens should be incubating or maybe even managing a brood by now (and they won't be in the snow).
Sounds to me like you have not found the sub-drainage they are living in yet. Is this the first year for a hunt? What about hunters from last year.....where did they find birds? Hope you have good boots and/or tires.
good luck
WD

 

[Ithaca 37]

AR, You're just going to have to get up earlier, walk further, stay out later and hunt harder.

 

[antlerrick]

ITH, We got up early, walked our butts off, stayed up on the hill till late, and hunted so hard I barely could drag my tired a$$ home. Guess we'll just go and do it again. I know the dang things can't just disappear! Can they???
Just hoping for some simple little hint that may open it up for us!! Appreciate the posts!

 

[Kraven]

Hey AR in recent years the birds here in Wa have followed the snow line up the hills,not sure why maybe less pressure on them.You may want to check up high just in case.If they arent up high stay out until past dark and see if you cant hear them Gobble just before Roost then be in the woods an hour or so before light to hear them sound off in the morning time,maybe get lucky and whack a bird.
Just my opinion.We are having trouble getting the birds to talk right now anyways here,too many hens around.

 

[antlerrick]

We finally found a small bunch with a good lookin Tom. Tried him Saturday morning only to have him come in behind us. My son took a shot with his bow but was shooting thru brush and right into the sun and mis-judged the yardage and shot low. We're letting him cool off and will try him again...Maybe tonight!!!

 

[ELKCHSR]

Good luck on that tom....

Or did you get it yet?

 

[antlerrick]

We went out again Saturday night and sat in a blind and had the whole flock except the big tom come right by us. Went back out Sunday morning and had the tom come in just on the other side of the brush we were in and then a hen busted us and the tom moved away from us. We had a big storm on Tuesday and went and glassed on Wednesday and finally found the tom again. We went back Thursday afternoon and I called the tom in to the decoy at about 25 yards. My son tried a shot but his bow limb hit a large limb above him and the shot went low and to the right and cut off one of his tail feathers. We moved and set up again and I called him back to us about an hour and a half later. He came strutting across the field and had a large hole in the center of his fan where he had chopped off the feather. He came in again to about 25 yds and my son didn't get drawn in time and the bird turned to leave right before he shot. This time he hit the bird's beard! Then the tom followed his hens around the other side of us and he got another shot as the tom circled us and headed into the river bottom, and thought he hit the bird, but the gobbler got out about 75 yards and started strutting again for his hens.
We got our things and left as quickly as we could hoping they would roost close to where we left them. We went back Friday afternoon with the trusty shotgun and after coaxing him for an hour or so, finally got in him again to where the boy connected. Upon examination, the shot that took off the tail feather, also snipped feathers off of all the fan feathers. We looked at the video again and when he was strutting with the big hole in his fan, we could see where the light was coming thru all the feathers on the right side of his fan. His beard was chopped off pretty straigt and was about 8 1/2 inches long now. It was a frustrating hunt for my boy, but he finally got his bird. Will see if we can post some shots later..

 

[ELKCHSR]

Way to go and congrats to your boy on his trophy....

 

[Kraven]

Congrats to your boy antler rick.Sounds like it was a fun and frustrating hunt but hey you learn alot every day in the Turkey woods.Congrats again.