Texas LAND•Spring 2017

TEXAS LAND / Roundup Issue
THE HUNT
It’s been said that if turkeys had a decent sense
of smell, they would be darn near impossible to
successfully hunt. These birds have uncanny eyesight
and hearing, which makes for a great hunting
challenge, especially if you are hunting them in the
traditional style of calling them in to within reasonable
shotgun or archery range. The general spring turkey
season for Rio Grande birds is six weeks long, with the
south zone beginning on the third Saturday of March,
two weeks earlier than the start of the north zone.
The Eastern spring gobbler season is four weeks in
length, beginning on the third Saturday of April. Some
of the more popular hunting counties for Rios in the
North Zone include Tom Green, Sutton, Schleicher,
Concho, and McCulloch, while some of the more noted
South Texas counties include Kleberg, Willacy, Brooks,
Uvalde, and Zavalla. However, there are many great
turkey hunting locales that are found in a host of other
counties that are not mentioned here.
Equipment requirements for hunting these birds during
the spring include camo from head to toe, standard
turkey calls, bug spray, and a gun or bow of choice.
Turkey hunting purists generally frown on the use of
rifles. Personally, I prefer a 12-gauge shotgun with
#6 shot, and it’s my opinion that a 20-gauge can be
a bit too light for these big birds. It is important to
pattern your gun with the load of choice and to aim
accordingly, taking into consideration the pellet density
pattern. The vital kill zone of a turkey is the head and
neck area if using a shotgun.
Proper techniques for hunting these amazing birds is best
accrued through some mentoring from a seasoned turkey
hunter to establish some basics, and then fine-tuning
those skills through the tribulations of trial and error. Like
hunting elk during the bugle, it’s the interaction between
the hunter and the quarry that makes spring turkey
hunting so exciting and unique. When combined with the
pleasantries of a nice Texas spring, this provides a hunting
experience that’s hard to beat.
THE OUTFITTER
Wildlife Systems, Inc. (WSI) is a hunting and wildlife
management firm that was started in 1987. In addition
to offering hunts for a wide variety of other game
and exotics, WSI is one of the premier turkey hunting
outfitters in Texas. This company conducts spring
turkey hunts on over 100,000 acres in both the north
and south zones, encompassing many different
properties. These hunts are typically set up as a 2.5–3
day hunt, including meals, lodging, guide, and game
care. Guiding can be as basic as the guide dropping
the hunters out at prime locations and allowing the
hunter to do their own calling, or the guide can stay
with the hunter providing the calling services for
the client. Lodging varies from ranch style cabins to
luxurious facilities. WSI also offers a limited number of
unassisted turkey hunts where hunters do their own
cooking and guiding, and lodging may or may not be
included. Most packages that are provided by WSI
include a 2 bird limit, but one unique package offers a
combination of one turkey, one javelina, and one hog.
For additional information on hunting with WSI, check
out their website at www.WildlifeSystems.com or call
(325) 655-0877.
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