Gobbler Nation

Hello everyone:

I will be traveling from Michigan to visit family down in the big state of Texas in early April and I would like to try and tag a Rio. My family lives in the Fort Worth area, and I am asking for suggestions and/or tips on hunting around there but I am willing to travel from there up to 100 miles if needed.

I really appreciate any help, up till now I have only hunted in Michigan.

Thanks
Jim

I can't help you out with any specific properties there, but here is what I would suggest, assuming you haven't already done this.
First, start with your family and contacts they might have with landowners there, especially if you are trying to keep the cost down. An offer of a hunt trade, if you can provide one, is a great tool, as well. I have had many great turkey hunts in Texas by simply offering an equal opportunity for something the landowner might be interested in where I live.
Outside of that, I don't think you would have any trouble finding a property that charges access fees for hunting turkeys (contact the Texas wildlife department for information if you have no other source). The problem with Texas turkey hunting is that a lot of the landowners and hunting operations use feeders to hold game on their properties and the turkeys (and other wildlife) become so conditioned to basing their daily activities around those that it can be hard to actually "hunt" turkeys there. It is pretty easy to "shoot" a turkey, however.
Of course, there are exceptions to that, so when deciding on a place to hunt, make sure you ask about the hunting operation on the property and what can be expected in terms of how you actually get to turkey hunt.

I've hunted with an outfitter that is pretty well retired in Albany, west of Ft. Worth, but that may be too far of a distance for you??
Also, without checking, I don't know if he even would take you on, or if you even would want to use an outfitter??

Thanks for the replies fellas, I have since talked to my Uncle who has put me in contact with some private landowners. It looks like I'll be frequenting www.scoutlook.com for a while!

Good luck. I hunted in Texas on a buddies lease an hour west of Fort Worth. If you get into those rio's you will have a blast. They love to gobble and will come to the call from a long ways. Also in the three years I hunted there I killed 3 triple beards and 2 double beards ! I just wish Texas wasn't so far or I'd go there every year ! Plus a possible 4 birds for a hundred bucks was a good deal.