Colorado Merriam's - Where to Hunt South of GJ?
02-27-2002, 11:30 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Highlands Ranch CO United States
Posts: 1
Colorado Merriam's - Where to Hunt South of GJ?
I'm new to CO Turkey hunting scene. I've lived in CO for 8+ years and am an avid deer/elk hunter. I'm in the process of doing some research in hopes of identifying some likely turkey hunting areas for this spring.
I'm trying to answer the two obvious questions, 1) Where to Hunt? 2) How to Hunt?.
Where to Hunt?
I recently drove the loop from Grand Junction to Gateway to Ridgeway to Montrose to Delta back to Grand Junction to get a general feel for the area. Ideally we would hunt as close to Grand Junction as possible where the use of horses would be to our advantage. We would like to find a way to get away from other hunters in possible (hence the horses). We will be hunting and over-the-counter tag. A friend of mine hunted elk this year in the Little Red Canyon/Horsefly drainage of the Uncompagre. It is a little farther away from GJ than I would prefer, but he said there was good sign and a friend hunts turkey there in the fall. My brother rides horses a lot in Kanna Creek but has never seen any turkey. I'm interested in hunting the Wilderness Study Areas is there are good populations of turkey in the spring; Dominguez Canyon WSA, Camelback WSA, Sewemup WSA, The Palisade WSA, Tabeguache WSA, Roubideau WSA.
How much of the Uncompagre/Grand Mesa areas are accessible in April/May due to snow and mud? Approximately what elevation is the snow level/turkeys during that period? What is their primary food source if they don't have access to the Gambel Oak/Acorns? Any thoughts you have that would help me limit my options so I can focus my pre-season scouting would be very helpful?
How to Hunt?
Once I can pinpoint and area and start scouting, what is the best way to hunt the spring turkey in this area. I'm hoping to use horses to locate turkey via riding and using locator calls. Once turkeys are located, the horses will be tied off and we will attempt to position ourselves correctly and call. If we can put some turkeys 'to bed', we will return in the morning and call the turkeys off the roost. Will this general approach work? Any other suggestions specific to the area south of GJ?
Forever Keep It Wild!
I'm trying to answer the two obvious questions, 1) Where to Hunt? 2) How to Hunt?.
Where to Hunt?
I recently drove the loop from Grand Junction to Gateway to Ridgeway to Montrose to Delta back to Grand Junction to get a general feel for the area. Ideally we would hunt as close to Grand Junction as possible where the use of horses would be to our advantage. We would like to find a way to get away from other hunters in possible (hence the horses). We will be hunting and over-the-counter tag. A friend of mine hunted elk this year in the Little Red Canyon/Horsefly drainage of the Uncompagre. It is a little farther away from GJ than I would prefer, but he said there was good sign and a friend hunts turkey there in the fall. My brother rides horses a lot in Kanna Creek but has never seen any turkey. I'm interested in hunting the Wilderness Study Areas is there are good populations of turkey in the spring; Dominguez Canyon WSA, Camelback WSA, Sewemup WSA, The Palisade WSA, Tabeguache WSA, Roubideau WSA.
How much of the Uncompagre/Grand Mesa areas are accessible in April/May due to snow and mud? Approximately what elevation is the snow level/turkeys during that period? What is their primary food source if they don't have access to the Gambel Oak/Acorns? Any thoughts you have that would help me limit my options so I can focus my pre-season scouting would be very helpful?
How to Hunt?
Once I can pinpoint and area and start scouting, what is the best way to hunt the spring turkey in this area. I'm hoping to use horses to locate turkey via riding and using locator calls. Once turkeys are located, the horses will be tied off and we will attempt to position ourselves correctly and call. If we can put some turkeys 'to bed', we will return in the morning and call the turkeys off the roost. Will this general approach work? Any other suggestions specific to the area south of GJ?
Forever Keep It Wild!
