Best Rio Grande Turkey Hunting States

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Ethan Smith
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The Rio Grande turkey subspecies thrives primarily in two top states, with Texas and Oklahoma weighing in as the sweet spots.

In the Southwest, New Mexico and Arizona hold small populations of Rios mixed in with Merriam’s (and even Gould’s in the latter state). Trap-and-transfer management efforts have also put birds in Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, and even Hawaii. You might even get a chance at Rio-Merriam’s hybrids in Wyoming and other states out West.

A half-million turkeys live in Texas; mostly Rios, but even some Easterns. Image by Russell Graves

Texas

You can hunt with well-earned connections and visit as the guest of other like-minded Texas turkey hunters. However, nonresidents usually employ the services of an outfitter, which is often more pricey than a traditional DIY gobbler hunt but far less costly than, say, a Texas whitetail trip. Some ranchers view turkeys as pesky birds. Upside, there’s a good chance you’ll tag a Rio.

Where to go: Yep, there is some public ground — if you consider less than 1% of the state’s total landmass being publicly accessible as some. Wildlife management areas (WMAs) and federal ground in East Texas are also available — but these largely have Eastern subspecies turkeys, and not the Rio you want.

Find more Texas turkey hunting here.

Oklahoma

The Sooner State has far more public land than its neighbor Texas to the south.

As the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation officially states: Turkeys are no longer confined to river systems, since roost sites are now available in tree rows, shelterbelts and upland timber, which was not available before man settled the Oklahoma prairie. This has dispersed populations of birds across the western three-fourths of the state and made them more accessible to sportsmen. Turkey hunters have a legitimate chance to bag a spring tom on many of the Department’s lands open to public hunting.

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Where to go: To the west, the Black Kettle WMA has good Rio Grande turkey populations.

Find more Oklahoma turkey hunting here.

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Kansas

Outfitters have some land tied up for pay-as-you-go trips, but DIY hunts are often more affordable. Both are good options for the turkey hunter short on time. Expect prairie river bottoms, hilly timber, and rolling farmland.

Where to go: Nearly 1.5 million acres of walk-in hunting access: Get your mind around that number.

Find more Kansas turkey hunting here.

New Mexico

Over the years, the National Wild Turkey Federation and New Mexico Game and Fish have captured and transplanted hundreds of Rio Grande wild turkeys (and Merriam’s) across the state. This has created and sustained wild turkey populations, conservatively estimated at 15,000 birds.

Where to go: Rio Grande turkeys are primarily located along the Rio Grande River south of Albuquerque and the Canadian River Basin north of Tucumcari.

Find more New Mexico turkey hunting here.

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Hawaii

If chasing gobblers at elevations of 6,000 to 10,000 feet in the morning and hanging out on white sandy beaches in the afternoon is your idea of a good trip, then Hawaii is for you. Locations where these Rio Grande turkeys live are high and dry.

One note to consider though — as of this writing, wild turkey hunting is prohibited on the island of Oahu. The reason? According to officials, this is to allow populations to stabilize for future hunting opportunities.

See also  .300 Winchester Magnum for Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .300 Winchester Magnum a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for grizzly or brown bear hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .300 Winchester Magnum is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the grizzly or brown bear, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the grizzly or brown bear in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .300 Winchester Magnum Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a grizzly or brown bear in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .300 Winchester Magnum within the ideal range of suitable calibers for grizzly or brown bear hunting?” our answer is: Yes, the .300 Winchester Magnum is A GOOD CHOICE for grizzly or brown bear hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .300 Winchester Magnum Animal Species Grizzly Or Brown Bear Muzzle Energy 3520 foot-pounds Animal Weight 595 lbs Shot Distance 200 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .300 Winchester Magnum? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .300 Winchester Magnum round is approximately 3520 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear is approximately 595 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .300 Winchester Magnum Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in grizzly or brown bear hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for grizzly or brown bear to be approximately 200 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .300 Winchester Magnum. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the grizzly or brown bear being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .300 Winchester Magnum is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear - and to this question, the response again is yes, the .300 Winchester Magnum is A GOOD CHOICE for grizzly or brown bear hunting. [Click Here to Shop .300 Winchester Magnum Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting grizzly or brown bear to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

Where to go: The best public hunting location is the massive Mauna Kea Forest on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Find more Hawaii turkey hunting here.

What makes Realtree.com the best online resource for turkey hunters? See for yourself. We cover all things turkey right here.

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Ethan Smith
Ethan Smith is a seasoned marine veteran, professional blogger, witty and edgy writer, and an avid hunter. He spent a great deal of his childhood years around the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. Watching active hunters practise their craft initiated him into the world of hunting and rubrics of outdoor life. He also honed his writing skills by sharing his outdoor experiences with fellow schoolmates through their high school’s magazine. Further along the way, the US Marine Corps got wind of his excellent combination of skills and sought to put them into good use by employing him as a combat correspondent. He now shares his income from this prestigious job with his wife and one kid. Read more >>

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