Best Texas Turkey Hunts
With an estimated turkey population of over 600,000 birds, Texas is a premier destination for turkey hunts. The majority of those birds are found in the Texas Hill Country and Edwards Plateau, but turkeys can also be found in parts of South Texas, North Texas and even a few out in West Texas. There are a few counties in East Texas that have the “Eastern” wild turkey, but with all of my ranches being in South Texas, or the Hill Country, all of my turkey hunts are for the Rio Grande Turkey.
All of my ranches where I run my Texas turkey hunts are in the South Zone, so the Texas turkey season is as follows: My spring turkey hunts run from mid-March through the end of April, which is when the toms are strutting and gobbling. Most of my turkey hunters enjoy the thrill of calling for themselves, so all of my turkey hunts are semi-guided, but a guide can be arranged for your hunt for a small added daily fee.
As is the case for all of my hunts, I’ll be on your turkey hunt to help ensure you or your group have the best experience possible and the best opportunity of taking home a couple of big toms.
Texas Turkey Hunting – Who is this hunt for:
With several ranches in the Hill Country and South Texas, I can easily accommodate turkey hunts for individuals, friends, families or corporate groups. Hunting pairs such as husband/wife, father/son or daughter, or a couple of buddies can also be easily accommodated. Depending on the number of hunters in your group, I provide you with your own pasture to hunt, approximately 400-800 acres/hunter. If you have a group of 5+ you will get the entire ranch and lodge to yourselves.
Texas Turkey Hunts – How do we hunt?
Your Texas turkey hunt will typically start within calling distance of a roost or feeding area, either in a ground blind or hidden in the brush. From there you will be free to “run and gun” or sit and call depending on your preference.
Most hunters will hunt until 10:30 or 11 and then come in for brunch, and maybe a short nap before they head out for the afternoon hunt. During the spring turkey season, gobblers will be calling all day trying to locate a receptive hen, so the early afternoon is a great time to locate a lonely tom.
As the afternoon winds down, most hunters will start to head back within calling distance of the roost hoping to cut the birds off before they roost for the evening; but with this being a semi-guided hunt you are free to hunt as you prefer and I’ll be more than willing to help any way I can.
Texas Turkey Hunting Prices: Starting at $1500
$1600/Hunter for groups of 7+ hunters
$1850/Hunter for less than 7 hunters
Deposit – $900/Hunter
Make sure to read my FAQs before you book. It has all the details about my hunts.
Included in all Texas Turkey Hunts:
- 3 days & 2 nights
- 2 birds (toms)/hunter
- Meals
- Lodging
- Transportation around the ranch
- Field care of your trophy
Not included in all Texas Turkey Hunts:
- Valid Texas Hunting License (Non-resident Spring Turkey – Type 118 – $126)
- Gratuities
- Transportation to ranch
- Taxidermy prep for your trophy
- Guide
- Drinks besides coffee and water
Additional services available for all Texas Turkey Hunts:
- Non-hunting guests – $250/person/night
- Guide – $200/day
Texas Turkey Animal Specifics:
The Rio Grande Turkey is similar in general appearance to the other subspecies of wild turkeys and about the same height/size as the Osceola turkey. A big mature tom (male turkey) typically stands about 36″ tall and weighs about 20-23 lbs and the hens (female turkey) stand about 28-30” tall and weigh about 12 lbs. Rio Grande turkeys have copper-colored tail feathers with yellowish-tan tips.
Texas Turkey Hunts:
A typical day turkey hunting in Texas will begin well before daylight with a quick breakfast (fruit, pastries, and breakfast bars with coffee and/or water) before we head out for the morning hunt. Most of my turkey hunters prefer to start off in close proximity to a turkey roost and sneak into position in the dark and set up decoys in the “fly down” zone. With some soft calls and a little luck, you can coax the turkeys to fly down to your decoys and into position for a shot. If the turkeys don’t cooperate, and you don’t get a shot when they fly down from the roost, it’s time to “run and gun” covering the country to locate a “hot” gobbler.
Most hunters will take a break about 10:30 or 11 and come into camp for a hearty brunch. With gobblers on the move all day looking for a receptive hen, most hunters will head back into the pasture shortly after brunch for the afternoon hunt. As the afternoon winds down into evening it’s time to start heading back toward the roost so you can cut the turkeys off before they head to the roost for the evening. Then it’s back to camp for a great meal, hot off the grill, and time to relive the day’s events before a nice hot shower and comfortable bed.
Texas Turkey Hunting Packing List:
Please note that some of these links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I use myself and found to be useful.
Turkeys have great eyesight, so full camo from head to toe is a must! The weather during the spring turkey season in Texas can vary from warm to cold, windy, and rainy if a cold front is pushing through the area. It’s best to dress in layers so you can take off layers as it warms up during the day and add layers as it cools off in the afternoon.
For my hunts in the late spring, summer, and early fall (Axis, Blackbuck, late-season Turkey, early-season Elk, etc) one of the products I’ve found to be extremely important is Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent.
We spend a lot of time walking/stalking through tall grass and with Sawyer Permethrin I don’t have to worry about getting chiggers or ticks on me. You spray it on your clothing, and once it dries it’s odorless and colorless. Chiggers itch so bad that they can really ruin a hunt, but with Sawyer Permethrin you don’t have to worry. I LOVE this product, and literally never leave home without it!
Here’s my suggested packing list:
- Comfortable boots/shoes
- Snake boots (I typically wear snake boots to keep the cactus/thorns/brush off my legs)
- Binoculars
- Jeans/Pants (Lighter weight pants for the Spring/Summer and heavier weight for the Fall/Winter)
- Several Long Sleeve Shirts – lightweight shirts for fall hunts and wool or synthetic Long-Sleeve shirts for spring hunts
- Camo pants
- Camo jacket
- Camo face mask
- Decoys
- Turkey calls
- Jacket/Coat
- Hunting Gloves
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Chapstick
- Insect Repellent Sawyer Permethrin
- Rifle & Ammo or Bow & Arrows
- Uninsulated & Insulated underwear
- Wool Socks
- Comfortable camp clothes
- Personal Toiletries & Medicines
Also make sure to take a look at my recommended hunting gear list.
Texas Turkey Hunting Regions:
The Rio Grande Turkey is native to the Central Plains states with Texas having the largest population of Rio Grande Turkeys in the lower 48. Rio Grande turkey can be found in the Texas Hill Country, Edwards Plateau, parts of South Texas and North Texas and even in a few places out in West Texas but the largest populations of turkeys in Texas are found in the Edwards Plateau and the Hill Country. All of my ranches for my Texas turkey hunts are in South Texas and the Hill Country.
Texas turkey hunts are a great hunt for groups of friends or families, or pairs, whether it is a couple, father-son, father-daughter or anyone else. My Texas turkey hunts sell out fast, so make sure to get your spot now!
by 
