might try mexico this spring...

[billy673]

anybody ever been ? any tips or reccomendations would be appreciated , i hear them goulds get to be bigguns !

 

[dtala]

given the current violence level in Mexico I'd stay as far from there as possible.

troy

 

[gotitwithmybow]

Going for Goulds or Oscelated? You might try getting in touch with a reputable booking agent so he could get you hooked up with a good, safe outfit. Mexico is alittle dicey right now.

 

[Nitro]

I have done the Gould's hunt. Awesome experience. Never felt that my safety was in peril. The violence in Mexico is drug related (and in the border towns)..... no where near where the Pavos are hunted.

PM me if you want more specific info - from someone who has been.

The Ocellated is on the calender.

 

[dtala]

Unless you hunted last year the violence level was no where near what it is now. And you have to cross the border and usually drive to where you will hunt. And the violence isn't all drug related or just on the border.

A LOT of folks hunt Mexico and have NO probs, but several Americans and thousands of Mexican citizens have been murdered in the last year.

I've killed several grand slams and would love to hunt Goulds and Ocellated turkeys one day. But not now or soon IN Mexico.

troy

 

[Nitro]

Unless you hunted last year the violence level was no where near what it is now. And you have to cross the border and usually drive to where you will hunt. And the violence isn't all drug related or just on the border.

A LOT of folks hunt Mexico and have NO probs, but several Americans and thousands of Mexican citizens have been murdered in the last year.

I've killed several grand slams and would love to hunt Goulds and Ocellated turkeys one day. But not now or soon IN Mexico.

troy

Troy, not to quibble, but when did YOU go???

The entire time we were in Mexico, we were well protected. Nuf said??

FWIW, the Mexican trips are all in areas where the violence is nil. The airports are heavily guarded, and while in transit, American hunters are provided with armed escorts. Ours had Beretta 92 pistols and M-4 rifles.

We never felt threatened.

 

[dtala]

If I had to have an armed escort to go anywhere, I'd feel threatened just because of the NEED for an armed escort. Nuf said??

The violence in Mexico has escalated rapidly over the last two years, with THOUSANDS of Mexican citizens being killed, not just those involved in the drug trade. Ya gota dig to really see what is going on because CNN ain't reporting 1/10 of what goes on.

Go to Texasbowhunter.com and read the whole(long) thread("a little heads up on Mexico") on whats going on in Mexico as it applies to American hunters.

If you feel that it is perfectly safe to go, then by all means go. I've not lost anything south of the border....

troy

 

[Tugboat1]

If I had to have an armed escort to go anywhere, I'd feel threatened just because of the NEED for an armed escort. Nuf said??

The violence in Mexico has escalated rapidly over the last two years, with THOUSANDS of Mexican citizens being killed, not just those involved in the drug trade. Ya gota dig to really see what is going on because CNN ain't reporting 1/10 of what goes on.

Go to Texasbowhunter.com and read the whole(long) thread("a little heads up on Mexico") on whats going on in Mexico as it applies to American hunters.


If you feel that it is perfectly safe to go, then by all means go. I've not lost anything south of the border....

troy

I have to agree with this. Sorta. I really enjoy Mexico and have traveled there extensively. Spent thirteen weeks there last year with eight of those driving solo top to bottom and back. I try to follow what is going on there.

Although I wouldn't hesitate to travel to Mexico tomorrow I wouldn't cross the border by car right now. The whole northern border is suspect IMO. That being said, Goulds are found in northern Mexico and that is where the lawlessness seems concentrated. Their lower range is in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit and if I were going to hunt there that is where I would look. A reputable outfitter is paramount regardless but I don't know if armed guards add or subtract to a hunting vacation. I do know I'd rather go down in a hail of gunfire south of the border than wither away in a nursing home here.

Research, follow up on referrals and do it.

 

[Nitro]

Experience always trumps unfounded opinion doesn't it.

In my experience hunting in Mexico, the risk was worth it. That includes many trips there for quail and waterfowl.

I have been hunting Turkeys since 1978 and the Gould's trip was the finest hunt of my life.

(FWIW).....

 

[trkyhntr70]

If I had to have an armed escort to go anywhere, I'd feel threatened just because of the NEED for an armed escort. Nuf said??

The violence in Mexico has escalated rapidly over the last two years, with THOUSANDS of Mexican citizens being killed, not just those involved in the drug trade. Ya gota dig to really see what is going on because CNN ain't reporting 1/10 of what goes on.

Go to Texasbowhunter.com and read the whole(long) thread("a little heads up on Mexico") on whats going on in Mexico as it applies to American hunters.

If you feel that it is perfectly safe to go, then by all means go. I've not lost anything south of the border....

troy

IMO,
There's far to many turkeys this side of all that garbage going on down there to deal with the need for armed guards to go hunting.

 

[Nitro]

I have killed plenty of them here and am broadening my horizons............one to go..

The guard was merely life insurance. Yall have any of that??

Metro Atlanta, Georgia is more dangerous than Durango,Mexico. Birmingham, AL is more dangerous than Atlanta.

Look it up.

 

[Tugboat1]

Experience always trumps unfounded opinion doesn't it.

In my experience hunting in Mexico, the risk was worth it. That includes many trips there for quail and waterfowl.

I have been hunting Turkeys since 1978 and the Gould's trip was the finest hunt of my life.

(FWIW).....

Experience is what we bring to the table. It is not unfounded opinion that the situation in Mexico has drastically changed in the past year and a half. Violence has been a whirlwind blowing strong in areas that have been normally been safe and quiet before. I think the northern border is a war zone and I hate to admit it. I wouldn't set foot in the states that comprise the northern range of the Goulds. Arizona, New Mexico seem a more prudent choice if I had to kill one.

Safety is relative.

 

[Nitro]

Here's one last opinion- the Gould's is a Mexican turkey subspecies.

The birds in AZ and NM that some outfitter is selling as Gould's are most probably just Merriams. I have done the research on hunting them in the U.S. and found not one outfitter who could prove that the birds were Goulds.

I have a "Fair" knowledge of the Merriams having killed quite a few of them. The Gould's turkey is far and above a Merriams in size and most importantly, bone structure. They are two distinctly different birds.

Besides, isn't the journey and the experience more important than the end result of a dead turkey?

I thoroughly enjoyed my Gould's trip and would encourage anyone who desires an adventure to go and experience a wonderful place.

Good luck!

 

[billy673]

YeeHah ! sounds like an adventure !
if the outfitter meets you at the airport (which i think most do) and take you to the hunting lodge then its all about hunting in the woods and mountains !!

 

[dtala]

"unfounded experience"??? US State Dept issues an travel advisory against Mexico, thousands of people murderd there, the National Guard is building up at the border, and you call it unfounded??? Defend YOUR desire to go, but lets not get irrational here...

Comparing Atlanta and Birmingham to Mexico is a jump even Evil Kenievel couldn't of made., unless Atlanta has had several thousand murders this year that the news ain't reported. Birmingham sure hasn't. Stick to facts.

troy

 

[Nitro]

troy, "Let's stick to facts"???

The fact remains, if you go back to the very first post and question-

"anybody ever been ? any tips or reccomendations would be appreciated , i hear them goulds get to be bigguns ! "

So, all your attempts to derail the thread are meaningless. My question remains- have YOU been to Mexico to hunt the Gould's? If not, then you have nothing to add.

I have sent Billy a PM with all the info he needs to have an awesome, safe adventure to MX.

 

[gotitwithmybow]

Not sure why this turned personal "dtala" is just illustrating a risk that is REAL in Mexico right now. One needs to get all the facts and make a decision for himself. Good luck to all!

 

[muckalee]

I'm in. When are we going?????

 

[oatsj]

given the current violence level in Mexico I'd stay as far from there as possible.

troy

Me too! used to live on the Texas border want no part of it. Lot of big turkeys south of San Antonio .

 

[oatsj]

troy, "Let's stick to facts"???

The fact remains, if you go back to the very first post and question-

"anybody ever been ? any tips or reccomendations would be appreciated , i hear them goulds get to be bigguns ! "

So, all your attempts to derail the thread are meaningless. My question remains- have YOU been to Mexico to hunt the Gould's? If not, then you have nothing to add.

I have sent Billy a PM with all the info he needs to have an awesome, safe adventure to MX.

Oh yes the safety