GOULD’S TURKEY SURVEY
Huachuca Mountains, Canelo Hills, Patagonia Mountains,
and Santa Rita Mountains
Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Pima Counties, Arizona
April 8th through April 10th, 2016
What: Volunteers from the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter assisted the Arizona Game and Fish Department with its annual Gould’s Turkey survey in southeastern Arizona.
When: April 8th through April 10th, 2016.
Where: Huachuca Mountains, Canelo Hills, Patagonia Mountains, and Santa Rita Mountains in southeastern Arizona
General Information: For another year, the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation assisted the Arizona Game and Fish Department with turkey surveys in the Huachuca Mountains and Canelo Hills of southeastern Arizona. Routes were run in the nearby Patagonia and Santa Rita Mountains this year as well. Results are used to determine population sizes, recruitment rates and future hunt permit numbers for Gould’s Turkeys in Department Units 35A, 35B, and 34A.
The Chapter established Base Camp near Parker Canyon Lake for the 3-day survey. After long hours in the field, the busy camp crew provided a hearty dinner on Saturday evening for the surveyors. Plenty of chimichangas, frijoles, rice, and salad were for the taking. Oh, and what desserts! There were 3 kinds of Dutch oven cobblers, a chocolate cake with white icing, and a double batch of brownies.
Early Sunday morning, many of the surveyors were out again. Those staying in Base Camp were treated to turkeys coming off a nearby roost just before sunrise. An encore symphony of gobbling Toms followed!
About 35 surveyors worked out of the base camp this year. Most were representatives from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter. Several private landowners participated, also. Other cooperators included The Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, and the U.S. Border Patrol. A few permit holders for the upcoming Gould’s hunt learned more about the locations of birds as well.
Brittany Oleson, Wildlife Manager for Units 35A and 35B, has provided a summary of the survey results. This year, 258 Gould’s Turkeys were counted on 30 routes in Units 35A and 35b. For 35A (24 routes), 63 Toms, 88 Hens, 50 Jakes, and 22 unknowns were tallied. In 35B (6 routes), the totals were 5 Toms, 29 Hens, and 1 Jake. In nearby Unit 34A (Santa Rita Mountains) 26 Toms, 57 Hens, and 17 Jakes were observed on 7 routes. The number of birds seen may increase as data from more routes is available.
Thanks go to Brittany Oleson (Arizona Game and Fish Department) and John Millican (Huachuca Gould’s Chapter) for organizing the survey.
Special thanks go to Dave Kemnitz, Wayne Kaiser, Joey Fuller, Tom Fuller, Bob Pourier, and Dave Inman for preparing and serving the evening meal and setting up base camp. They were assisted by John Millican and Tom Deecken. All are active members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter.
And thanks go to all the surveyors and cooperators.
Good luck in the upcoming turkey hunts!
When: April 8th through April 10th, 2016.
Where: Huachuca Mountains, Canelo Hills, Patagonia Mountains, and Santa Rita Mountains in southeastern Arizona
General Information: For another year, the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation assisted the Arizona Game and Fish Department with turkey surveys in the Huachuca Mountains and Canelo Hills of southeastern Arizona. Routes were run in the nearby Patagonia and Santa Rita Mountains this year as well. Results are used to determine population sizes, recruitment rates and future hunt permit numbers for Gould’s Turkeys in Department Units 35A, 35B, and 34A.
The Chapter established Base Camp near Parker Canyon Lake for the 3-day survey. After long hours in the field, the busy camp crew provided a hearty dinner on Saturday evening for the surveyors. Plenty of chimichangas, frijoles, rice, and salad were for the taking. Oh, and what desserts! There were 3 kinds of Dutch oven cobblers, a chocolate cake with white icing, and a double batch of brownies.
Early Sunday morning, many of the surveyors were out again. Those staying in Base Camp were treated to turkeys coming off a nearby roost just before sunrise. An encore symphony of gobbling Toms followed!
About 35 surveyors worked out of the base camp this year. Most were representatives from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter. Several private landowners participated, also. Other cooperators included The Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, and the U.S. Border Patrol. A few permit holders for the upcoming Gould’s hunt learned more about the locations of birds as well.
Brittany Oleson, Wildlife Manager for Units 35A and 35B, has provided a summary of the survey results. This year, 258 Gould’s Turkeys were counted on 30 routes in Units 35A and 35b. For 35A (24 routes), 63 Toms, 88 Hens, 50 Jakes, and 22 unknowns were tallied. In 35B (6 routes), the totals were 5 Toms, 29 Hens, and 1 Jake. In nearby Unit 34A (Santa Rita Mountains) 26 Toms, 57 Hens, and 17 Jakes were observed on 7 routes. The number of birds seen may increase as data from more routes is available.
Thanks go to Brittany Oleson (Arizona Game and Fish Department) and John Millican (Huachuca Gould’s Chapter) for organizing the survey.
Special thanks go to Dave Kemnitz, Wayne Kaiser, Joey Fuller, Tom Fuller, Bob Pourier, and Dave Inman for preparing and serving the evening meal and setting up base camp. They were assisted by John Millican and Tom Deecken. All are active members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter.
And thanks go to all the surveyors and cooperators.
Good luck in the upcoming turkey hunts!
001 The quarry- A Gould’s Turkey gobbler struts his stuff west of Fort Huachuca.
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002 This is the place- A portion of the survey area as seen looking west from Montezuma Pass at the south end of the Huachuca Mountains.
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003 The upper Bear Creek route- This watering trough made from a jet engine storage compartment provides water for wildlife in upper Bear Creek of the Huachuca Mountains.
005 Checking the Van Horn Exclosure- Every year while surveys are run, past Huachuca Gould’s Chapter wildlife projects are inspected. The water gap was still up at Van Horn Exclosure near Wakefield Camp in Bear Creek. Turkey feathers and droppings were observed in and around this livestock exclosure.
007 How many did you see?- Surveyors compare their results back in Base Camp on Saturday afternoon
009 The chow line forms- The “come and get it” call fills up the dining tent quickly Saturday evening. Serving up the fine cuisine are (left to right) Wayne Kaiser, Bob Pourier, and Dave Inman.
011 Head for home- Dave Inman, Tom Fuller, Wayne Kaiser, and Dave Kemnitz (left to right) break down camp Sunday morning. Expert supervision was available on site!
013 End of day- Those heading home to Sierra Vista through Montezuma Pass were treated to this view of Coronado National Memorial and the upper San Pedro River. San Jose Peak, Sonora, Mexico is seen in the right portion of the horizon.
As always, I get the last word in....
I like to take this opportunity and publicly thank Tom Deecken for his photography skills, knowledge of the Forest, land locations, plants, animals, and his down right "Good Hearted stories", for without him, all of these great pictures would just be pictures then we would wonder where they are, Tom makes each and everyone come to life as if we had been there before and wondered how it would look like if I could visit that place again... Thank You Tom! |
004 Plenty of water this year- Running water was present in much of Bear Creek within the Miller Peak Wilderness. The majority of birds seen this year in the Bear Creek drainage were around the Wakefield Camp area about a mile to the west.
006 Shading up in Base Camp- Most of the surveyors had returned to Base Camp by the middle of Saturday afternoon. Base Camp again this year was a little west of Parker Canyon Lake and just off of Highway 83.
008 Dinner in the making- Tom Fuller in his colorful master chef apron warms up the rice and frijoles for dinner.
010 Campfire Tales- A few gather around the barrel fire Saturday evening to exchange survey results and hunting stories
012 Roadside Spectator- With the warming weather, this Gopher Snake was observed along the road heading east toward Montezuma Pass
014 See You Next Year- Good luck on the upcoming hunts!
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