Rio Hunters

[oklongbeard]

Any Rio hunters seeing less birds this year?? Or is it just me?

[River Ramblin' Man]

Not here. I saw more birds on youth weekend than I have in the last few years combined. Definitely weren't vocal last weekend, but still saw one longbeard. Which is more than usual.

[oklongbeard]

Were also in two different ends of the state. I'm in the SW and we have been in SEVERE drought plus fires. So I could see where you in the NE part of the state would be seeing good numbers of birds.

[River Ramblin' Man]

Every turkey I've killed, except for one, has been in the SW part of the state. Right around the Mangum area. We always see a TON of birds while down there.

Sorry to hear that the droughts puttin a hurtin on you guys. Have the numbers dropped pretty good? Maybe some rain coming your way this weekend.

[oklongbeard]

Yal were effected by the drought more than we were. So it must have been the fires. Glad someone is seeing some turkeys.

[River Ramblin' Man]

Well I can say that there has been a lot of fires in my area. There's more burned off areas this year than I've seen in years past. I assumed that they were the result of controlled burns, since they're pretty usual in that area. Maybe they weren't though.

There's no sign of drought here anymore, thankfully. I couldn't even bowfish over spring break because of high water levels. Couldn't even get a boat in the water.

[oklongbeard]

Sorry to tell you bud but Mangum is still in a BAD drought. Despite all the rains that area is really low. I just checked the lake levels for that area and Altus-Lugert is 26 feet below normal levels (close to Magnum) and Lake Tom Steed is 5 feet below normal. Right now they are getting hammered with rain and tornado is east of it close to Saddle Mountain.

But I'm assuming that since your a place where its wet that your hunting the north fork of the red or somewhere close that is capable of getting the backwater from there. If you are those are excellent turkey areas. Happy Hunting!!

[River Ramblin' Man]

Whoops, I'm hunting in NE OK. I meant that all my turkeys have been killed down by Mangum on trips we've taken to a friend's property. I should have been more clear about that. I haven't been down that way in 2 years. I was talking about the weather up here. Definitely no sign of drought. Everything's green as could be and gotta be careful not to get stuck.

I was getting kinda confused there for a little while

[oklongbeard]

lol i was about to say lol

[duckmander]

we are usually seeing several birds on our routes. driving 1200 miles per week. and so far I have seen 9 one day and prolly 20 another day and 1 on another day. usually by now we have seen 100 or more.

I am also noticing that the birds are not where they uaually are. they are moving.