by Karen Mehall Philips - Thursday, April 10, 2014
After checking a Florida Osceola and an Alabama Eastern gobbler off his list, NRAPresident Jim Porter and NRA photographer Forrest MacCormack headed straight for the Lonestar State and turkey subspecies No. 3: the Rio Grande. With populations of these birds at an all-time high, the vast Texas countryside comes alive as gobblers sound off, challenging hunters to answer the call.
This hunt took place at friend Jody Payne’s 3,000-acre ranch in Pearsall, Texas. After a setup in the first blind didn’t pan out, Porter struck gold on March 19 in blind No. 2, dropping a double-bearded tom with 8- and 10-inch beards that sported 1.25-inch spurs and weighed in at 20 pounds. With three subspecies down, there is only one remaining—the Merriam’s. I’ll be joining Porter next week in New Mexico as he closes in on his prestigious grand slam. Stay tuned!
