MayaMazing Turkey Hunt

HUNTING THE YUCATAN JUNGLES FOR OCELLATED TURKEY

by Bill Cooper After beating down a rugged, mountainous jungle road in a 4-wheel drive vehicle for almost two hours, elation swept over my son, Jayson Cooper, and I as Tiki lights broke into view. The headlights of the Montero illuminated a well thought out jungle wilderness camp as Ruben Encalada, our driver and General Manager of Maya Amazing Outfitters, swung the vehicle into a dirt parking space surrounded by towering Piich trees, the sprawling favorites of spider monkeys and Tarzan types. Overwhelmed by the magic of this remote place in the southern part of Campeche State, we knew we were about to enter a world of hunting like few will ever experience. We would spend the next few days hunting Ocellated turkeys much like the ancient Mayans. Jordi Gene, the owner of the outfitting service, is a big man. He has a smile to match his stature. His massive hand swallowed mine as we met outside the dining tent. “Welcome to the jungle,” he said excitedly. “Your adventure is about to begin.” Camp staff members quickly stowed our gear in an enormous, luxurious wall tent, complete with a portable air conditioner. Over-sized cots looked sufficient to handle even the largest guests. A portable shower and bathroom sat only a few meters down the hill. The dining tent and kitchen had been carefully planned and were conveniently placed 20 yards way. As toucans croaked a camp welcome, I quickly determined that I had become a resident of the most well organized wilderness camp I had ever seen. Encalada and Gene covered every aspect of the camp over a fabulous dinner. Plans for the next day’s hunt brought our day of excitement to a nervous peak. Guides Fransico “Pancho” Sambranis and Juan Carlos Lechuga introduced themselves and sported convincing smiles as Gene explained that the young guides had scouted the jungle thoroughly before our arrival and had successsfully located several pavos. Four a.m. would come early the next morning, so Jayson and I elected to turn in soon after dinner. We had endured a long day of travel. “I am so excited I don’t think I can go to sleep,” Jayson whispered. I understood, but secretly reveled in the fact that my son would share the jungle experience. Coffee, juice, cereal and muffins awaited us in the dining tent at 4:15 a.m. Jayson trembled with anticipation of the idea of being the first shooter while I filmed the adventure. Gene had fitted him with a Bennelli Black Eagle 12 gauge the night before. Our guides showed up ahead of time and already had daypacks loaded with water and snacks. Our foursome loaded into the 4-wheel drive and rumbled through the rough jungle roads for 45 minutes before pulling off onto a grown over logging road. Juan Carlos and Pancho quickly unloaded our cameras and hunting gear. Juan handed Jayson three 2 3/4-inch shells in size BB. He explained that the large shot penetrated the jungle vegetation very well. As a last tip, before heading into the foreboding darkness of the jungle, Juan instructed Jayson to shoot a turkey in the body, unlike our custom of shooting birds back home in the head and neck. Juan made an assuring gesture hat the heavy loads would do the job. Sweat soaked my back as we headed down the old logging road. I secretly envied Jayson’s new RedHead Stalker Light II camo shirt and Under Armour Lightweight Performance camo pants. Both garments whisked the profuse sweat away from his body rapidly. My much older lightweight camo proved effective, but fell far behind the performance of Jayson’s clothing. The jungle wise guides stepped off down the trail at a brisk pace. Our small headlamps became worth their weight in gold as we traipsed along behind. We had been instructed to stay within an arms length of the guides by hunt camp manager Jose Enrique Camara. Becoming lost in the jungles of the Yucatan is serious business. Miles of inhospitable jungle lay between us and the nearest improved road. Guatemala lay 50 jungle miles to the south. My line of work keeps me in reasonable physical condition even though I am 63 years old. Jayson is a cage fighting promoter and stays in superb physical shape. Any hunter thinking about venturing to the Yucatan jungles should begin a well structured exercise program long before making a trip. Our guides spent considerable time the previous evening to locate birds on relatively flat terrain. A half mile down the trail, the duo halted our advance. The unmistakeable bongo-like beginning of the ocellated turkey’s singing (gobble) rang through the dark jungle, sending a tingle of excitement down my spine. The moment at hand seemed like an impossible dream. The melodious notes reached a high pitch, which woke me from my temporary inattention, and dropped off to a series of short chops. Nervous anticipation caused me to swallow hard. I sipped my water bottle both to calm my nerves and replace the fluids I had so quickly lost. Staying hydrated is paramount to staying healthy in the jungle. Jayson chattered with excitement as the gobbler sounded off again. His first attempt to take a marvelously colored ocellated turkey rapidly approached. We quickened our pace as the guides resumed their stalk towards the bird singing well over a half mile away. As we closed the distance, Juan Carlos and Pancho stopped again to get a final fix on the bird’s location. I felt good and confident. Our guides’ expertise in the jungle had quickly become evident. Too, my concerns about traveling in the jungle had been dissipated by my extremely lightweight Under Armour boots, which cushioned my feet against the ever present rocks and downed timber. Confidence in your equipment goes a long way towards bolstering your abilities to get the job done in the jungle. The ocellated gobbler sounded off once more, less than 75 yards away, just off the left side of the faint trail. Pancho moved up for a closer look and soon slowly signaled for Jayson to quietly sneak toward him. Pancho carefully pointed to the roosting bird high in a Red Chaca tree. Jayson stared at me indicating that he wanted me to move into position to film the action. The silhouette of a large Meleagris Ocellata stood out against the rapidly fading darkness. Jayson slowly and cautiously raised the Benelli to his shoulder and waited for Pancho’s instructions to shoot.Our foursome had successfully completed a stalk on a wild ocellated jungle bird, just as the Mayans had done hundreds of years before us. The 12-gauge roared and the first ocellated turkey of the hunt tumbled to the ground. Jayson danced in the dim light while Pancho and Juan Carlos raced through the jungle to claim the hunter’s prize. Dozens of photos later, we made the long hike out, loaded our gear and headed back to camp for a splendid breakfast and siesta before heading out for the afternoon hunt. Our arrival back at camp sparked a celebratory gathering. Gene, Encalada, Hunt Manager Jose Enrique Camara, Camp Manager Alonso Puerto and the camp staff greeted us. Everyone listened as Jayson retold the story of his hunt. An incredible honor fell heavily on his shoulders when “The Legend of the Yucatan”, elderly Senor Alfrevo Lechuga shook his hand, embraced him and extended his personal congratulations for a successful hunt. During his lifetime, Lechuga earned the reputation as the greatest jaguar hunter in all of the Yucatan. Our air conditioned tent relaxed us quickly. Siestas are a very important part of a jungle hunting camp. The heat and humidity saps ones strength quickly. Paying attention to proper amounts of rest and water and food intake is absolutely necessary for staying healthy in the jungle. A variety of game birds exist in the Yucatan jungles. We spent our afternoons pursuing Crested Guans and Curassows. Our superb guides knew where each of the species lived in the dense jungles and lead us to success. Additionally, they pointed out eagles, toucans, monkeys, brocket deer and parakeets. Pancho noted an eight inch wide trail which ribboned through the jungle. My imagination flashed back to scary jungle movies of my childhood when he told us the litter free path had been created by millions of army ants during the night. Jayson filmed my hunt for a beautifully colored ocellated turkey as well. Awe overcame both of us when we observed the two inch plus needle sharp spurs on our birds. Locals have the uncanny habit of removing the spurs from ocellated birds they harvest and taping them to the legs of their fighting roosters. Despite our extensive turkey hunting experience, our pair of ocellated turkeys became our most prized turkey harvests. As side trips, Jayson bow hunted for peccary and I sat in a tower blind overlooking a water hole watching for a puma. Neither of us scored, but our respected water holes held heavy amounts of sign. We will be attempting to take those animals on our next trip. Water holes are magnets for yellow flies, which have a heavy bite, and black gnats. It would have been impossible to withstand the steady attacks from insects without my RedHead 3D Evolution Suit which doubled a a bug suit. It added minimal heat retention while keeping hordes of biting bugs at bay. A RedHead Bug Suit will definitely be in my bags for the next trip. Our grand adventure with Maya Amazing Outfitters proved the best of my life. A professional staff, well organized camp, excellent food, and above all, superb hunting, created a hunters dream come true deep in the wild jungles of the southern Yucatan. I knew as soon as I entered camp that the operation would be first class. Every direction I looked, I saw RedHead equipment, gun cases, packs, camo clothing, caps and RedHead seat covers in the Maya Amazing monster truck. And unbelievably, internet service and satellite phones gave this camp the ultimate in up to date technology. For more information about this incredible jungle hunting adventure contact: www.mayamazingoutfitters.com.

Turkey Hunters Wanted in the Yucatan

TURKEY HUNTERS WANTED IN CAMPECHE Every turkey hunter, at one time or another, has drooled over a prime piece of turkey hunting real estate and secretly wished that the “no trespassing” sings instead read: “Turkey Hunters Wanted”. Well, look no further. Campeche State, Mexico, in the Yucatan Peninsula, has tacked up the “Turkey Hunters Wanted” sign, so to speak. The Catch The catch is that there is no catch. “This is a grand opportunity for turkey hunters to play a key role in the conservation of the ocellated turkey in the state of Campeche in the Yucatan Peninsula,” said professional turkey hunter Ray Eye. “Hunters were the first conservationists and they have been responsible for massive, landscape style conservation efforts which have not only brought many animals in our country from the brink of extinction, but through professional management and improvement of habitat have brought numbers of many animals to all time population highs. Hunters accomplished these amazing feats through their dedication to our natural resources and through expenditures of hundreds of millions of their hard earned dollars for license fees, guns, ammo and myriads of hunting equipment. Turkey hunters are among the most dedicated of conservationists and Campeche needs them and their money now to insure the future of the magnificent ocellated turkey.” Limited Range Ocellated turkeys are found in a 50,000 square mile area of the Yucatan Peninsula in the states of Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatan. Birds are found in the dense jungles throughout their range where they roost in tall trees to escape predators like ocelots and jagaurundis. It is not known exactly how many ocellated turkeys remain in the wild, but as forest habitats decline, the birds feel the pressure. In the state of Campeche, the ocellated turkey has responded to plentiful food sources from agricultural crops like, corn, milo and soybeans, according to wildlife biologist Jon McRoberts of Texas Tech University. “I have witnessed flocks of up to 500 birds in fields surrounded by jungle,” he stated. Prized Birds “Any turkey hunter would consider the ocellated turkey a wonderful trophy,” said outdoor writer Steve Felgenhauer, who traveled to Campeche in February with a group of writers to hunt the birds. “They are by far the most beautiful of the turkey species. The iridescent colors of their feathers are astounding and they sport long, sharp, spurs which may reach 2.5 inches.” “Turkeys are turkeys everywhere,” commented Eye. “I have watched turkeys for countless man hours from Florida to Hawaii and ocellated birds act just like the rest of them. The thing that sets them apart from the other species, however, is their brilliant plumage and the bright blue heads with orange knots. Their gobble is called singing down here and begins about 20 minutes before daylight. It begins with a series of 6-to-7 bongo like bass tones which quickens in both cadence and volume until a crescendo is reached. The call ends with a melodious, high-pitched serious of chops. These birds are absolutely astounding in full strut.” Traditionally, ocellated turkeys have been hunted in the deep jungles where hunters shot them out of trees or simply waited in a blind until a bird walked by. Few people seem to call the birds. Known for his affinity for calling wild turkeys, Ray Eye is determined to change that situation. “While on a trip to Campeche with the author in 2011, we discovered that huge flocks of birds utilize the agricultural fields. I recorded their calls and will soon have an electronic caller (legal in Mexico) to call these birds. I am sure they will respond like their northern counterparts, making hunting them even more fun. Every serious turkey hunter should experience hunting these birds in this land of jungles and Mayan temples.” Giving the Birds Value McRoberts is conducting a three year research project on ocellated turkeys in Campeche State. The study is a cooperative effort between Texas Tech University, the National Wild Turkey Federation, conservation groups in Mexico and Jorge Sansores of Snook Inn Hunting Lodge. “This is one of the first studies of its kind,” stated McRoberts. “Not much is known about ocellated turkeys. I am trapping birds and placing radios on them. Through radio telemetry I am able to track the birds. The information which I gather will help me establish cause-specific mortality factors, survival rates, movements of birds and their habitat needs. I am also investigating peak gobbling and nesting activity.” Most studies done in the past were conducted in National Parks where the birds were accustomed to people and exhibited few qualities of wild birds. McRoberts and his colleagues believe that their three year study (2010 to 2013) of the ecology of the species will provide enough insight to allow them to make management suggestions. The information gathered from the study will allow wildlife managers to establish management plans and hunting season regulations for the ocellated turkey. McRoberts stated that Campeche needs hunters now to help conserve the ocellated turkey. “Subsistence hunting is a problem for ocellated turkeys. American hunters coming here creates a value on these birds. An established value, in the eyes of local people, will lead to conservation of this unique species. We need lots of turkey hunters to come to Campeche to spend their money hunting ocellated turkeys. It benefits rural economies by providing jobs and through the combined efforts of scientific management plans and the cooperation of local people we can insure the continuance of ocellated turkey populations in Campeche.” Getting Involved “The area around Campeche is very safe,” stated Eye. “I have not experienced a single problem in my travels in the Yucatan.” Hunters wishing to pursue the ocellated turkey may contact Jorge Manos at the Campeche Tourism Commission at jemanos@campeche.gob.mx. or Jorge Sansores at snookinnjorge@hotmail.com.

TURKEY CAMP FOOD - CAMPECHE STYLE

I have grubbed out, chowed down and generally made a pig of myself at the best of turkey hunting camps. However, my February, 2012 trip to Campeche, Mexico proved to be the home of the best turkey camp grub in the world. Jorge and Roberto Sansores and staff provided their usual camp fare, which is the closest thing to heaven when it comes to food. Stone crab,shrimp shis-ka-bobs, king mackerel, salads and fresh fruits and vegetables almost convinced our hunting party that it would be more fun to stay in camp and eat rather than hunt the beautiful ocellated turkey. http://snookinnhunting.com.mx

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TURKEY HUNTERS NEEDED

The Yucatan is home to the almost threatened ocellated turkey. The beautifully colored birds have a range of only 50,000 square miles. Large flocks exist in a few agricultural areas where the food supply is plentiful, but most birds live and are hunted deep in the dense Yucatan jungles. Hunters are needed. The Mexican government does not have sufficient funds for conservation efforts. Hunters dollars will put a value on these birds and provide

for much needed conservation projects in the land of the Maya. To support the cause of helping with conseravtion efforts for the ocellated turkey, book your hunt by contacting Jorge Sansores at snookinnjorge@hotmail.com.

EXPLORING CAMPECHE, MEXICO

Campeche, Mexico is a Spanish colonial town of about 4000,000 people on the Gulf side of the Yucatan Peninsula, two hours from Cancun on the Caribbean side. Campeche is off the beaten path and is just now being discovered by tourists. There are few white sand beaches here. Campeche, known as the walled city has a rich culture and as is steeped in proud history. The 80 mile long Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve is found here. Statutes of past heroes and beautiful parks adorn the friendly, laid back city. A fort overlooking the bay still stands as it did hundred s of years ago. Remnants of the 8-foot thick rock wall, which once encircled the city to keep pirates out compliments the narrow streets and colorful store fronts. Deeply religious and heavily family oriented, the people of Campeche are wonderful. Nine Cathedrals adorn the city, each unique. Orchestras often play in Camepeche Square. Fabulous restaurants, open air markets, street vendors, a fish market, near Maya ruins, great hunting, fishing and exploring opportunities and a splendid, linear ocean front park make Campeche, Mexico one of my favorite places on earth.

GIANT SMALLMOUTH OF THE QUETICO WILDERNESS

written by Bill Cooper

Over 1,000,000 acres of pristine wilderness, filled with hundreds of lakes full of giant smallmouth bass, await the adventurous angler in Canada's Quetico Provincial Park, just across the US border from the Superior National Forest.

Paddling at least one day away from the entry point puts anglers into the best fishing in Quetico. The scenery along the way is spectacular.
In fishing circles, the very mention of Canada conjures up images of vast reaches of wild country where people are few and fish are plentiful. Many anglers have the notion that one must venture to the far reaches of Canada to enjoy world class fishing. Not so for smallmouth. Some of the best smallmouth bass fishing on the planet exists in the Quetico Provincial Park on the northern US border.

Created in 1913 by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Quetico is a world class preserve. One legend says the word "Quetico" was borrowed from a Cree term describing a benevolent spirit, whose presence was felt strongly in places of great beauty. The meaning is a perfect fit for Quetico.

The Quetico Wilderness remained roadless until 1954, when one road was built into Dawson Trail Campground. All other entry points into the Quetico area are by water routes. The only travel routes in the interior of the park are portage trails established long ago by Native Americans.

Several species of fish may be caught in the Quetico region, including walleye, lake trout, Northern pike, crappie, perch, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass have become the center of attention among anglers since the introduction of the species in the 1960's.


Giant Quetico smallmouth fall to a variety of lures including Flukes, spinnerbaits, Chompers, jerkbaits and crankbaits. This behemoth took a Woodchopper.
Friends Justin and Greg Richardson joined me for a five-day smallmouth fishing adventure into the bowels of Quetico. Both are avid smallmouth fishermen and canoers, but neither could realize what lay ahead.

Williams and Hall Outfitters (www.williamsandhall.com) hauled our gear and canoes from their lodge on Moose Lake, by boat, to the Prairie Portage entry point, where we cleared Canadian Customs. Williams and Hall have almost 30 years of outfitting experience. Blayne Hall mapped our route and wrote notes on our maps where the best smallmouth fishing could be found.

The magic of wild Canada enveloped us immediately. The remote Ranger Station at Prairie Portage quickly faded away to the strokes of our paddles as our party headed northwest out of Inlet Bay. We could have spent a day paddling up Moose Lake to the border crossing, but our anxieties to begin catching big smallmouth overruled excess paddling.

Clear, blue skies and hefty waves met us as we entered Bayley Bay on the eastern end of Basswood Lake. Determined to put miles between us and the entry point, we resisted the temptation to stop and fish. The broad expanse of Bayley Bay fell quickly to our paddles. Soon we approached our first portage at Burke Lake. We had selected this northern route to quickly remove us from Basswood Lake, one of the busiest in the entire Quetico Area. Having done our homework, we knew that only two parties per day were allowed to travel the route we had selected.

We held our rods until we reached the upper, narrow passage of Burke Lake. We soon began landing smallmouth bass in the 3-pound range. "This is incredible fishing; the best smallmouth I have ever caught" Greg Richardson said. I casually informed him that much better fish lay ahead.

Resisting the urge to linger, I began paddling towards the next portage, which would put us into North Bay of Basswood Lake. Our planned goal was to reach Lost Bay, a small lake off the northwest corner of Basswood.


Portages are an ever present part of canoeing and fishing the Quetico Wilderness. Some portages are over a mile in length.
Rocky shorelines became more than I could stand. I had to start fishing. I tossed spinnerbaits and skirted grubs to likely looking spots. The bite started slow. The wind picked up sharply making it difficult to hold the canoe. I switched to a pearl-colored Fluke and tossed it as the canoe drifted. Smallmouth attacked it with a vengeance. I marked the spot on my map.

Greg and Justin had paddled ahead, anxious to get a comfortable camp established. Greg served as camp boss. A division of labor paid off handsomely. Camp set-up proved a cinch.

The Richardson duo elected to explore Lost Bay. I paddled back two miles to pick up where I had left off, in spite of the wind blowing down North Bay.

I worked the leeward side of two islands to avoid the wind as much as possible. Strikes came at every cast of the Fluke. Smallmouth hid in the crevices between boulders, darting upwards to inhale the foundering Fluke. A slight twitch to make the bait dart and dive like a wounded minnow was all it took to entice strikes.

Clouds rolled in and dusk approached. I had to hug the western bank to paddle into a strong headwind. I lost ground every time I paused to cast. However, the extra paddling proved worth the effort. Smallmouth in the 3-to-4-pound range raced to the top of the whitecaps to snatch the Fluke.

A welcome break from the wind came when I turned the canoe into the western passage leading to Lost Bay. My partners had a cozy campfire going when I pulled ashore. Their excited voices crackled as they began telling their stories of the big smallmouth they had landed.

Rain began falling by the time we finished dinner. A steady downpour greeted us at dawn the next morning as well. We spent the next day and a half rushing out to fish during breaks in the weather. We were never disappointed in our catch, however.


Justin Richardson poses with a pair of Quetico smallmouth: a five- and six-pounder.
The third day out produced the largest fish of the trip. All three of us kept our two biggest fish of the afternoon for photos. The legal limit is two fish per person per day to be used for meals. After photos, we released our smallmouth to fight another day. Of the six fish, none went under four pounds. Justin caught the largest smallmouth, a behemoth 27-inch fish. We estimated the brusier to weigh between 7 and 8 pounds.

"I never knew smallmouth got that big," Justin said of his once in a lifetime trophy. "The Quetico area is an amazing fishery. Every smallmouth fisherman needs to make at least one trip here," he added.

We kept thinking the fishing would slow, but smallmouth clobbered our baits everywhere we traveled. Flukes produced the majority of our fish, but other productive baits included Chompers, spinnerbaits, Rattlin' Rogues, Sammy's, Pop-R's, Wood Choppers, Spit'n Images, Wiggle Warts and spoons.

Blayne Hall recommends planning a fishing trip to Quetico during the spawn. "That can occur anytime between the last week of May to the second week of June," he said. "It all depends on water temperature, with 60 degrees being the magical number.

I have fished Quetico twice during the second week of June and experienced tremendous success. One advantage of fishing the spawn is being able to sight fish. I like using a fly rod during this time. Muddler Minnows, Clouser Minnows and streamers all produce fish.

Paddling out of Quetico on the last day of our trip cast a melancholy mood over our trio. We all wanted the adventure to last forever. "I will remember this trip for the rest of my life," Greg stated, "especially the bear scare."

"Ah, get over it, Greg," I remarked. "It was only a charred, black stump."

Planning a trip to Quetico Provincial Park may prove daunting to first timers. Utilizing the services of an outfitter is wise. Contact the Ely, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce for a list of outfitters. Or, if you want to begin planning your own trip, contact the permit reservation office at 888-668-7275. Permits may be acquired up to five months in advance. To acquire the route you want into Quetico, plan early. Only a limited number of people are allowed into the area each day.

If solitude, the rigors of wilderness canoe travel, incredible scenic beauty and big smallmouth bass appeal to you, the Quetico Provincial Park is a must for your destination list. Your paddle whispers. Your canoe glides.

TEAL HUNTING THE YUCATAN

Teal Hunting the Yucatan
Bill Cooper for ADVENTURE SPORTS OUTDOORS

“Patos, Patos, Patos,” my Mayan Indian guide whispered in my ear. I had seen the streaking blue-winged teal. They darted and screamed through the mangrove swamps from every direction. The only reason I wasn’t shooting was because two other Mayan guides were still tossing out decoys.
I’ve had a lifelong dream of duck hunting in the Yucatan of Mexico. Stories of bountiful ducks and fabulous shooting opportunities graced the pages of major outdoor magazines and teased my adventurous senses for decades.
After surfing the internet for weeks, I settled on Yucatan’s Adventour Sisal Lodge. Owner Pedro Peon quickly invited me down to sample the teal hunting action. Every few days he e-mailed photos of his hunting adventures, tempting me to come down. I quickly made reservations.
Aramando Perez, the Public Relations Director, and Pedro met me at the airport in Merida, Mexico at 9 p.m. We had hearty introductions and Aramando whisked me off in the lodge van to the fishing village of Sisal an hour away. Aramando proved to be an encyclopedia of information filling me in on the history and culture of the area as well as providing up-to-date duck hunting information.
We bounced through the tiny village of Sisal, broke out of the edge of town and turned down a dirt lane lined with palm trees. A quarter mile down the lane we broke into the open. There sat the charming Sisal lodge among the trees and flowering shrubs. I could hear the ocean waves crashing on the beach just behind the lodge.
Aramando helped me with my bags. I immediately fell in love with a charming bedroom. Just outside the window lay an inviting pool with jungles just beyond it. Out my back door an inviting veranda complete with a hammock framed a beautiful view of the ocean. Sisal lodge had to be a piece of heaven.
My bags had no more than hit the floor when a tall, dark, handsome gentleman in a white coat came out of the kitchen with a martini and a fresh platter of prepared seafood. Aramando and I feasted and made plans for the next morning’s teal hunt.
Voices softly called my name. The big red numbers on the clock read 3:30 a. m. I immediately thought everyone was anxious to talk some more. Indeed, we chatted, laughed and became closer friends over a quick breakfast of fresh fruits and coffee.
Aramando and two local Mayan guides hustled around a mountain of duck hunting equipment. The trio had the gear stashed in a four wheel drive pickup in short order. They chattered in Spanish and seemed to be discussing which spot we would hunt that morning. A wildlife area, much like our conservation areas lay just outside the edge of town. It consisted of many thousands of acres of vast mangrove swamps and lagoons. My trio of guides finally settled on a very good hunting spot 27 miles down the beach and through the jungles. The ride to the area became an adventure in and of itself. Four wheeling enthusiasts would love the fast drive down the beach and over the sand dunes and out through the jungles.
On arrival to our destination the guides unloaded two 10-foot john boats. No motors are allowed in the wildlife area. I immediately thought we would be hunting very close to the truck. However, the guides sported long mangrove poles which they used to propel the boats. The experienced boatmen poled the small boats about two miles into the jungle. The ride was incredible. Bird life abounded and I truly felt that I was on a great adventure.
My guide and I quickly shoved our boat into a clump of mangroves while the other two tossed out decoys. Teal were already flying. “Patos, patos, patos,” my guide kept repeating. “Twelve or twenty?” he asked. I nodded and he handed me a 12-gauge camouflaged Benelli, every duck hunters dream.
As I stuffed shells into the magazine, the order came, “Senor, shoot the patos!” And the fun began.
I have hunted waterfowl for 40 years and I have never witnessed anything like what I experienced that morning. Thousands of teal buzzed and darted and dived through the lagoons. Shots came too quickly to respond to most of them. But, there was no shortage of shooting opportunities.
“Tuk,tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk”, the guide called on a wooden call. The calls sounded very different from the whistles we use in the U.S. for teal, but worked very well as teal continued to steam into our decoy set. The shooting continued to be phenomenal, satisfying my grandest dreams about duck hunting in the Yucatan.
Thousands of flamingos coursed their way across the lagoons headed to feeding grounds. One of the guides indicated he knew where many of the flamingos liked to feed just a few hundred yards away. He generously poled the boat near that location to allow me to photograph the gorgeous birds. Watching the bird life in the jungles provided as much enjoyment as the duck hunting.
We returned to the lodge for a sumptuous lunch and a much needed siesta. Aramando and I toured the fishing village and surrounding area during the afternoon and returned to the lodge for dinner. The cook had prepared our teal by taking the marinated breasts, placing a hot pepper and cream cheese inside, wrapping them in bacon and grilling them slowly over an open fire. That teal recipe is the finest I have ever eaten.
I spent the next morning hunting with Pedro Peon and his two sons. We laughed and enjoyed one another’s company. Duck hunters seem to be the same everywhere.
Pedro had mad arrangement s for me to present a duck hunting seminar for the Mexican government during my visit to Sisal. They were hosting their first ever “Fins and Feathers Fair” to raise awareness about conservation issues among the general public. Pedro served as my interpreter. The program was very well received with lots of questions after the presentation.
The Mayan people are very warm and friendly and my duck hunting adventure to the Yucatan far exceeded my expectations. Pedro Peon and his staff at Sisal Lodge are superb. And they know how to get the ducks. You can find them on the web at www.yucatanadventour.com
Teal hunting across the Yucatan is at its best in March as the birds are migrating back north. I hunted in February and had more shooting opportunity than at any other time in my life.
A light set of camo heavy with green colors works well in the mangrove jungles. An extra shirt or light jacket will keep you comfortable in the early morning hours. Temperatures feel to the low sixties during my hunt. It felt great to me, but the locals were freezing.
The guides worked hard to keep me dry, pushing the boat all the way to the shore each time we landed. They stripped to their bare feet for the process. I wore a pair of RedHead, waterproof, calf-height work boots, which worked perfectly for the shallow water areas.
Some type of insect repellant is necessary to keep mosquitoes at bay. Your guide may provide spray, but bringing your own is a sure preventative.
Lodges will provide guns and ammo. You may bring your own shotgun into Mexico for a $150 fee. And you are only allowed to bring two boxes of shotgun shells across the border. Do not break that rule. It can be very expensive.
If you are a fanatic teal hunter in the United States, you owe it to yourself to visit the Yucatan during teal season. It is a teal hunter’s dream come true.
There are several duck hunting lodges in the Yucatan. Simply Google “teal hunting in the Yucatan” and you will find several listed.
Last tip – shoot a lot of sporting clays before you to the Yucatan!