April 1, I am headed to San Antonio Texas to visit some family members and then I will be hunting Rios in Medina County. Does anyone hunt Rios in this area? how's the bird population? Hopefully I can get a bird the first day then we will go after pigs and coyotes. The guys I will be with do not hunt turkeys so I will need to figure these birds out on my own.

Not sure where that is, but my uncle had a ranch west of San Antonio and I went “to see if he had any that he could start offering hunts.”
My first afternoon I killed a bird. Granted I had almost walked half the ranch before I struck one, but Rio’s gobble just to hear themselves gobble. I killed another bird the next morning and was cut off after that, lol.
If there’s birds there, you’ll hear them and kill them. Love hunting Rios, then Merriam’s, then Eastern’s, and then Osceola’s and thats ranked in order from the easiest to the hardest in my opinion.

I have taken a lot of Eastern's here in PA and in Md. Last year I got my Osceola so for my slam I need the Rio and the Merriam. So I assume the same tactics I use here in Pa for Eastern birds will work for Rios in Texas? Thanks for your info.

Yeah, and no, lol.
If you have a higher pitched call, take it with you.
Coyote howler will make them gobble on the roost and during the day.
Don’t chase them cause you won’t catch them.
Unlike our Eastern’s here, they’ll gobble before the first hint of light.
They generally hit the ground with somewhere on their mind and they try to get to that spot as fast as they can.
If you’ve never heard them gobble, just go with it’s a gobbler and not a jake. Their gobble sounds like a yodel to me, lol.
I mentioned a higher pitched call, for me I get better responses out of a glass call I had made specifically with a higher pitch more than a raspy pitch. Rios and Merriam’s just respond to that call better for me.
Rio and Merriam hens tend to be more vocal and social as well and that can work to your advantage.
Spend a day scouting and learning the property, then hunt. Of course if you strike one, work him and kill him.
Take optics. Guessing you’re in the Hill Country, so you’ll be able to do some glassing.
Good luck and can’t wait to see some pics!!

Oh yeah, unlike here, you’ll be able to hear birds miles away. Have a good pair of leather broke in boots. I’d take leather gloves as well. Everything out there pokes you.

Thank you for the info. I just hope my snake boots fit in my suitcase. Lol

Wear them through the airport, lol. Or stuff them in a a backpack and count that as your carry on bag.

… I hunted deer over in that country one year then didn’t go back…. felt weird not having any trees to get up in and the deer were stupid …. Did shoot some turkey out of the truck window with a 22 mag

… my recommendation is to have some cold beer for the drive in between flocks and ride with your gun crown down in the floorboard… you can get it out the window easier thataway

I spent a couple of days on mule back in that area. I did not see any turkeys or hogs, but a bunch of exotic game inside and outside of high fence ranches. Not saying turkeys are not there, just did not see any or signs of any. Coons, coyotes, fire ants and bobcats have taken their toll on anything that nests on the ground.

Lots of turkey in Medina County.
The northern half of the county is hill country, the southern half below HWY 90 is pretty much south Texas brush country. Still lots of turkey in both north and south.

In the north, the turkeys roost in oak mottes in valleys. In the south, they are usually roosting along the taller trees along the creeks. Look for live oaks.
Can call them in easily, my buddies there do it all the time. You can call them in, they are always pretty active around Easter. Jakes going nuts now there.

Tell those guys to turn the corn feeder on now, and use it as a last resort.

Oh, the same tactics that we use in PA. Glad I dont have to change anything..lol