Great looking bird!! One day I will try for a Merriam's.View attachment 9262my first idaho Turkey 9" beard, 1 3/8" spurs. Tons of fun definitely hooked.
Nice pics Montana!! Working on #2 here. We have had a bunch of birds here but they seem to be running a little late this year.Well... 18th bird was a charm. We have a ton of turkeys this year but couldn't close the deal on a mature bird until this weekend.
BOHNTR, that's an Eastern, correct? Wasn't expecting to see Easterns in CA.
It's a Merriam. We also have some Rio's in certain portions of the state. No Eastern's out here.BOHNTR, that's an Eastern, correct? Wasn't expecting to see Easterns in CA.
Nice TurkeyView attachment 9323
Turkey #2 this year, 22#, 9 in beard, 1 in spurs. Shot at 12 yards out the back window of blind and only went a couple yards then piled up. Even with 25 mph winds and gusts to 40 mph today pays to scout and know where they roost.
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Sure looks like an eastern to me, but I don't claim to be an expert.BOHNTR, that's an Eastern, correct? Wasn't expecting to see Easterns in CA.
Nice bird! I'm headed to NW Nebraska to chase some Merriams for the first time. Shot two hybrids in SE Nebraska a couple weeks ago but haven't hunted since. Wanted to save a tag for a chance at a Merriams.Shot my last Missouri bird yesterday morning. Roosted the birds the night before, but miscalculated a little on where they went up, and ended up kicking 5 hens of the roost. Was pretty bummed about that, but a bird down from us was pretty fired up, so we sat down in our intended spot. As it started getting daylight, we heard birds drumming, and finally a gobble right behind us! As it got light, we could start to see one of the two toms gobbling, probably no more than 40 yards from us.
A tom and 3 hens flew down, over our heads, and landed about 60 yards out. The rest of the flock flew off about 150 yards or so. The tom messed around for about an hour or so, as it became clear he wasn't going to commit. He was about 75 yards out, when he put a brush pile between us. I belly crawled out to the brush pile, and wacked him from about 40 yards, thus ending me and my partners Missouri and Kansas turkey seasons.
To go to Nebraska now, or not. I'm thinking the Mrs. would prefer not, even though I only hunted 8 days so far this year.
View attachment 9406