I live and hunt in Louisiana, so I'm hunting Easterns. I usually kill my two bird limit every season but it's not always easy. I went to Texas last spring for the first time. I killed a couple of Rio's with relatively ease. I have never hunted the other sub-species, but the Rio's were much easier to hunt than Easterns. Of course there were more turkeys around than I'm used to, so this probably had something to do with it.

Rio's are easier.Easterns are the toughest.That ought to fan the flames,but is still my opinion.[8D]

Tuffness to kill is directly related to pressure applied. Eastens are considered the tuffest to kill simply because they inhibit the part of the country with the highest hunter density and therefore the most pressure applied.whereas merriams & rios see less hunting pressure and can be easier to deal with. But like the eastern, if they get hunted hard, they can b just as difficult.

I've taken Easterns,Osceolas,and Merriams, and the Merriams have been the easiest to take.But like turk2di has stated,I think the Merriams are easier just becase of the lack of hunting pressure where we hunt them.

Paintbrush , wait till you give them ol Loud mouth Rio's a going over , your mind will change

Rio - number 1 on the easy chart
Merriams - number 2 on the chart
Osceola- Number 3 on the chart
Easterns - number 4 on the chart

then I find Osceola's and Easterns near the same...BT

Adrian; I'm setting up a trip to Texas this spring to try for one of them Rio's.Cann't wait to see if your right about them being the easiest.

WOOO...glad to hear that info on Osceola's, being here in Florida...although I still assume they're pretty tough to bag....

Rios - easiest
Merriams - 2nd easiest
Osceolas - 2nd hardest
Easterns - hardest

Hal

easterns are definately the smartest by far. i dont know what sub-species i ran into on a deer hunt in iowa but i could have clubbed them over the head if i wanted to. that doesnt happen in PA

Personally, I don't think there is an "easy" turkey!! Make a move at the wrong time and say Bye-Bye turkey!! They all still have exceptional eye sight, and incredible reflexes as well. Easy turkey? I guessI don't get the easy part? Never hunted Osceola'sor Merriams before, but the Rio and many easterns I took always made me look silly ifI made a blunder!!