Merriam's first timers
 

Some friendsare headed to Tripp County to hunt the end of April. Any additional tips or tricks would be appreciated! What I have learned for them so far:
1) Quite a few hybrids so they'll have for a white bird
2)Birds cover a longdistance
3) Head em off at the pass
4) They like the open
5) They have a strong roost affinity
6) Make sure to bring a box call

Anything else???

RE: Merriam's first timers
 

From my experience with them if you can hear them gobble be careful b/c he is getting pretty close. I have hunted easterns and they rattle the woods, it was an adjustment that I had to make when I went.

RE: Merriam's first timers
 

The one thing I have not heard about - how are these birds with decoys? How about a dominate bird decoy like b-mobile?

RE: Merriam's first timers
 

If the time is right then b mobile with a jake fan is the ticket.

RE: Merriam's first timers
 

5) They have a strong roost affinity

I can attest to that. In Colorado a few years back my buddy and me found some roost trees that had droppings about six inces deep and about six feet in diameter. Here is one of the trees.

RE: Merriam's first timers
 

Never used a Bmobile type decoy but have had them knock my jake decoy down more times than I can count. They will come strutting right to a hen decoy.

RE: Merriam's first timers
 

I have seen many such roost trees in Colorado, they almost always come back to the same tree, even if heavy hunting pressure exists, maybe not every day but they will come back even if spooked in that area.