salukipv1

Really want a Rio or Merriam's, I hear Nebraska has hybrids?

Of these 3 states which in your opinion has the best turkey hunting? public land opportunity? looking to go next year...would prefer a pure bred.....but would be open to nebraska/hybrids, not sure if this mean some are hybrids....or most? or both co-exist in same areas?

So the main question is which state has the best turkey hunting? then considering public land turkey hunting which? may be doing a DIY turkey hunt, though may consider paying a trespass fee for some private land, and who knows maybe even going guided.

drakeb3

If you are looking for merriams i would defintly go to south dakota. I jus got back from nebraska and kansas, we killed hybrids in both states! South dakota has a lot of public land in the black hills!

salukipv1

did you DIY public land? private land? guided?

I'd ideally like a pure merriam's or pure Rio, just wasn't certain what they mean by hybrid either....? Really I just want to take a mature tom regardless, I don't want to hunt for days and days and not see, not hear, not have an opportunity...at least to be in some action close would be nice.

drakeb3

We got drawn to hunt a DIY hunt on an indian reservation in nebraska, and in kansas it was all DIY on public ground!

mez

South Dakota if you want a pure Merriam. You can do a DIY hunt in the Black Hills, I think there is about 1.5million acres of public ground. Tons of turkeys and is a reasonable hunt. Tags are unlimited and it is beautiful this time of year. If you are looking for the DIY route SD is the way to go.

mconwa951

I was in the black hills last weekend for the opener and it was a blizzard there. However we filled both our tags by noon on day two. Tons of turkeys and of the 100 square mile black hills national forest 80% of it is public. Best turkey hunting I have ever had but you have to get off the road a ways alot of guys just drove and tried to find them with no luck at all. Climb the hills and look for medows. Google earth helps with some of that type of scouting. However the meriams I have taken out there in the last 2 years have all had a more of a creamy tail than a pure white so I don't know if there is some hybrid to that or not I am not a biologist.

Good luck,
MC

Also if any one knows of a good place with public land to hunt rios I am really looking hard to junt them next year.