salukipv1

So I'm behind schedule on my turkey slam quest, to date have only taken an eastern. Next on my list is a merriam's and/or a Rio. Looking for pure strains only, no hybrids.

Thought about trying a DIY Rio in KS, or perhaps trying to go with an outfitter, really I'm unsure, cheaper the better these days...

Hunt out west annually for the last few years on DIY hunts etc...MT, WY, perhaps CO, but unsure about a fall DIY turkey hunt in one of these states? Did notice CO has both Rio's out east, and Merriam's in the mountains. Also if I'm out west in the fall for an elk hunt, I think I'd rather focus fully on an elk than a turkey, less I killed early and had time to spare, but also fall turkey seems much tougher.

I could possibly try trading a eastern turkey hunt for a merriam's or rio not sure someone will take me up on that trade though.

What are your thoughts/advice for hopefully taking a rio or merriams this spring? or perhaps in the fall while out west for another specie such as elk etc...?

This past fall while out west on a DIY elk hunt I mentioned some guys are charging $1000 to hunt a turkey for a 3day guided hunt etc....and the local looked at me like I was crazy...

I'm near Chicago,IL, so my own research suggests KS is the closest Rio state...
Merriam's would probably be south dakota, perhaps flying to CO would be cheaper than driving etc...perhaps on a spring vacation I can tack on a turkey hunt, though I have no current plans to visit CO this spring, but I do occasionally visit CO.

Really just want to get 1 of these checked off before the years fly by, my plan was to take a new sub-specie every 3 years...currently I'm already 1 year behind on that 1st sub-specie.

JoeA

If you're after a slam (I wanna do it too) go with what ever's easiest as far as logistics go. As for locals looking at you funny...It's about access. When you see something every day, it looses it's allure. Eventually you'll have to go to Florida for an Osceola. So, if you go to KS or the Black Hills for your Merriam's, so what.

Next time you see someone give you a "funny" look if you mention turkey hunting, ask them for permission to bust one on their property.

I know a guy who gets a big kick out of bragging how he shoots multiple birds every year. He's got the pix to back it up. ("Oh it's not that hard.") He gets a big smile on his face when he knows someone didn't get one (I don't know what everyone else's problem's are..") BUT... ask him for permission to hunt with him on the same property he hunts and it he shuts up. Ask if he ever hunted turx on public land...No! Would he ever try hunting anything 'cept Rio's in HI or TX....No! Because all the other turkeys are too hard to hunt.(that's a direct quote!)

salukipv1

I hear ya, seems there are some selfish hunters out there. I've met some nice ones though, even while public hunting public land and competing for the same animals, which can be surprising.

I figure after a rio and merriam's the florida will probably be next. Not really sure what the deal is with the Gould's, or the one in the yucatan. So certainly the main 4 first...then re-evaluate the rest, gotta get one of the others started sooner than later though.

Also wondering if it would be better to wait a year and go outfitted for a rio say, or just DIY this year. The easterns we hunt here are pretty tough, I hear from other guys their turkey hunting is a bit easier, but I've heard that before and not been lucky.

Adrian J Hare

Do Not pay money to kill a Merriams or a Rio. They are not hard to shoot. The Osceola is one of the most complicated to setup, and I've done it a dozon times or so...

salukipv1

what suggestions do you have then?

I hunt one of the better counties in IL for easterns and they are not easy to take, there's quite a few of them too. It sounds like some rio and merriam areas are just loaded with turkeys and easy to take, but its hard to believe coming from a place where it's not so easy.
Maybe I'll just give a public land DIY KS turkey hunt a try and see what happens.

Seems like the avg turkey hunt is 3days and $1000, which seem's pretty crazy to me.

jepcho

Kansas has a quite a bit of good public land to choose from. If you are looking for a pure strain of rio you are gonna want to go west into the state aways though. There are alot of eastern and hybrids right along the eastern boarder. If you go to the Kansas conservation website they list all the public areas and a little info on them. I would start there and once you get an idea where you are heading, call the local conservation officers. They can usually give you some info on good places to hunt. I'm headed to Kansas this year myself on some private land I got access to. Never turkey hunted there before but I'm sure excited to try it. Good luck!

Adrian J Hare

Target public land away from the beaten path. Close to cities only produce hunting presure.

I've seen lots of KA public with birds as I traveled past. Black Hills is a great place to target Merriams and can be done on the cheaper side.

This is the time to look into areas....

okgobbler

Western Oklahoma or Texas is another good place for rios. There is some good public land in Western OK with lots of big rios.

Adrian J Hare

Yep what he said, I've taken the off the panhandle too ...

salukipv1

anyone have experience in South Dakota for Merriam's?

Since I've never hunted ther for turkeys, I'm picturing, big open country, rolling hills, turkeys few and far between.

How would you located merriams' in this country?

SD and KS seem to be about the same distance from chicago....so either one is plausible. I'm just not sure. I wanna get this turkey thing going but this isn't the best year for me to be going after them I just don't want to be 15yrs from now saying the same thing....ha.