Who's hunted Merriam Turkey's?

[Lawnscaper]

My son and I are discussing going west on a Merriam turkey hunt, I've always wanted to shoot one but that's a long way just to kill a turkey so I thought about going in the fall and maybe doing a combination deer and turkey hunt, has anyone done any fall hunting for Merriams and is it easier or harder than hunting them in the spring? We are leaning towards Wyoming or South Dakota.

 

[snapbang]

Ive hunted deer north of Sundance in the Bear Lodge National Forest. Been a few years but we saw turkey regularly.

 

[Kelljp]

My son and I are discussing going west on a Merriam turkey hunt, I've always wanted to shoot one but that's a long way just to kill a turkey so I thought about going in the fall and maybe doing a combination deer and turkey hunt, has anyone done any fall hunting for Merriams and is it easier or harder than hunting them in the spring? We are leaning towards Wyoming or South Dakota.

I've hunted them several times, last year was the toughest I've seen in 20 years. But did find birds, creek bottoms are their favorite roost areas. They are more vocal and usually there will be more than one gobbler come to you. Nebraska and South Dakota have went to limited non resident tags available, so you have to pay attention to their license rules. Also it's one of the few places I use a box call, Merriams seem to love the sound. Good luck with your trip.

 

[Lawnscaper]

I'm guessing that was a Spring hunt? If I go in the Spring We'll probably try and do a multi state trip but I'd love to do a fall combo hunt.

 

[45-70]

Nebraska out toward the Sandhill area
Not that hard to hunt if they answer they usually are coming in

 

[ElDiablo]

I’ve hunted Merriam’s just about every year for probably 30 years in Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Spring is much easier. I rarely even see any in the fall when big game hunting.

 

[MtnManTy]

I've not hunted them in the fall, although I've encountered them several times while elk hunting after the fall turkey season has closed here in CO.

Best analogy I can make is that fall turkey hunting would be like hunting elk in the spring... Not impossible, just difficult!

CO is a decent state for spring turkey, with OTC and draw options. Especially if you hunt mid week rather than weekends. Nebraska is good too, but you have to plan early, as they limit non resident OTC tags, and they sell out quick. Unfortunately I don't know anything about hunting them in Wyoming or South Dakota.

Short answer long, I'd stick to spring!

 

[Rodderbeck]

I've hunted them in Nebraska in the fall. Did a mule deer and turkey combo hunt. I was hunting outside of Crawford Nebraska. Killed my merriams in about 20 minutes. There were 50 mph winds and snow but there was birds everywhere. Deer was a different story...lol

 

[Kelljp]

One thing you might want to think about. I've noticed when I use to hunt deer and antelope in Wyoming, Nebraska area was how the turkeys move onto the ranches. I didn't turkey hunt then, but seem like every ranch we stopped at was covered up in turkey.

 

[Sinktip]

We have them all over our property in NE Washington but I have yet tried hunting them. I keep threatening to take one for Thanksgiving but my wife isn’t convinced.