Merriam's Photos

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Hobbes, great thread. 

This is the early transplant information I have been able to gather.  Unfortunately there seems to be very little information on where in NM the birds came from.  The CO birds would have been from the far southern part of the state in those years.

1935   15  New Mexico Merriam's  sent to Wyoming
1951   26  New Mexico birds to Wyoming (Black Hills)
1948   29  NM + CO birds to South Dakota
1954   13  CO birds to Montana
1955   18  Wyoming birds (presumably from NM transplants) to Montana

Merriam's from the Gila National Forest in southwest New Mexico


More buff colored Merriam's from Lincoln National Forest, southeast New Mexico


We have found the Gila birds to be more white on average than the Lincoln Merriam's, but with a lot of overlap.

[Yoteduster]

Yeah..thanks for sharing those are some really nice birds

[GobbleNut]

Hobbes, great thread. 

This is the early transplant information I have been able to gather.  Unfortunately there seems to be very little information on where in NM the birds came from.  The CO birds would have been from the far southern part of the state in those years.

1935   15  New Mexico Merriam's  sent to Wyoming
1951   26  New Mexico birds to Wyoming (Black Hills)
1948   29  NM + CO birds to South Dakota
1954   13  CO birds to Montana
1955   18  Wyoming birds (presumably from NM transplants) to Montana

Merriam's from the Gila National Forest in southwest New Mexico


More buff colored Merriam's from Lincoln National Forest, southeast New Mexico


We have found the Gila birds to be more white on average than the Lincoln Merriam's, but with a lot of overlap.

Great info and pics, Mike.  I agree that the Gila birds tend to be whiter in general.  It should be pointed out that the western NM (Gila)/AZ Merriam's populations and the Lincoln NF populations (even though they are both native), for the most part have been geographically isolated from each other for eons.  The lack of genetic intermixing over the long haul could very likely be the reason for the tendencies in color variation. 

Another interesting fact is that the Gila/AZ population genetics could actually have been influenced by genetic interactions with the Gould's subspecies which, although somewhat geographically isolated, is not all that far south of those Merriam's populations.  ...Food for thought...

[Boyer12]

Thanks for sharing. I love looking at pictures of Merriams and can't wait to hunt them. I was looking at possibly hunting north central NE since it's a shorter drive but after seeing those photos I may drive a little further west to make sure I shoot a "pure" merriams ?

[nebgoosehunter]

IMO it would be hard to say you shot a "pure" Merriams from north central Nebraska.  If you are set on Nebraska, drive the extra two hours west and hunt the Pine Ridge.  Still some hybrids, but you can call them Merriams for arguments sake.  I've hunted a lot in north central Nebraska in Cherry County and it seems there are more variations that I would consider Rio's versus Merriams.  Just to muddy the water up a little more I'll add some photos of Merriams I've taken in the last 10 years in the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills.  Like what has been discussed already, most are buff colored.








 

[nebgoosehunter]

[Boyer12]

Thanks! I think I have my sights on the black hills

[Hobbes]

Awesome photos nebgoosehunter.  I love the Pine Ridge. I've not been there since 2015.  It used to be a yearly trip when I lived in Colorado.

[Hobbes]

Great info and photos Rapscallion. 

MT has had some Easterns released illegally in the Flathead Valley years ago that took hold.  They have no real opportunity to mix with the populations that I hunt , but I have seen multiple birds in the farm country near Kalispell that clearly show Eastern characteristics.  I've also seen birds closer to the surrounding mountains that appear to be Merriam's (probably a hybrid).  I'd like to stop and listen to the Easterns to see if they sound like Easterns or have the same gobble as a Merriam's.

I've killed enough Merriam's that I no longer concern myself with is it a Merriam's, but I still don't like the idea of states or individuals knowingly muddying the water.  Given the opportunity, I'll gladly kill one of the Eastern mutts around Kalispell.

[deerhunt1988]

Northeast Washington... Birds taken about 400 yards apart.

[GobbleNut]

My son hunted northeast WA around Spokane.  The gobbler he killed definitely had some Rio blood in him.  Not saying either of those birds does,....just sayin'...

[Hobbes]

I've been to Northeast Washington for a 3 day hunt at the end of the season and was unsuccessful.  It rained off and on all but one morning, if I recall correctly, so I blame it on that.  Hopefully I can make it back there soon.  It feels like I left something undone.

[SoDak_JD]

Got my first Merriam's in 2018 just on the east side of the Missouri River in South Dakota.  The closest unit to me with shotgun tags is about an hour away.  There's only 10 resident tags each year so I didn't get one in 2019 and I'm hoping my preference point will be enough this year.
Archery tags are over the counter and statewide so I've been trying with my bow.  Close but no luck yet.

First picture is with my bird right after I shot it.  My son wasn't with me but he was pretty excited and waiting for me when I got home.

[packmule]

I hunt Merriams in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. I've noticed that the camera will take a buff colored Merriams and turn it pretty white. Curious Hobbes, do you think some of those photos make the birds look whiter than they were.

[Hobbes]

I hunt Merriams in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. I've noticed that the camera will take a buff colored Merriams and turn it pretty white. Curious Hobbes, do you think some of those photos make the birds look whiter than they were.

Some of them, definitely.  If the sun is on them, especially shining from behind the fan, they'll look more white.  You can tell that some of them are white with no sun.  I tried not to include photos that made them look too white, but some do regardless.