Merriam's Photos

[CAPTJJ]

I have only hunted Merriam's in NW Nebraska near the Pine Ridge, coming from NY is was the closest(still a long drive). Plus a 3 bird limit and lots of them to hunt.

2014, private cattle ranch, buff:


2014, on the Ridge, same spot, same flock, evening and following morning, white and red:

[CAPTJJ]

2018, same flock as last 2, white as snow:




2018, another public spot on the Ridge:

[Hobbes]

Great looking birds, and with a recurve.  My family had great times in NW Nebraska. We were living at 10,000 ft in CO at that time, so every visit there in late May seemed so warm.  The first trip was mid April and it snowed, so not the same experience.

[howl]

I came across this thread after having recently talked to an outfitter about a Gila hunt. He said they have Rios down toward desert that were not stocked there. That's certainly not on the NM G&F map.

[JMalin]

NM birds








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[Hobbes]

I was unaware of this, but New Mexico shows Rios in a few areas and potential for hybridization.  See the attached map from NMs web site.

[JMalin]

I was unaware of this, but New Mexico shows Rios in a few areas and potential for hybridization.  See the attached map from NMs web site.

Oh boy.  Sore subject for Gobblenut.  Pretty sure all the birds I took were merriams.

[GobbleNut]

I was unaware of this, but New Mexico shows Rios in a few areas and potential for hybridization.  See the attached map from NMs web site.

Oh boy.  Sore subject for Gobblenut.  Pretty sure all the birds I took were merriams.

Yeah,....you don't want to get me started on our G&F Dept. and their turkey transplanting strategy and the reasoning behind it,...or should I say, lack thereof.  "What?...You mean that is historic Merriam's wild turkey habitat? ...Well, let's just dump a bunch of Rio's right in the middle of it!"  (assorted emoji's here)