Cheap flight into Denver has me going west for a merriams. Considered the Pine Ridge of Nebraska, but what would be the shortest drive and best hunting on public?
Just some advice...don't ask for good public land areas on your very first post to the forum. Not many members will appreciate what seems to be a lack of doing your own homework.
Have you travelled out west much before? Public land is a plenty. Reference each states bird outlooks or studies they have done recently. Pick out a neat spot and study it. Go give it a try and if it doesn't produce start driving. That's the beauty of out west. Good luck.
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You just asked for the shortest drive and best hunting on public? Only a few words short of, "Tell me where you've killed birds at." You're not the first to try it. Put in the work like the rest of us.
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What happens if someone tells you an area? If it's posted on the forum it'll be bombarded before middle of the season I can guarantee. If it gets PM'd to you, then does that knowledge stay with you or go to all of your buddies as well and somehow a location gets plastered on Instagram or Facebook.
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Quote from: SD_smith on March 14, 2022, 09:39:36 PMReference each states bird outlooks or studies they have done recently. Pick out a neat spot and study it. Go give it a try and if it doesn't produce start driving. That's the beauty of out west. Good luck.
I just did a quick Google-fu of public turkey hunting opportunities in that area. There's more public land to hunt turkeys within 4 hours drive of Denver than a guy could hunt for the rest of his life...........if he lived to be 400 years old.
Few phone calls to about 3 states' DNR's and you'd narrow your search.
Quote from: Yoder409 on March 14, 2022, 10:39:13 PM
Quote from: SD_smith on March 14, 2022, 09:39:36 PMReference each states bird outlooks or studies they have done recently. Pick out a neat spot and study it. Go give it a try and if it doesn't produce start driving. That's the beauty of out west. Good luck.
I just did a quick Google-fu of public turkey hunting opportunities in that area. There's more public land to hunt turkeys within 4 hours drive of Denver than a guy could hunt for the rest of his life...........if he lived to be 400 years old.
Few phone calls to about 3 states' DNR's and you'd narrow your search.
This guy gets it!
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Around derby lake to the NE of Denver has always been a steady producer in recent years
I'd honestly be very curious if Southerndrawlgamecalls saw pinhotti's Colorado videos? 90% chance?
Have researched the fly into Denver thing several times but have yet to commit. My plan was to head north into an adjoining state and wander some big national forest. Good luck.
I have never hunted in the Denver area personally, but I know a couple of individuals and have read reports from a few others that have indicated the birds are few and far between in that area on public land. I am sure there are pockets that are good IF you know where those are at, but I think going in blind and finding one of those pockets would probably be a real challenge unless you have a lot of time to invest in doing that.
If you are after a true Merriam's gobbler, you should probably do a bit of research on where you can actually find one. There is a lot of hybridization going on in that region, I believe, at least along the line where the eastern plains meet the Rockies. Personally, I believe there are a lot of folks that think they are hunting Merriam's gobblers that are actually hunting hybrids in a lot of places. That really shouldn't matter, but IF you are looking for a, quote, "pure" Merriam's gobbler, consider where you are headed very carefully.
Good luck to you wherever you end up going! :icon_thumright:
The flights may be cheap, but the rental vehicle ain't.
The cost of rental cars was a deal breaker for me last year. Denver was a better deal than Rapid City SD. In Rapid City it may have been cheaper to buy one. Insane.
I checked the Denver prices for a 4wd SUV for 6 days in May last month and it was a little over $1,000.
$1000 rental cars would be another deal breaker for me. I check several buyer's clubs, AARP, AAA, etc and then decide. Five dollar gas plus motels makes a 1200 x 2 mile road trip almost as bad. Hate to say "wait until next year" but probably will. Grr!
Quote from: JohnSouth22 on March 14, 2022, 10:42:45 PM
Around derby lake to the NE of Denver has always been a steady producer in recent years
Saw your comment and thought "mannnn this MF" then looked it up, yep Derby lake it is
Saw a bunch of merriams in RMNP near Estes Park late last spring. It's super close to Denver.
Colorado puts out a relatively accurate map that shows turkey distribution. It'll be on their website. Most everything in the plains is a draw but you can find public land birds in the Colorado mountains. They are spread thin so you'll find them in pockets and not evenly distributed. Besides that you are within reasonable driving distance of a couple other states with Merriam's.
Regardless of what you see on YT, Merriam's are often a hike your off, call your brains out, locating effort. In some places you can drive a lot also.
Outright asking where to go isn't the best way to come up with good advice, but I suspect the majority of the folks are just pissed that your first post was asking for a handout. Most folks haven't hunted enough Merriam's to have good advice anyway. There's at least one guy in the previous responses that has hunted Merriam's a lot.
Come on fellas...post your public hot spots and don't forget to hit the like button.
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Quote from: SD_smith on March 14, 2022, 10:41:32 PM
Quote from: Yoder409 on March 14, 2022, 10:39:13 PM
Quote from: SD_smith on March 14, 2022, 09:39:36 PMReference each states bird outlooks or studies they have done recently. Pick out a neat spot and study it. Go give it a try and if it doesn't produce start driving. That's the beauty of out west. Good luck.
I just did a quick Google-fu of public turkey hunting opportunities in that area. There's more public land to hunt turkeys within 4 hours drive of Denver than a guy could hunt for the rest of his life...........if he lived to be 400 years old.
Few phone calls to about 3 states' DNR's and you'd narrow your search.
This guy gets it!
This guy's DONE it !!
There's a large measure of satisfaction that goes with doing the intel on a spot you've never set foot on or even seen except on Google Earth. Then making some intelligent phone calls in hopes of gathering a bit of firsthand info. Then taking off and driving half way across the country.......driving into the Google Earth picture in the dark.......and seeing what it really looks like when the sun comes up. Then learning the "ins and outs" over a few days and coming out with a couple Merriam's tags punched.
If I can do it............and I know other guys on OG who've done it............it must not be that impossible.
I went to Co. cold last year, contacted game and fish and a friend who had been there with no success.
Was there the last few days of season and heard one bird gobble twice in that time! Found some sign near a water hole and set up there doing some cold calling, 3 solo hens came early then a group of 6 jakes and one tom, got my first CO. bird in a not so dramatic way!
I drove hundreds of miles and hiked over 30 in those hand full of days, and had a hell of a time finding any sign despite being in the best looking mountain turkey habitat you could imagine.
Now bears, that is a whole other story, they were virtually everywhere I went! Including one true giant I had a face to face with in a narrow draw at 20yds!
WOW! I can't believe no one is willing to give up their best public hunting
spot for Merriam's near Denver to a brand new poster.
He's new guys, help him out. He'll probably give you a shout out on
Fakebook with his hero picture. Wouldn't that make it all worthwhile to
trash your spot for 4 likes from strangers you'll never meet.
He might even give you a free mouth call.
I too crave the affirmation of strangers.
Bwaahaahaa!
Should we call this,"Affirmative Action Hunting" ?
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:welcomeOG:
I travel for a living. You may find a cheap flight but that is about where cheap ends
Rental car prices are brutal then add gas and that alone is worth the price of admission
Into the " I am broke and naked on the floor club"
Hotel rates not any better. We all know about food
Would seriously suggest putting the pencil to paper for cost before booking anything
Unless of course money is not an issue then all of the above is worthless
Quote from: fallhnt on March 16, 2022, 01:18:55 PM
Should we call this,"Affirmative Action Hunting" ?
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Yes!
6 people like this.
:TooFunny: :TooFunny: :TooFunny:
As one who is "always planning" that elusive trip out west I checked rental car prices yesterday from Denver CO and Bozeman MT. Bozeman's cars now out of sight and out of budget. Denver doable but creeping up. As has been my recent pattern I appear to have again waited too long. Crazy times.
Add - airfares also on the zip line up but I have enough SWA points to fly to Hawaii so that's not a big consideration although Bozeman is no longer what I would consider a good deal. Rental cars the deal breaker - again. :TrainWreck1: