I've always found Easterns to be the perfect image of what comes to mind when I think of a wild turkey. I also think the Merriam's are quite beautiful and striking with the white along their tail feathers.
What's your favorite? All of them right? ;D
My favorite turkey is a Merriams, just because they are so beautiful, and they love to gobble!!
I think easterns are my favorite, hard to beat their booming gobble and the satisfaction from winning the game with one. Now I think Rios are the most fun to hunt, lots of them and they like to gobble!
Eastern
I've hunted them all and enjoyed the different scenery etc, but no question the Eastern Wild Gobbler is my favorite. Pine ridges or swamps, Midwest or Deep South nothing compares to the Eastern
Gould
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Merriams
D E A D
Osceola—in a tropical southern Florida setting
Close second—high elevation Merriams
Never hunted Osceolas yet................... But of the other 4............. ALL of them !!!!!
Eastern, followed closely by the Osceola.
No question the Eastern
Hands down easterns
Merriam
Eastern for me.
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Big surprise coming - Merriams!
All I've ever hunted is Easterns, so that would be it. I've got my eye on Osceolas though.
Merriam...South Dakota Merriams specifically
Easterns
Easterns
I suspect most all of us hunt somewhere that we have a nostalgic connection to and we hunt for a single subspecies there. Such is the case for me, at least. I grew up hunting high-mountain Merriam's gobblers here in New Mexico and they will always be my favorite for a variety of reasons.
However, if I was to eliminate them from the equation, I would say my second choice would be Eastern's.
Quite honestly, all of the subspecies have their positive attributes,...IF I get to hunt them under the right conditions. Give me a few gobblers that will gobble occasionally,...and in a location where I can apply my preferred hunting tactics,...and where I can get away from other hunters to a degree,...and I am a happy turkey hunter regardless of subspecies.
Merriam SD
Hard headed hard hunted Easterns being the most satisfaction from a successful hunt. I'm from south Ms, live in LA, but my favorite places to hunt them is the Ozarks and the Appalachian Foothills in Tn.
Eastern Wild Turkey
The Rio Grande, hands down. Followed by the Merriam's.
I do not discriminate based on subspecies
Sun light dappling down through the leaves of a mixed hardwood ridge with an eastern bird sounding off...
Rio 's for me. I've seen them do stupid stuff our Mo Easterns wouldn't even think of doing.
Do I have to pick lol? It's a toss up between an eastern or a rio.
Easterns
Merriams
Eastern I think they have a distinct gobble that makes them awesome to hunt.
No question Merriam