Toughest bird of Grand Slam

[Callmn closer]

I wanted to see what the majority of Old Gobbler's hunters would say was the toughest bird to get out of their Grand Slam, Thanks!

[Tom007]

Osceola is my call. Limited access, only in one state.....

[Dtrkyman]

Public land Osceola, private land not so much.  But probably whatever one you hunt last will give you grief!

When they are pressured they are all hard!

[guesswho]

I guess it would depend on the circumstances.   Public land pursuit I'd say Osceola.   If you're buying a slam through outfitters I would think they would all be fairly easy to come by.   

[GobbleNut]

As stated by others, the answer to this question depends entirely on the circumstances under which each subspecies is hunted.  Taking all factors into consideration, I would suspect that a public-land, non-quota-hunt Osceola would be a real challenge for someone going in "blind" to hunt them. 

However, the idea that one subspecies is inherently harder to kill than another is overblown, in my opinion.  Put all of them on equal terms and I think they can all be agonizingly difficult, or surprisingly easy, to kill.

[WV Flopper]

 I feel that time and logistics were my toughest hurdle, they all flop the same.

[Zobo]

The one you overcook is always the toughest 

[eggshell]

I agree, a public land do-it-yourself Osceola would be the toughest. Other than that it literally is a matter of when and where you hunt. My toughest was Merriams, on public land DIY. That was solely because we ended up going at a bad time and birds were done and had been hounded hard. My easiest was a Rio and my Osceola, because we went with outfitters and hunted controlled private ground. In all honesty I do not see the intrigue and trophy value of the Grand slam. I think it is something the NWTF invented and blew up. Basically if you got the money and time it's fairly easy to do through outfitters. Even DIY is not that hard if you plan well. I have one grandslam and will not do another year trying it. I still like to travel and hunt, but fullfilling some mythical quest is not part of my motivation. I know that will get disagreement, but that is my personal feelings.

[outdoorguy3]

 

[ShortMagFan]

I've hunted easterns since the late 1980s and consider myself to be a pretty good Turkey hunter. I've killed osceola and rio (both on private with outfitters). For me the easterns are still the toughest and the most fun. I've been lucky enough to kill my fair share.

Maybe when I get around to a Merriams hunt I'll change my mind but somehow I doubt it

[ddturkeyhunter]

I have done a number of the so called slams now with other then some of the eastern all public. But out of MN, SD, WY, OK, KS, Wi, and Florida I would still have to say the osceola ways the harder one to get. Mostly because of limited places to go and the amount of other hunters in area, because now most everyone will go that extra distance in before hunting.

[Glades]

Any area that has low bird density, difficult terrain, high public pressure, and low hunting opportunities is the toughest.

My home-state of Florida is tough for that very reason. Many people from out of state come to kill an Osceola on public.
But if you are one of those people that buys their Turkeys, you can go on a Private Osceola shoot and come home with a bird. We have many turkey-shoot ranches all over the state.

[silvestris]

The "Grand Slam" and the other slams are the stupidest things to come out of the NWTF.  It has pretty much destroyed Florida turkey hunting and it is stupid times ten.  Whatever,  if I can get on a gobbling bird, wherever he is located, I am satisfied, satisfied close to home.

[Gooserbat]

Probably an eastern but for what ever reason Merriam's are my personal nemesis.

[Callmn closer]

Gooserbat, I'd have to agree with you, those old Easterns are really challenging, and I think the Merriams hunting is entirely a different style of hunting than the rest.