2nd Kansas Gobbler

[Spring Creek Calls]

Shot a mature gobbler late afternoon in eastern Kansas. Saw him displaying for a hen smack in the middle of a WIHA that I was coming to check out for tomorrow's morning hunt. After slipping down a drainage and laying in the grass for nearly 2 hours, I was finally able to coax the hen up my way. This bird is definitely not a Rio but maybe a hybrid Rio/Eastern. Has some buff in the tail tips but none on the back feathers above the tail. The beard looks to be that of an Eastern, thicker than the half dozen Rio's I've shot. Anyone know if Marshall County is in the hybrid area? I'll provide a picture tomorrow of the tail of the Rio from North central Kansas and this bird.

[Ericbrooks]

Way to go!! We have some hybrids on our farm in Franklin county


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[cramerhunts]

Not sure on the hybrid or not but definitely a nice bird. Congratulations.

[stinkpickle]

I wouldn't doubt it if there are hybrids in Marshall county.  I hunt a couple counties west...Republic, Jewell, Mitchell, and that's definitely getting closer to Rio territory.

[owlhoot]

congrats first 
I knew a farmer in that county who told me that there was a mix of birds originally stocked there.
He told most were hybrids when i inquired about about a pure rio i had seen , what looked like one anyway. The ones i shot there were hybrids , really dark jet black body feathers and gobbling fools.

[tomstopper]

Awesome job. Congrats

[Spring Creek Calls]

Picture of the two tails, 3 counties apart. 1 from north central Kansas and one 3 counties East.

[nosaj]

Nice!

What calls were you playing to pull the hen?

[Spring Creek Calls]

I went in after spotting him with the my gun, 3 shells and an XT diaphragm. Knew I'd be crawling up the bank at some point. Cutting on the 4 Reed XT is what seemed to turn things in my favor.

[Tennessee Lead]

Awesome congratulations

[turkeyfoot]

Thats way to get it done. There is a difference and probably the more eastern one is hybrid but that is just wild guess I've killed Merriams with more of buff than pure white colors in country that is said to be 100% Merriams same with Rios see different color variations

[Drthorn]

Congrats

[ncwoodsman]

Nice job, congrats to you

[SteelerFan]

Congratulations!

[mgm1955]

Congrats again Mike!!