Outfitters where you can get a Merriam and Rio on same hunt?

[GobbleNut]

At this point in time, it would be very interesting to somehow determine what percentage of turkeys across the country are actually true representatives of what would be historically "pure" subspecies.  Quite honestly, I think we would be surprised at the amount of hybridization that exists, especially since the days of introducing wild turkeys into non-native, unoccupied habitats that the NWTF and state wildlife agencies undertook decades ago. 

Having said that, I still believe there are swaths of country where finding pretty pure specimens of each subspecies is possible, but those places are continuously shrinking over time, I believe.  If someone is truly concerned about the purity of the turkeys they are hunting nowadays, I think they need to be pretty selective about where they go to get them,...and those places are almost certainly going to be pretty far apart. 

As others have intimated, at the end of the day, they all hunt the same, taste the same, and give us turkey hunters the same thrill in pursuing them, regardless of their purity.  ...Just Go Huntin'!...   

[runngun]

Several years ago, hunting in northwest Oklahoma, a buddy killed a Gobbler from a group. This Gobbler stood out from the rest, and definitely appeared to be a Merriam, had the looks and the craziest gobble that we had ever heard. I swear, one of the most beautiful birds I ever seen. They're all beautiful as well, to me anyway.
This reminds me of the talk of Osceola's from Florida. I heard one guy say if a Gobbler is killed south of Interstate 10, he's a Osceola!!!!

Have a good one and May God bless
Bo

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[Fdept56]

Chadron

[GobbleNut]

Several years ago, hunting in northwest Oklahoma, a buddy killed a Gobbler from a group. This Gobbler stood out from the rest, and definitely appeared to be a Merriam, had the looks and the craziest gobble that we had ever heard.

Supposedly, that NW corner of Oklahoma borders some of the historic Merriam's habitat in New Mexico, so it is not out of the question that the gobbler you saw had dominant Merriam's genetics.  It is even very remotely possible that gobbler was a full-blooded Merriam's that just happened to wander over into that area and got with some other birds that were predominantly Rios. 

More likely, though, is that you were hunting in an area where the two subspecies have intermixed over time and most, if not all, of the turkeys there are hybrids to some degree, and with individual birds varying in coloration based on their predominant genetics. 

The problem we have to deal with when talking about wild turkeys and subspecies "purity" comes down to the fact that turkeys are "subspecies blind",...that is, they apparently do not have a predisposition to breed with their own subspecies when intermixed with other subspecies like some other critters are inclined to do. 

...In a turkey's eyes, a turkey is a turkey, regardless of whether it looks the same as me or not.   

[Dtrkyman]

Kinda like us humans Gobblenut, bunch of mutts!


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[slicksbeagles1]

I guess Gobblenut and Dtrkyman should compile a list of where to turkey hunt for the different subspecies so has to not get into hybrids. If y'all don't mind you can share the name of your private airport where you store your plane, then you could give us a free ride to all your spots. You can fly to Chihuahua, Mexico get the Gould's and then fly to New Mexico for a Merriam. There's a place called Heartland Pride Outfitters that say they offer a Merriam nut in Nebraska and Rio in Kansas combo hunt! That's the reason for the question.  https://www.heartlandprideoutfitters.com
           

[Dtrkyman]

My plane is outta gas, not sure about gobblenuts?

If they gobble and strut they get shot, don't care where their standing or whatcha call em!


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