Merriams Turkey Help

[Dearhunter3450]

I just finished prep for my fall bear and antelope hunts out west so now it's time to dream about and spring turkey. My wife thinks I'm a little crazy and maybe she is right lol! Was hoping some of you fellas could give me some suggestions on what areas I should concentrate on. I want a DIY hunt and am willing to pay trespass fee. I will be checking out Wyoming this fall but really don't know where to start. Thanks in advance for any suggestions, it will be appreciated.

[dirtnap]

Go to somewhere that has Merriams and hunt.  It isn't that hard.  Public land late in the season has worked for me every time.  Never hunted on private out there.

[Spring Creek Calls]

The Wyoming and South Dakota black hills are great DIY hunts. Tons of public ground and good amounts of birds, at least when I was there 3 and 5 years ago.

[Dearhunter3450]

Thank you for the info, I will check out that area this fall. My antelope hunt is not to far from there. Also going to try knocking on some doors, I'm just hoping people don't guard there turkey as much as elk and mulies. BTW I love the box call you made me, looks and sounds great! Now you will have to make me a call for out west lol.

[Spring Creek Calls]

Thank you for the info, I will check out that area this fall. My antelope hunt is not to far from there. Also going to try knocking on some doors, I'm just hoping people don't guard there turkey as much as elk and mulies. BTW I love the box call you made me, looks and sounds great! Now you will have to make me a call for out west lol.

I'm glad ya liked the short box. Those western birds really like a box call.

[3toe]

Me and a some buddies hunted public land in NW Nebraska.   We went late, May 19th.   All the young and dumb had been killed.  We found birds but they were tough.  We wound killing 8 out of our group of 4 but they were hard earned.   Weather was so so, got rained on hard one day but hunted through it.  Those birds LOVED a box call.  They would answer and come to a good box quicker than anything else.   If you go, don't leave home without a good box call. 

[Dearhunter3450]

Sounds like you made it happen out there 3toe! Very good to hear. I wonder if it's better to go early in the season to hunt dumb birds but have to hunt around even dumber people or wait till the end like you? I wanted to hunt early so I could also hunt NY(May). But def want a shot at a merriam even if miss NY season.

[Yoder409]

I wonder if it's better to go early in the season to hunt dumb birds but have to hunt around even dumber people or wait till the end like you? I wanted to hunt early so I could also hunt NY(May). But def want a shot at a merriam even if miss NY season.

Keep in mind that in Merriam's country, early season can mean 2 feet of snow and a pretty disappointing time. 

[Dearhunter3450]

Well said yonder. Looks like Nebraska sounds like my best bet. Unless I read it wrong looks like there is no draw for turkey and a lot of public land in NW for merriams. Can't wait to get out west this fall to check things out after my hunts.

[3toe]

A lot of the public land in NW Nebraska was burned up by the forest fire almost 2 yrs ago.  It has greened up and looks like most everything except the trees have recovered.   Lots and lots of standing black sticks of charcoal.   However, the birds are still there and we found most of them in the creek bottoms.  Sometimes their feet were black from walking in the burned areas and probably from roosting in burnt trees.  We hunted near Crawford Ne and there is also a WMA there along with regular public land.  When we got there they had 18" of snow two weeks before. So, like has already been said, weather in the early season can ruin and entire trip if you hit it wrong. 

We found birds every single trip out and had very good luck roosting birds.  They were just of the hard headed public variety and not very easy.  LOL

[Yoder409]

When we got there they had 18" of snow two weeks before.

So then I was there two weeks before you...............   

There were 45-55 mph SUSTAINED winds that went with that snow and there were lots of places higher up that had closer 30". 

You can still kill Merriam's in that crap.  But it ain't fun or easy either one.