My Colorado Merriams

[MDbowman]

MD has not treated me well this season, but I still had one other option!

I had to go to Denver for work so I added a couple days to the front end of the trip to meet up with my old turkey hunting buddy Ken for a quick hunt for a Merriam's. I had Thurs afternoon, Friday and Saturday morning to hunt. He was going to set me up in a spot he used to hunt – he found an easier spot!  He hadn't hunted this spot for 3 years but figured the birds would still be there.  He had already tagged out, but would hunt with me Thurs and then turn me loose.  I landed in Denver Thurs am with 2" of slushy snow on the ground, met Ken at lunchtime near Ft. Carson and an hour drive later we were at the spot in the San Isabel National Forest. There were a lot of residual patches of snow in the area from the previous night. We left the car and climbed a few hundred feet - straight up it seems. When we got to the top Ken said that hill is the only public access to the spot, and it seems to cut out most of the people that might try it. I did not answer....I was too busy gasping. At this point we were ~7400' but my lungs that began the day at sea level were not happy! He explained that there were not a lot of birds in the area, and that they really covered a lot of ground in a day so we needed to do the same. He pointed to a 'dome' off in the distance and said that was Friday's destination. Thurs pm we did a big loop, constantly climbing it seems, calling occasionally with no responses. Saw a few hens, lots of elk and mule deer sign and even a half dozen big piles of bear crap. Thurs evening we pulled out the maps for a strategy session now that I had some idea of what the area looked like. He showed me a pair of domes where I should spend most of the day.

Friday morning we parked the car at 5 am and headed in again. Ken was going to get me back to a ridge where he could point out a tricky spot and how to navigate it.  Only problem was there was a dense fog in the low areas and we were above the fog. He pointed in the general direction of landmarks we had discussed the night before, said good luck and then he headed off to work at 7 am. I headed off in the direction of the dome, walking in tall dark pines cloaked in dense fog hoping I stayed close to where I needed to be. I will admit, I felt a little out of my element.  After awhile, things were brightening up as the fog thinned and I got on top of a ridge to see what I could see.  Before me I saw the dome peaking out of the fog, which was finally rolling out, flowing around the dome like water around a rock. Progress I thought, and headed off for it with new enthusiasm, finally reaching the peak at ~0900, 4 hrs after I parked the car! Granted I was hunting the whole way in call, wait, walk, repeat.

The big ponderosa pines were not as dense here and there was a lot of short grass in a few openings. A gentle breeze was picking up as I set up on a small field and called for awhile.  Initially I was just enjoying sitting there taking in the sights, sounds and smells of new trees, birds and squirrels.  The big pines, Douglass firs, ravens, magpies, Stellar's jays and pine squirrels were all new to me. I was brought back to my purpose when I thought I heard a way distant gobble.  I headed in that direction which put me on the second dome. Sat down on the edge of a beautiful little meadow and within minute I heard a faint gobble. Eased 100 yds down toward that and called. Two gobblers immediately answered followed by a hen yelping. It was 10am. The hen was much closer, but the gobblers were still quite a ways off in the direction of private land. I was almost to the end of a ridge and the birds were well below me off the end of the ridge. I sat down with a couple of small pines in front of me as cover.  I waited awhile and called again.  Nothing. Called again a few minutes later and got 2 gobbles and a hen cutting, and all close! One gobbler was on the left of the point and the other to the right. White caught my eye through the pine tree. It was the bird to the left, 40 yds out in full strut and the white was the tips of his tail.  The pine was too thick to shoot through so I had to wait til he moved to my right and hit my shooting lane. He was slowly angling in when I caught movement to the right. Here comes the second bird coming straight to the lane. I thought first bird wins.  He hit the lane at 25 yds and straightened up as pretty as can be.  Bang! Shot at 1030 am and hurried over to my flopping prize. The gently sloping ridge was now quite steep and the bird had gone close to 100 yds downhill before I caught up to him! I took a few pics and began the hike back.  Made it back to the car in only 3 hrs.  Not a great bird stat wise, but an incredibly rewarding hunt and a true trophy in my mind.


Stats 14# 6 oz, 8.5" beard, 10/16" spurs.



A few pics of turkey country - Colorado style.










And the prize!

[hobbes]

Congrats!   I sure do love seeing CO toms on the boards.  Thats great that you were able to connect on a quick hunt like that.

I have to laugh at the "gasping" comment.  I used to almost be sick the first couple days elk hunting when I'd come up from IL. 

[spaightlabs]

Well played!!!

[WiLL B]

Congrats on a great hunt!!

[Hognutz]

Congrats on the nice Colorado gobbler. Great pictures, as well. Nicely done, Md...Mike

[JVA54]

        Congrats!!

[Rio Fan]

Nice looking bird and beautiful country.  Congrats!

[WyoHunter]

Congrats! Nice pics and nice bird. I hunted the San Isabel NF when I lived in CO and killed a few gobblers there. Pretty country!

[TRKYHTR]

Nice CO turkey. Congrats,

TRKYHTR

[MDbowman]

Thanks everyone! This was only my second out of state adventure, and my first try for a Merriams!

[Hawkfarm]

Great pictures and great hunt.