Merriams

[Creek bottoms]

For those of you who have hunted them, what's your best advice? What was most effective?

It looks like I'll get to go to Wyoming's Black Hills 5/2 thanks to a cancellation.

 

[AT Hiker]

Sounds like you are going either outfitted and/or on some private property. I have no experience with it, except that every time I've been in Merriams country that is where all the birds have been.

Here are some things that are different that I think will help in how you think and plan.
-Those birds can travel and travel far
-The better shape and gear you have the better you can travel after them
-It can snow a foot in early May
-Those birds seem to gobble until midnight
-Use the late gobbling to help pinpoint your next am hunt
-coyote howler used to work to shock them at night
-The terrain can be tricky and difficult
-The tricky terrain can fool your hearing too, they might be a lot closer or further away than you think
-Use your eyeballs (binocs) before you make any major moves

Also, if you have the chance make sure you visit Devils Tower and as much of the Black Hills as you can, especially if you can get to SD. I remember exploring the Black Hills more than I do killing one of those Merriams.

Good luck!

 

[Creek bottoms]

All good advice. The hunt is 3 days with an outfitter on private properties not far from Devil's Tower. We plan on doing a few days hiking and sight seeing in SD when I'm done hunting.

 

[AT Hiker]

All good advice. The hunt is 3 days with an outfitter on private properties not far from Devil's Tower. We plan on doing a few days hiking and sight seeing in SD when I'm done hunting.

I have never not seen birds in that general area. I have not hunted either, but I have hunted on the SD/WY border. If the ranch is loaded with birds I would suggest spending the first day taking it all in and not shooting the first one in range. I suspect it will be epic hunting if you have the right property.

 

[REN]

be prepared to move and move often.

they gobble A LOT so dont get in the mindset like easterns where them answering your calls means they are coming. They seem to just gobble all day long and at anything.

Most of it is the same as any turkey but you will generally just have to cover a lot more ground with a lot less cover then your use to.

 

[Turkeychaser]

I got my first Merriam last year with trophies plus outfitters in that general area. Beautiful area!

 

[nwsg76]

Enjoy day 1 and don't pull trigger till you are ready to be done.
About 10-12 years ago that area was amazing. It has had some hits to turkey numbers in past few years.
You will likely hear more turkey than you have ever heard.
You will have long days. It don't get dark till 10pm. It's daylight at 5Am.
Some of the best turkey hunting in the world.

 

[Layne]

be prepared to move and move often.

they gobble A LOT so dont get in the mindset like easterns where them answering your calls means they are coming. They seem to just gobble all day long and at anything.

Most of it is the same as any turkey but you will generally just have to cover a lot more ground with a lot less cover then your use to.

Not sure what easterns you are hunting but I want in on it...

 

[tree_ghost]

Merriams are amazing birds! Very vocal and very "nomadic" wear really good boots and don't be scared to leave a gobbling bird if he ain't working…they all gobble at everything but if he ain't committing then you'll wear your backside out waiting on him…

 

[Joe2Kool]

I've hunted them ~10 years in a row in NW Nebraska, all DIY, on a mix of public and private land. Success rate has increased over time. If you're going outfitted, the OF will have all their patterns figured out, but for a DIY, here you go.

First advice, get high in elevation late afternoon and glass where they roost. Once they roost, they are very vocal and will gobble at anything - fake coyote howl, whistle, train, car horn, you name it. Use that to pinpoint their location and devise a setup plan for the next morning.

In general, I've not had good luck calling them in. Some people have, but not me. Birds can get call shy easily if they've been called to. Our best strategy has been to figure out where they are headed from the roost and setup a couple hundred yards that direction, and wait.

Another successful strategy we've used is what we call a push call. If you see them drop into a canyon, set up a stationary shooter, and a pusher. Sorta like a deer drive. The driver calls lightly and works the canyon. The turkeys go away from the caller, towards the shooter. The key is to move slow and allow them to walk away from the calling before getting spooked.

In NW Nebraska, their tendency is to pitch down at daylight, and feed along the canyon walls. Somewhere around 10-11, they drop down into the canyons/creek bottoms and stay there until a couple hours before sunset. You may catch some out in the middle of the day, but with early morning sunrises and late evening roosting, we take a break during the middle of the day, eat our big meal, take a nap, and head out again around 4 pm.

You'll hear people say Merriams are nomadic, well, they are, but not from day to day. In other words, where they are on Saturday, they won't be far on Sunday, or Monday. But if you come back two months later, yea, they'll have moved on.

Good luck and post some pics!

 

[th88]

You'll hear people say Merriams are nomadic, well, they are, but not from day to day. In other words, where they are on Saturday, they won't be far on Sunday, or Monday. But if you come back two months later, yea, they'll have moved on.

Eh, depends on where you are hunting them and the stage of the season. In the Pine Ridge where you've hunted them, yeah they are bit more predictable. In "bigger woods" like the Black Hills, mountains of Colorado, etc., they'll follow the snow line as spring progresses. Much more nomadic in that environment. Where you are in a gobble fest one day, could be void of gobbles the next several days. Have experienced it time and time again. Early season in the Black Hills you may hear a half dozen gobblers down low. Send a buddy there 2-3 weeks later and he may not hear a bird. They've moved up. They are easier and more predictable in the smaller woods. I've hunted Merriam's in every state and environment they inhabit. For scenery, give me the big mountains. For turkey killing, i'll take the smaller woods with greater visibility (river bottoms in the plains, Pine Ridge, foothills, etc.).

Definitely one of the most fun subspecies to hunt due to their willingness to gobble. And can also be one of the most frustrating because you'll think they are interested, then 3 days later wonder how the heck you ain't killed one yet!

My #1 tip will be ROOST EVERY EVENING. And get as close as freaking possible to them in the dark the next morning and hopefully kill them as soon as their feet hit the ground.

Being on a guided hunt you won't have an issue with locating and staying on birds though. If i was you i'd buy a SD Black Hills tag for a little DIY after you kill in WY.

 

[Creek bottoms]

The type of calls used any different from here? Higher pitched? Doesn't matter?

 

[th88]

The type of calls used any different from here? Higher pitched? Doesn't matter?

Doesn't matter, but definitely have something you can get LOUD on to locate them throughout the day. Whether that be a box, pot call, or mouth call.

 

[Joe2Kool]

Definitely one of the most fun subspecies to hunt due to their willingness to gobble. And can also be one of the most frustrating because you'll think they are interested, then 3 days later wonder how the heck you ain't killed one yet!

My #1 tip will be ROOST EVERY EVENING. And get as close as freaking possible to them in the dark the next morning and hopefully kill them as soon as their feet hit the ground.

.

Hmmm. Sounds like we're hunting the same birds! We've tried to get really close while they are on the roost, often within 50 yards. The downside for us has been they hit the ground on top of you and you can't get a shot. The key is setting up on multiple sides so somebody has a shot. If they go west, or east, or...

To the OP, note we're saying a lot of the same things:

1) They love to gobble!
2) ROOST them every evening.
3) Shoot 'em quickly once they're on the ground!

The least successful method I've employed is setting up cold and calling. I can be fairly successful on Easterns in big woods, or pastures with that technique, but rarely works for me on Merriam's. But, if you get one gobbling and coming in, keep hammering on him!

Now if Huntaholic reads this post, he'll tell you to sit still and call 'em in to you! That works for him, but rarely for me!

Oh, on calls, I use the same ones I use here on Easterns. But note my calling comments above. Maybe my accent is a little too southern!

 

[Creek bottoms]

I appreciate all the posts. I'll read over these several times.

 

[woodsman04]

They gobble a lot and often. And almost anything. I didn't have a coyote howler when I went but if I go again I will bring one. Turkey calls don't matter, but I would suggest taking one call that you can be really loud on.
Their gobble sounds like a tame bird. But their sound carries a long ways. I was "working one" I thought. I estimated by sound him being 100 yards. Gobbled constantly. I finally gave up on my set up and tried to move. When I finally found him with my binoculars he was over quarter mile away. See him gobble then like 3 seconds later you'd hear it.
They seem to move a lot during the day. More than ours here.
In my experience they came to the call easier.
But that being said, they are still turkeys. If they see you they get gone fast. So don't get seen. Harder to move on then because less cover. Although the terrain features allow to maneuver some.

Have some good boots. Have some good clothing. It very well could be cold and windy. I've been the last week of May I believe and it was in the 30s four days in a row. Windy and spitting snow. Have some good binoculars.

Take pictures. I don't want to live outside the southeast, but if did live somewhere else I'd want it to be South Dakota or Wyoming.

 

[Creek bottoms]

They gobble a lot and often. And almost anything. I didn't have a coyote howler when I went but if I go again I will bring one. Turkey calls don't matter, but I would suggest taking one call that you can be really loud on.
Their gobble sounds like a tame bird. But their sound carries a long ways. I was "working one" I thought. I estimated by sound him being 100 yards. Gobbled constantly. I finally gave up on my set up and tried to move. When I finally found him with my binoculars he was over quarter mile away. See him gobble then like 3 seconds later you'd hear it.
They seem to move a lot during the day. More than ours here.
In my experience they came to the call easier.
But that being said, they are still turkeys. If they see you they get gone fast. So don't get seen. Harder to move on then because less cover. Although the terrain features allow to maneuver some.

Have some good boots. Have some good clothing. It very well could be cold and windy. I've been the last week of May I believe and it was in the 30s four days in a row. Windy and spitting snow. Have some good binoculars.

Take pictures. I don't want to live outside the southeast, but if did live somewhere else I'd want it to be South Dakota or Wyoming.

I sure hope I can time it on the weather.

 

[Joe2Kool]

I sure hope I can time it on the weather.

First of all, count on weather messing you up at least a day. Second, don't worry about it, it'll be fine real soon.

Our first trip, we got there mid-May on a Sunday, and it snowed 18". 24 hours later, we had a bird roosted and gobbling his fool head off. 48 hours later, locals in shorts planting flowers!

Two years ago, we drove through a blizzard, in late April, to get there, blowing snow and 40 mph winds. 48 hours later, multiple birds on the ground.

Last year, we went out at daylight, 40 degrees with 30 mph winds. By 10 am, sunny and hardly no breeze.

Oh, and the birds don't care. Last week, it was 10 below and 40 mph winds. They'll be gobbling when you get there!

Hunting Merriams is fun. And frustrating!!

 

[Huntaholic]

LOL Joe knows me pretty well! In fact, where he hunts out there and where I hunt are straight across the highway from each other. Ive hunted that area for 18 or 19 years now and prior to the fires in 09 and again in 11, we killed turkeys like we were on a dove hunt. And YES, I call them in, no ambushing. The last good year we had out there, there was 3 of us hunting and we killed 8 in 2 days, then dropped down to KS and killed 6 more I think, then we went to Michigan and killed 2 within an hour of getting there. The day before we left TN, my son killed his 4th one here and I killed my 2nd in KY. So in a total of about 8 days between the 3 of us, we killed 18 birds in 5 states. That was probably the pinnacle of my turkey hunting life. After the fires, the areas I USED to hunt are just dirt and knee high bushes now so I had to move a little and thats how I ended up close to Joe. Thing is, neither one of us knew where in the whole state that the other was hunting! Its a small world sometimes. Where I hunt out there now is private land and its either feast or famine. I dont have access to hunt enough private ground to chase them like I prefer to so I have to wait them out.

 

[Kelljp]

I don't use box calls much anymore, but where you going make sure you have one. Merriams respond to it better than other turkeys.
Be ready to move, if your lucky where your going will have birds ( last 2 years they have been sparse when I've been there ).
If your hunting with an outfitter he will more than likely try and get you to fan (reaping)the birds. Seems to be the mindset now, 10 years ago nobody ever mentioned it.
Main thing is get ready for some walking. Distance will fool you, range finder is good to have.

Enjoy ! When your in birds there it's a beautiful sound. Most eastern hunters are amazed the first time they get in range of Merriams at how vocal they are.