Post by BillCartwright on May 10, 2005 12:09:44 GMT -5
My first bird came on my first morning afield. The setup involved the old Missouri river bed and a green field off of it. At first light birds began flying down 3-400 yards north of my Double Bull blind setup. Not long after, the birds began meandering my way. I can only describe it like a kickoff at a foot ball game. The birds were lined across the field and just came at me one line at a time. There was nearly 60 birds in all. 15 long beards, 17 jakes and 20-30 hens. It was unbelievable. The first birds to work past at less than 30 yards was a group of hens. The next was a group of 4 jakes and 1 decent long beard. They passed at 15 yards. Knowing that I was looking at a field of long beards, I passed on the first bird. 15 minutes later brought some more hens and a few jakes. Another 10 minutes and 2 long beards came marching in. At 50 yards I began sizing them up and decided to take the lead bird with the longest beard. He closed the distance to 18 yards and I dropped the hammer on him. 19lbs 8oz., 9 1/4" beard and 3/4" spurs. The bird I dropped is the lead bird. None of the birds left the field and I found myself sitting in my blind from the 6:47 until nearly noon waiting on the turkey to leave out.
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/dynamicduo.jpg
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/Merriam1.jpg
My second Merriam came on the 3rd morning in a stand of oaks bordering a pasture. The day before my setup was off about 30 yards and the toms escaped with hens. The plan was to go back in the next morning and set up closer to where they wanted to be. The wind really had picked up, but I was within 200 yards of roost and could hear some gobbles. Around 6:15 I could hear some hens on the ground and began calling to them. Twenty minutes later I had a fox squirrel come nervously running out of the oak stand and stopped at my feet. As he worked to my left and I followed him with my eyes I spotted a tom moving down a fence at 30 yards. I got the video rolling and gun into position. My camera fell back a bit and made a noise. When it did I heard a hen. I turned to my right and seen a hillside covered in hens and 3 big fans over the rise, then a 4th. I shifted focus to the 4 toms standing at 18 yards. I clucked a couple times and they all gobbled. A real hen clucked and they gobbled again. The first tom I spotted appeard to be the biggest and had moved into the picture and was clear of the 4 strutters. I pulled the trigger at 16 yards. With the shot all the toms gobbled and all birds too flight. My second Merriams weighed 20lbs. 5ozs, 10 1/8" beard and 7/8" spurs.
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/Merriam2.jpg
My 3rd Merriam would come on the 4th day after spending the previous afternoon driving into South Dakota and locating some huntable land and birds. It wasn't long I found birds and confirmed I could hunt the area. That evening I roosted 4 long beards and a jake. The following morning I went in, set up and let them know I was there. At fly down the went the other direction briefly then faded back my way with hens. I was able to keep the hens talking and moving my direction. Occassionaly I could hear a bird gobble, but only one. I thought maybe some of the other birds had broke off, but within minutes I seen hens start filtering out of the timber into a meadow. The lead hen was ahead of the others by 70-80 yards and came in fast and within 5-6 yards. I was afraid I would get busted, but sat tight and waited for the other birds to progress. Within a few minutes the birds were all under 25 yards. Two strutters and two other long beards running the jake around. I picked what I thought was the biggest tom, waited for him to clear his twin and dropped him. 20lbs 11oz., 10 3/4" beard and 3/4" spurs.
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/Merriam3.jpg
I will say 2 things about Merriam hunting. I've never experienced anything like it and they sure can cover a lot of ground in a hurry. I would not hesitate saying I probably seen 150-200 different birds in 4 days and actually passed on several gobblers to lengthen my hunt because other gobblers were working in at the same time.
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/dynamicduo.jpg
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/Merriam1.jpg
My second Merriam came on the 3rd morning in a stand of oaks bordering a pasture. The day before my setup was off about 30 yards and the toms escaped with hens. The plan was to go back in the next morning and set up closer to where they wanted to be. The wind really had picked up, but I was within 200 yards of roost and could hear some gobbles. Around 6:15 I could hear some hens on the ground and began calling to them. Twenty minutes later I had a fox squirrel come nervously running out of the oak stand and stopped at my feet. As he worked to my left and I followed him with my eyes I spotted a tom moving down a fence at 30 yards. I got the video rolling and gun into position. My camera fell back a bit and made a noise. When it did I heard a hen. I turned to my right and seen a hillside covered in hens and 3 big fans over the rise, then a 4th. I shifted focus to the 4 toms standing at 18 yards. I clucked a couple times and they all gobbled. A real hen clucked and they gobbled again. The first tom I spotted appeard to be the biggest and had moved into the picture and was clear of the 4 strutters. I pulled the trigger at 16 yards. With the shot all the toms gobbled and all birds too flight. My second Merriams weighed 20lbs. 5ozs, 10 1/8" beard and 7/8" spurs.
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/Merriam2.jpg
My 3rd Merriam would come on the 4th day after spending the previous afternoon driving into South Dakota and locating some huntable land and birds. It wasn't long I found birds and confirmed I could hunt the area. That evening I roosted 4 long beards and a jake. The following morning I went in, set up and let them know I was there. At fly down the went the other direction briefly then faded back my way with hens. I was able to keep the hens talking and moving my direction. Occassionaly I could hear a bird gobble, but only one. I thought maybe some of the other birds had broke off, but within minutes I seen hens start filtering out of the timber into a meadow. The lead hen was ahead of the others by 70-80 yards and came in fast and within 5-6 yards. I was afraid I would get busted, but sat tight and waited for the other birds to progress. Within a few minutes the birds were all under 25 yards. Two strutters and two other long beards running the jake around. I picked what I thought was the biggest tom, waited for him to clear his twin and dropped him. 20lbs 11oz., 10 3/4" beard and 3/4" spurs.
www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/Merriam3.jpg
I will say 2 things about Merriam hunting. I've never experienced anything like it and they sure can cover a lot of ground in a hurry. I would not hesitate saying I probably seen 150-200 different birds in 4 days and actually passed on several gobblers to lengthen my hunt because other gobblers were working in at the same time.
. You are a Turkey Master 
.