Tell me how to tell the difference between a merriams and rio please

[kyduck1]

I hunted in S. Dakota last year and took a nice tom.  My friend shot a nice Merriam that has nice buff tips, but the one that I shot had a lot darker color to the tips.  Also the secondary feathers had a lot of darker, kind of brown looking, features to it as well.  So I was thinking it might be a color phase difference, a rio, or maybe a mixed breed??  Can you all help me out please.
Thanks

[Skeeterbait]

This may help

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,26039.0.html

[fallhnt]

The legs of a true Merriams are shorter...average beard length on a adult gobbler 8-8.5 in.

[kyduck1]

I give up what species is this

[M Sharpe]

Looks like a Rio to me

[GobbleNut]

It is definitely either a Rio, Merriams, or a hybrid.  From the picture, I would suspect it is a Rio, as well, because of the slight goldish sheen you can see where the light is reflecting off of the neck and wing feathers.  The buff coloration of the tail and rump feathers could come from either a Rio or Merriams, so that gives no clue from this picture.

[kyduck1]

Another pic from south dakota near the badlands area

[TrackeySauresRex]

I say.... it's a great Tom! 

[Wingbone]

Man, I'm no expert, but I have killed them all, and it looks like a Merriam's to me. The buff tips are a little more tan looking than most Merriam's, but look how wide those buff tips are. That's the stand apart detail for me. Yes the tips are sort of Rio colored, but I've never killed Rios with tips that wide.

As for the color, in your second pic, I see green irredecent bars on the body feathers. And that's what you should expect from a Merriam's. Also, the predominately Merriam's trait, irredecent band in the black of the tail feathers. Others species produce that trait on occasion, but every Merriams I've ever seen has it.

[kyduck1]

any other ideas??

[ncturkey]

I would say it is a hybrid Merriam/Rio. It is one pretty turkey that is for sure.The purple irredecent triangle patches in the black bands in the tail fan are a favorite trait I like about your turkey. That is a nice turkey.