Pic of Idaho bird, Merriam or Rio ?

[Gawhitaker]

Got this two year old Thur. Morning in Idaho, thought all Merriams had white tips, this un looks more like a Rio to me. Was told Easterns were introduced here some years back, but this is not the eastern we have in Arkansas.

[Gawhitaker]

The top one is from Idaho also, definite difference in tip color, this year a light tan.

[doublebarrel]

Could be a hybrid.

[Gold Spur]

Congrats Greg, that's a good looking bird! 

[strut-stopper]

Yep looks like a hybrid   Killed a rio/eastern hybrid in Kansas that looked just like yours

[DirtNap647]

congrats nice looking turkey

[Rio Fan]

Gawhitaker-
I was in Idaho over the weekend and my dad and I killed two birds.  One bird's fan looked like a typical Rio, while the other looked a little more like a Merriams or a Rio/Merriams hybrid.  Over the years, we've killed a handful of Easterns up towards Dworshak Reservoir and some that looked like Eastern hybrids.

Congrats on the bird!

[Gawhitaker]

We were above Dworshak, thanks fellas for he insight. Rio Fan, Congrats on a great weekend.

[surehuntsalot]

unique looking bird...congrats

[tomstopper]

I dont know to much about Rios or Merriams, but that is a cool looking bird either way. Congrats.....

[Wingbone]

Might have a little Rio in him but I think he's more Merriam than anything. The white/tan tips are too long to be much else. I killed a Merriam in the Black Hills that had tan tips. Some are just darker than others. If the light tip is a inch or better, he's a Merriam.

[AlleninNM]

Cool looking bird.  I have shot Merriam's within 50 yards of each other that have varied from the typical white to more along the shade of your bird.  Some are just darker than others.

[Gawhitaker]

Thanks fellas, hope i get to come back next year and try for a white tipped one. Good luck to all you folks still hunting

[Tail Feathers]

Many Merriams have the buff tips.  The depth of the buff strip and the end of the tail fan says Merriams.

I want a white tipped one too, my Merriams is colored like that.