Single season grand slam

[memert116]

Hey guys,

Looking to try a single season grand slam in 2015.  I have hunts booked in Florida and Texas, going to hunt alone in Illinois and Tennessee, maybe S.C.  I've spoken with Cow Creek Ranch in Rapid City, S.D. about a Merriam's hunt but would love to hear from folks who've hunted with them or can recommend a good place for pure Merriam's other than Gobble-n-grunt in Nebraska.  I've hunted there before but did not have a good experience with them.

Hope to hear back from ya'll and THANKS!!

Mark

[mgm1955]

I agree with your comment about gobble-n-grunt. Lots of turkeys, but our group killed 11 gobblers and only one was a true Merriam. The rest were all hybrids even though they advertise themselves as the home of the Merriam hunt. Good luck and wish you success!!

[Beard Collecter]

There is lots of public land out west loaded with Merriams. I hunted The Black Hills of S.D. last year and found a good population of Merriams there with no hunting pressure during the week. I would go that route again without a doubt.

[memert116]

I agree with your comment about gobble-n-grunt. Lots of turkeys, but our group killed 11 gobblers and only one was a true Merriam. The rest were all hybrids even though they advertise themselves as the home of the Merriam hunt. Good luck and wish you success!!

We had unprofessional guides, other employees in camp treated us like we were in their way and came back from hunts expecting a meal and there was none to be had.  Glad they had you into birds.......only half of our group even got shots at birds.

Thanks for the well wishes!!

[memert116]

There is lots of public land out west loaded with Merriams. I hunted The Black Hills of S.D. last year and found a good population of Merriams there with no hunting pressure during the week. I would go that route again without a doubt.

Would you be willing to share the area you were in?  Don't want you to give away a great spot but.....LOL!!

Thanks!!

[Beard Collecter]

We hunted a different area everyday, and found birds everywhere we went. Get a map and start driving back roads. If you have a smart phone there are apps you can load that will let you know Black Hills boundaries. This is all part of the adventure. Would not want to deny you of that. lol You will not have problems finding birds. The rest is up to you.

[memert116]

We hunted a different area everyday, and found birds everywhere we went. Get a map and start driving back roads. If you have a smart phone there are apps you can load that will let you know Black Hills boundaries. This is all part of the adventure. Would not want to deny you of that. lol You will not have problems finding birds. The rest is up to you.

Thanks, will have to check it out.  That actually sounds like a lot of fun and satisfying to do it on your own...

[slamman]

Too late to put in for Arizona but there are always leftover tags available in 12A where there is some great public land Merriam's turkey hunting available, who ever you book with or wherever you go good luck to you the single season Grand Slam is very hard to accomplish.

[Rokhal07]

Too late to put in for Arizona but there are always leftover tags available in 12A where there is some great public land Merriam's turkey hunting available, who ever you book with or wherever you go good luck to you the single season Grand Slam is very hard to accomplish.

Not sure about Arizona but 100% agree w last 2 lines. Worth every extra effort though.

[Swamprunner]

I find this to be an interesting topic, so I'll weigh in. I have done what you are looking to do twice in the past 3 years.  It is a fun challenge, and I enjoyed it with some friends.  After the first one three years ago, I decided that it was no longer about feather color for me.  Hybrid this, pure merriam that.  A gobbler will screw anything that will sit still, including a splintered fencepost, so to worry about how pure a bird is just seems silly.  Now, I hunt turkeys that gobble in places that I want to hunt them.  If that means his feathers are black or tan or white, then so be it. 

I don't say this at all to demean your quest.  The travel and the challenge can be a blast.  I just thought I would share my experience and give you a little food for thought.  If gobble-n-grunt sounds fun to you, and your buddies don't recognize them as true merriams, get new buddies.  I have killed two turkeys in Alachua County FL.  It is just below some imaginary line.  All I know is they were awesome hunts with good friends.  Hunt birds and places that make you happy.

[memert116]

Too late to put in for Arizona but there are always leftover tags available in 12A where there is some great public land Merriam's turkey hunting available, who ever you book with or wherever you go good luck to you the single season Grand Slam is very hard to accomplish.

Thank you slamman....gonna give it my all.....

[memert116]

Too late to put in for Arizona but there are always leftover tags available in 12A where there is some great public land Merriam's turkey hunting available, who ever you book with or wherever you go good luck to you the single season Grand Slam is very hard to accomplish.

Not sure about Arizona but 100% agree w last 2 lines. Worth every extra effort though.

Hoping to get'er done!!!

[memert116]

I find this to be an interesting topic, so I'll weigh in. I have done what you are looking to do twice in the past 3 years.  It is a fun challenge, and I enjoyed it with some friends.  After the first one three years ago, I decided that it was no longer about feather color for me.  Hybrid this, pure merriam that.  A gobbler will screw anything that will sit still, including a splintered fencepost, so to worry about how pure a bird is just seems silly.  Now, I hunt turkeys that gobble in places that I want to hunt them.  If that means his feathers are black or tan or white, then so be it. 

I don't say this at all to demean your quest.  The travel and the challenge can be a blast.  I just thought I would share my experience and give you a little food for thought.  If gobble-n-grunt sounds fun to you, and your buddies don't recognize them as true merriams, get new buddies.  I have killed two turkeys in Alachua County FL.  It is just below some imaginary line.  All I know is they were awesome hunts with good friends.  Hunt birds and places that make you happy.

Swamprunner,  thank's for the weigh-in;  I think I agree with you and disagree with you all at the same time. First, my problem with gobble-n-grunt isn't with the "purity of the birds" or my buddies opinions, it is all about a bad experience I have with gobble-n-grunt when I hunted there.  I actually took two birds with them and consider them to be Merriams regardless of feather color.  This whole experience is about accomplishing a personal goal I've set for myself and expanding my horizons on turkey hunting.  It's my desire to hunt birds where I believe them to be as pure as possible because that makes me happy not because of some organization or because a person/buddy tell me they are or aren't.   It just what I wanna do....     I TOTALLY agree with you that life is too short to worry about all the other outside stuff.  I guess I'm pretty blessed, in that, everywhere I hunt turkeys makes me happy......

[Swamprunner]

I find this to be an interesting topic, so I'll weigh in. I have done what you are looking to do twice in the past 3 years.  It is a fun challenge, and I enjoyed it with some friends.  After the first one three years ago, I decided that it was no longer about feather color for me.  Hybrid this, pure merriam that.  A gobbler will screw anything that will sit still, including a splintered fencepost, so to worry about how pure a bird is just seems silly.  Now, I hunt turkeys that gobble in places that I want to hunt them.  If that means his feathers are black or tan or white, then so be it. 

I don't say this at all to demean your quest.  The travel and the challenge can be a blast.  I just thought I would share my experience and give you a little food for thought.  If gobble-n-grunt sounds fun to you, and your buddies don't recognize them as true merriams, get new buddies.  I have killed two turkeys in Alachua County FL.  It is just below some imaginary line.  All I know is they were awesome hunts with good friends.  Hunt birds and places that make you happy.

Swamprunner,  thank's for the weigh-in;  I think I agree with you and disagree with you all at the same time. First, my problem with gobble-n-grunt isn't with the "purity of the birds" or my buddies opinions, it is all about a bad experience I have with gobble-n-grunt when I hunted there.  I actually took two birds with them and consider them to be Merriams regardless of feather color.  This whole experience is about accomplishing a personal goal I've set for myself and expanding my horizons on turkey hunting.  It's my desire to hunt birds where I believe them to be as pure as possible because that makes me happy not because of some organization or because a person/buddy tell me they are or aren't.   It just what I wanna do....     I TOTALLY agree with you that life is too short to worry about all the other outside stuff.  I guess I'm pretty blessed, in that, everywhere I hunt turkeys makes me happy......

Good on you, and good luck this season

[Rokhal07]

I find this to be an interesting topic, so I'll weigh in. I have done what you are looking to do twice in the past 3 years.  It is a fun challenge, and I enjoyed it with some friends.  After the first one three years ago, I decided that it was no longer about feather color for me.  Hybrid this, pure merriam that.  A gobbler will screw anything that will sit still, including a splintered fencepost, so to worry about how pure a bird is just seems silly.  Now, I hunt turkeys that gobble in places that I want to hunt them.  If that means his feathers are black or tan or white, then so be it. 

I don't say this at all to demean your quest.  The travel and the challenge can be a blast.  I just thought I would share my experience and give you a little food for thought.  If gobble-n-grunt sounds fun to you, and your buddies don't recognize them as true merriams, get new buddies.  I have killed two turkeys in Alachua County FL.  It is just below some imaginary line.  All I know is they were awesome hunts with good friends.  Hunt birds and places that make you happy.

Swamprunner,  thank's for the weigh-in;  I think I agree with you and disagree with you all at the same time. First, my problem with gobble-n-grunt isn't with the "purity of the birds" or my buddies opinions, it is all about a bad experience I have with gobble-n-grunt when I hunted there.  I actually took two birds with them and consider them to be Merriams regardless of feather color.  This whole experience is about accomplishing a personal goal I've set for myself and expanding my horizons on turkey hunting.  It's my desire to hunt birds where I believe them to be as pure as possible because that makes me happy not because of some organization or because a person/buddy tell me they are or aren't.   It just what I wanna do....     I TOTALLY agree with you that life is too short to worry about all the other outside stuff.  I guess I'm pretty blessed, in that, everywhere I hunt turkeys makes me happy......

Good on you, and good luck this season

x2