Need advice (hunting Merriams in Nebraska)

[tennswamper]

Folks, I'm stepping outside of the south for my first Merriam hunt in Nebraska. I'll be on a private 3500 acre ranch with no pressure. Actually, a couple of guys will be there the first week of the season but that is it. The landowner does not turkey hunt.

Anyway, I'm headed there the first week of May. I'm just wondering what to expect that week, assuming the weather isn't bad. (I know the wind blows all the time. lol)

He says he heard some gobbling yesterday but it was warm but of course, we heard some gobbling opening day of deer season out there.

Any advice on the differences in how to hunt them would be great. Things like:

Do they like more calling or less than the Easterns?

I'm not sure on decoys out there but if legal, would I be smart to carry mine. I don't use them much here but I'm not against them either.

We'll be in extreme north central NE on the Niobra River.

[Colorado Bob]

The merriams I hunt here in Colorado like to gobble. They seem to roost in the same area & they seem to head off the roost & into the same drainage day after day. Your landowner probably knows where they like to roost. If they have hens it will be hard to call them off the girls. I usually get ahead of them & then they feed up the drainage or edge of the hay field to me.

I usually use a box call & then have a mouth call when they start to come.

God luck----CB

[VermontHunter]

Bob if you even come close to your Merriam from last season,, it's going to be a great day... ,, man that bird was gourgeous...

[Rhino]

I've been to New Mexico a couple of times hunting Merriams but not Nebraska yet. Here's what I can tell you about those Merriam birds I've hunted there.

To me a Merriam hen has darker colored feathers than an Eastern hen. Most decoys look like an Easten hen. I don't care to use decoys hardly at all myself but you might want to scratch your head about using one that might not look too much like what a Merriam gobbler is looking for.

The Merrriams hen has a much higher pitched cluck than an Eastern. Chances are, you'll hear one first hand. I believe you should take a call that reproduces that higher pitched cluck. Also, I guess it goes without saying but take the call(s) you feel most confident with too.

I don't know what it is about Merriams gobblers but they seem to like the sound of a box call over anything else when it comes to yelping and cutting. I suggest you plan on taking several different box calls to see which one the birds like best. The Eastern birds I hunt respond best to slate calls. Same goes with my experience with Rios but Merriams march to a different tune.

Other than that the amount of calling just depends on the mood of bird you're working. Some days they like more calling and somedays they don't. I've found that to be the case with any gobbler no matter what sub-species it is.

[Tail_Feathers]

Hunted NW NE last May, first week of May actually. The weather was generally good but prepare for cold, just in case. There were so blamed many turkeys it wasn't funny and they were still henned up.
As for how much to call...just take his temperature and do what he likes. I second the box call comment, they seem to like them, and less raspy calling.

[tennswamper]

Thanks guys!

I know it will be different, no doubt.

I don't use box calls so I guess I need to pull the old ones out. I carry three slate calls, two glass and one alluminum. THey all have their own personalities and all seem to have their place sometime during the season.

I also carry about 15 mouth calls every day. I was brought up turkey hunting with mouth calls and I use them 90% of the time. I have a few that are higher pitched. I rarely use them around here for the Easterns, except late in the year. I guess they will be in the front pocket once I get out there.

Knowing that killing the Slam in one year is near impossible for a working man, I'm beginning my quest for the career slam this year. Maybe one day I can do the whole thing in one year. I was going to go afte the Rio's in early April in Texas but that will be my first real shot at an Eastern here so I passed on that hunt til next year.

[tennswamper]

Thanks Turk!

I'm guessing my decision to go the first week of May was a good one then?

I'm looking at 4-5 days of hunting also. I can go longer if needed. Reckon that will be enough days to tag 2 birds?

[Rhino]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Turk!

I'm guessing my decision to go the first week of May was a good one then?


I'm looking at 4-5 days of hunting also. I can go longer if needed. Reckon that will be enough days to tag 2 birds?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure, depending on the mood of the birds and the weather conditions. I haven't made an out of state hunt yet that was longer than 3 1/2 days. Sometimes I killed my limit and sometimes I didn't but I've only gone on 1 out of state turkey hunting trip and came home empty handed. Even on that trip I had a close encounter but no shot opportunity. The weather was not in our favor either on that hunt.