Merriams Turkey Camp 2014

[MerriamMagician]

Well I am heading out on a final Eastern scouting trip this weekend. Hopefully I can stay on the birds I've located 

[irishevox]

i will be up sunday you want to get together you can show me the spot

[MerriamMagician]

Good luck everyone tomorrow! I'm gonna miss the opener for the second straight year due to work, but will do a quick evening hunt afterwards 

[MerriamMagician]

First bird of the year goes down for me! After work yesterday, I made the hour and half drive to turkey country and set up in an area where we had several flocks of birds roosting on the youth hunt. In no time at all I had three hot gobblers below me on the ridge and it didn't take much sweet talking to coax one my way. 1/3 towards my Washington slam attempt!

[kevinlisa06]

Congrats and good luck on the slam!


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[PA BEN]

 

[jasnt]

Congrats

[irishevox]

how's the slam going !  i know you got all the places to go brother great job on the tom

[MerriamMagician]

Headed down to Dayton to try hunting SE WA for the first time ever and came away with three beautiful rios! Here are two of them.

[MerriamMagician]

Finished the Washington slam with this bird.

[Wacenturion]

Congratulations young man.  It's nice to see all of your patience and hard work finally pay off.  Beautiful birds, especially the last one.  You'll have to give us the story on the Eastern..........

[REHJWA]

Awesome job! Sweat pics. Ready for the write ups.

[PA BEN]

That last bird is a real trophy. Nice long full beard and very nice hooks.

[packmule]

Congratulations, you deserve that Eastern.  I'm really happy for you.

[MerriamMagician]

Well heres the story of that bird. Saturday morning we got up and 3:00, were at the gate by 4:00 and hiked in 2-3 miles and were set up on the edge of some mature timber. A gobbler fired up around 5:45, but sat in the tree till nearly 7:45. Eventually he pitched off to our right and behind us and didnt gobble after that. After waiting a while longer we moved to a new location to regroup. Sat there over an hour with nothing going on. At that point it was around 9:30 am, so we slipped out of there to leave him for another day and continued hiking up the road. Every 500 yards or so I tried to get one to shock gobble on the crow call. Finally, nearly two more miles up the road one answered back!!  We were near the top of the ridge and he sounded like he was halfway between the crest and the bottom. We bailed off the ridge back down the road and hit a skidder that took off in his direction. Took us roughly ten minutes to make a move on him and he gobbled 4 more times as we moved in on him. We rounded a corner and a long straight stretch in the road lay ahead. Daring to go nor further, I quickly set out 2 hens on the road and backed into the woods. Settled in and began to cluck and purr on the slate. He answered and he was close!  Sounded like he was just beyond the bend. Game on! Rather than continue to try to call, I took the advice of most other Eastern hunters and went silent. 20 minutes go by... the birds gobbles 4 times in that span. Each time a little closer. Finally he peeks around the corner at 80 yards. Just his head visible.  A couple dozen eternities come and go and finally he steps out into full view. He sees the decoys. Bursts into half strut. Time passes painfully slow as he carefully high steps our way. Suddenly it hits me. The uncontrollable shaking caused by buck fever, or in this case turkey fever.  70 yards. 60. 50. 40. My heart is in full overdrive as he pulls up and freezes at 35 yards. For one paralyzing second I think he has me busted. Steady pressure on the trigger, then.... BOOOOM! Down he goes!!  First Eastern down for me and I already know I'm hopelessly addicted