Thurston County Boss Tom Down!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Yes it is ..good job ! The colorations are coming from interbreeding ...Rios crossing over the Spokane river ..and now they are all confused ..   I can show you some from the early 90's that were as white as snow ...not many around like that anymore but there are a few TRUE Merriams running around !

[Boss .300 winmag]

You might want to PM "Wacenturion" and ask him.  Anything I'd say would just be speculation.  I'm not sure if there was an early Merriam release there or maybe someone released on their own   He should know the real answer or at least give a guess based on better information.  I've never shot one east of I-5.

Aren't those ones in Colville you shot east of I-5?

[Jester052]

Don't if it's much more than just a gene that popped out, All the major species of turkey( as far as I've read) all have the exact same DNA, so go back far enough a Merriam's is and Eastern that just moved west, plumage adapated to their surroundings, I've seen " Merriam's" color phased Hens within miles of the JC release sites. Just got one where the dominant feather color DNA happened to be buff? My two cents. Look at the Barred wing feathers, Easterns have far less white on their primaries then do the other two in this state. But yes Wacent would be my goto for more analysis.

Thanks for that Tom Tamer! This bird has gotta be a hybrid! It was the tallest bird I'd ever seen and his primaries were WAY more black and the barring was very thin compared to the Merriam's wing that I had there. I've already taken the bird to the taxidermist for a full mount or I'd have more pictures. My phone died and I was so jacked but I'll have more soon. Most of you know how tall a Merriam is when he periscopes  you, this bird was a giant in height. And when a Merriam comes into full strut how copper and brown his chest feathers are. This one was jet black and his back feathers below his fan were black.

[RadSav]

You might want to PM "Wacenturion" and ask him.  Anything I'd say would just be speculation.  I'm not sure if there was an early Merriam release there or maybe someone released on their own   He should know the real answer or at least give a guess based on better information.  I've never shot one east of I-5.

Aren't those ones in Colville you shot east of I-5?

I knew I was going to catch heck for not clarifying that.  Can't get nothing by H-W members!

All my Washington State Easterns have been taken West of I-5

[Boss .300 winmag]

You might want to PM "Wacenturion" and ask him.  Anything I'd say would just be speculation.  I'm not sure if there was an early Merriam release there or maybe someone released on their own   He should know the real answer or at least give a guess based on better information.  I've never shot one east of I-5.

Aren't those ones in Colville you shot east of I-5?

I knew I was going to catch heck for not clarifying that.  Can't get nothing by H-W members!

All my Washington State Easterns have been taken West of I-5

Bearpaw did make it really easy by posting all those picks of you with your turkeys on his spring thread. 

[Jester052]

 

[RadSav]

Bearpaw did make it really easy by posting all those picks of you with your turkeys on his spring thread. 

You mean my Merriam and my Rio? 

[RadSav]

Here is a true blue never been within 200 miles of a Merriam...Eastern bird.

[Elkpiss]

Great bird again.. i cant explain the color phase but that bird is right in the heart of Eastern grounds.. wacenton will say the same, hell he planted the birds in that spot years ago..  the hooks were really impressive, eastern like hooks..  hell idk,  great bird u earned it bud..

[Boss .300 winmag]

Bearpaw did make it really easy by posting all those picks of you with your turkeys on his spring thread. 

You mean my Merriam and my Rio? 

Yep you were grinning like a Cheshire Cat. 

[RadSav]

Bearpaw did make it really easy by posting all those picks of you with your turkeys on his spring thread. 

You mean my Merriam and my Rio? 

Yep you were grinning like a Cheshire Cat. 

Dale has a way of bring out my inner Dork Fish

[RadSav]

I hope the OP realizes all this talk about what sub species has absolutely nothing to do with my view of how great a bird he harvested.  That is one great bird and an equally awesome story of persistence and hard work. 

At least for me I was just curious on how those Merriam genes got in that area.  I've never seen a bird like that in Thurston Co.  To me that means an even more rare and exciting bird

[Jonathan_S]

My buddy got this Tom last week. It is one of the coolest color phase birds I hav ever seen. Didn't look like a Merriam at all to me, but it was in the heart of Merriam country 

Look at the wing feathers on that guy!  Sort of looks like a Bronze in the tail and a Spanish Black in the wings.  That is one cool bird

Maybe a Spanish Black Wing Heritage Bronze...Yeah, that's it...Yeah

There is a smoke-phase Tom running around my neck of the woods according to my neighbor.  I told him not to shoot my Blue-Slate tom 

[Tom Tamer]

Don't if it's much more than just a gene that popped out, All the major species of turkey( as far as I've read) all have the exact same DNA, so go back far enough a Merriam's is and Eastern that just moved west, plumage adapated to their surroundings, I've seen " Merriam's" color phased Hens within miles of the JC release sites. Just got one where the dominant feather color DNA happened to be buff? My two cents. Look at the Barred wing feathers, Easterns have far less white on their primaries then do the other two in this state. But yes Wacent would be my goto for more analysis.

Thanks for that Tom Tamer! This bird has gotta be a hybrid! It was the tallest bird I'd ever seen and his primaries were WAY more black and the barring was very thin compared to the Merriam's wing that I had there. I've already taken the bird to the taxidermist for a full mount or I'd have more pictures. My phone died and I was so jacked but I'll have more soon. Most of you know how tall a Merriam is when he periscopes  you, this bird was a giant in height. And when a Merriam comes into full strut how copper and brown his chest feathers are. This one was jet black and his back feathers below his fan were black.

Cool, again the sizes too, Easterns are the largest of the subs species too. Seeing a photo going around FB turkey pages of a 37+lb Eastern, Ky or Tn I think. No matter these West side birds are one tough nut to crack. Only been able to do it once, my Dad twice. Nice job and Congrats!

[RadSav]

There is a smoke-phase Tom running around my neck of the woods according to my neighbor.  I told him not to shoot my Blue-Slate tom 

We had a local Winco selling Narragansett chicks last year.  They are sure a cool looking bird.  I've seen them smoke-phase until they go into strut and then they turned black, grey and white.  Really neat how drastic the change was.  Years ago Oregon had a few southern ranches that gave you the opportunity to shoot some of the exotic turkey species.  I never did one of those, but had friends that did and said they were super hunter wise.  Guess hunting pressure almost year round can make them pretty smart...for a dumb bird   I'm thinking ODFW put a halt to that recently.