Post by: fly4fish on May 27, 2014, 05:19:26 PM
So, what do you think?
I had the louse on me after packing him out, and saw another while tending the fan. Anyone see them much? I fried him up and enjoyed some of the best meat I have ever eaten, as did the in-laws.
Got awesome footage to. Video to come!
Post by: Mfowl on May 27, 2014, 05:45:48 PM
Post by: 270Shooter on May 27, 2014, 08:27:49 PM
Post by: turkeydancer on May 28, 2014, 08:21:29 AM
Post by: mtnseth on May 28, 2014, 08:52:44 AM
Interestingly, Whitman County "Rio" I killed this year (and all of his flock mates) had whiter tipped tail feathers than any bird I've ever killed north of Spokane. It was on par with the Montana Merriams I've killed.
As far as the louse, I have yet to see a turkey that didn't have them. That's one of the main reasons turkeys dust themselves. Don't worry, though, lice are host- specific. They may bite you once, but quickly die without a bird to live on.
Congrats on a beautiful bird!
Post by: arees on May 28, 2014, 09:17:01 AM
I had the louse on me after packing him out, and saw another while tending the fan. Anyone see them much? I fried him up and enjoyed some of the best meat I have ever eaten, as did the in-laws.
I wouldn't have thought you would get much meat off a louse that size. :chuckle:
Post by: turkeydancer on May 28, 2014, 11:36:06 AM
As turkeydancer mentioned, the bird is a Rio based solely upon county of kill. That said, the genetics in several regions of the state are pretty muddy and hybridization is likely very common, especially as one gets closer to the Idaho and Oregon borders. I know first hand that several recent WDFW trap and release projects have moved birds from traditional Merriam areas (NE) to Rio zones south of the Snake River, and the state (in terms of management, anyway) increasingly views any eastern WA bird as "just a turkey." There are certainly still genetically pure flocks in those regions, but I don't think WDFW puts much emphasis on keeping it that way.
Interestingly, Whitman County "Rio" I killed this year (and all of his flock mates) had whiter tipped tail feathers than any bird I've ever killed north of Spokane. It was on par with the Montana Merriams I've killed.
As far as the louse, I have yet to see a turkey that didn't have them. That's one of the main reasons turkeys dust themselves. Don't worry, though, lice are host- specific. They may bite you once, but quickly die without a bird to live on.
Congrats on a beautiful bird!
I had an NWTF biologists tell me once that the only way to know 100% what subspecies you harvested is to do a genetics test, but that's cost prohibitive. :dunno:
Post by: The Gobble-stopper on May 30, 2014, 08:35:03 AM
Post by: Rob on May 30, 2014, 08:39:38 AM
Post by: lokidog on May 30, 2014, 09:15:37 AM
Is that a leg band?
Probably his tag taped to the leg.
Post by: fly4fish on May 30, 2014, 08:39:31 PM
Is that a leg band?
Probably his tag taped to the leg.
Correct. That is my tag on leg.
Thank you all for your much more professional opinions than my own. What I have gathered from this is that there is not a real big difference between the two. I read something about the wing coloration; white on black vs. black on white. Nothing I am going to remember in the woods for sure. I will just call them Rios for now on.
I have just uploaded the video and will start a new post right now for it.
Thanks again,
Chris
Post by: lokidog on May 31, 2014, 08:17:07 AM
Is that a leg band?
Probably his tag taped to the leg.
Correct. That is my tag on leg.
Thank you all for your much more professional opinions than my own. What I have gathered from this is that there is not a real big difference between the two. I read something about the wing coloration; white on black vs. black on white. Nothing I am going to remember in the woods for sure. I will just call them Rios for now on.
I have just uploaded the video and will start a new post right now for it.
Thanks again,
Chris
Yep, the silliness of identification by location, one side of the road it's this, the other side it's that... yeah, right.... :rolleyes: :chuckle:
Post by: mossy8352 on May 31, 2014, 08:50:27 AM