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Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts (25)

Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 04/06/2011
10:51
Barbecued Wild Turkey
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Ingredients

One stick (1/2 cup) margarine
1/2 cup chopped green onions or chives
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. thyme and savory, mixed
1 cup broth
3 Tbsp. parsley

Directions.

Cut turkey into pieces across the grain. Cook onions until tender in butter, add other ingredients. Bring to a full boil. Cover each piece of turkey with this mixture. Baste often on grill. Cook 45 to 55 minutes or until done.

Guided Merriam's Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Hunting Company

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 04/04/2011
09:16
Wild Turkey - Making a Turkey Cape
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Making a Turkey Cape

Although there are several ways to display your trophy tom, one of the easiest and least-expensive ways is by caping your turkey.

Caping is inexpensive, easy to do, and extremely satisfying. Simply skinning your turkey from head to tail, cleaning and boraxing the skin and pinning it to a flat piece of cardboard is all that's involved.

Follow the simple instructions below for a good looking and simple way to capture the memory of a special hunt:

•To begin, hang your tom by the head.

•With a sharp knife, cut the skin where the feathers on the neck meet the skin of the head.

•Continuing down the center of the back and toward the tail, remove the skin in an approximate two-inch wide strip. You will notice that the feathers attach to the skin in rows and the narrow strip of skin actually holds a much wider angular blanket of feathers.

•Remove the skin to and including the tail skin.

•With knife and spoon, remove the fat and flesh.

•Cover wet skin in Borax.

•Lay Borax covered skin on large piece of flat corrugated cardboard.

•With straight pins, pin the head end to cardboard.

•Fan tail, spread to the desired width and pin each feather in place.

•With a pocket knife, lay each feather in place.

•Let dry three to four weeks.

•Remove pins, shake loose Borax and hang.

•You may wish to mount the cape on a piece of wood cut to fit the cape.

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09:09
Cleaning Your Wild Turkey
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

If you're a turkey hunter, you're used to making decisions. And, after choosing the right turkey loads, camouflage, decoys and calls before entering the spring woods, it's a relief when the final decision of the hunt is how to care for and cook your bird. Cleaning your turkey is the first step, and regardless of whether you plan to skin, pluck or breast out and cut up your bird, doing it properly is both quick and easy. Just follow these simple steps.

1. If you don't plan to cook your bird whole, start by laying the turkey on it's back. Remove just enough breast feathers so as to expose the skin.

2. To remove the breast filets, pull or cut the skin back from the breast. Make cuts along each side of the breastbone as well as on the inside of both wings or the clavicle. To save the wings, peel the skin back and remove the wings from the cavity by cutting through the joint.

3. Find the breastbone and make an incision down each side of the breastbone to loosen the breast filet from the bone. Work from the rear of the breast forward, fileting off the breast by pulling the filet and using the knife as needed. Repeat this for the other side of the breast.

4. To remove the thigh and leg, cut through the thigh muscle where it attaches to the back. Then grab the thigh or leg and pull up until you can feel the joint pop loose. Keep cutting through the thigh until it comes free from the turkey's body.

Considered the traditional style of cleaning a wild turkey, plucking is a perfect way to prepare your bird to be roasted, smoked or whole deep-fried. Before you remove the entrails or field dress the turkey pluck the turkey's feathers to help keep the moisture in the turkey while cooking it whole. Remove the feathers after dipping the bird in hot water. Some people use boiling water but it has been said that 140-degree water is optimal for plucking a bird. Plucking does take time and produces more of a mess than does skinning; however, the taste of deep-fried or roasted turkey skin is worth the effort.

Plucking vs. Skinning

Many of today's turkey hunters prefer skinning to plucking. Skinning a turkey allows you to cook the bird by frying or grilling the pieces of meat. You can skin and fillet the turkey breasts, and slice as much meat from the legs and wings as necessary. Make a cut just along one side of the breastbone. Then, it's just a matter of working the skin off the breast halves, down the back and over each of the legs. In some states it's illegal to only fillet the breast out, leaving the rest of the carcass behind. Always check your state's hunt regulations, and make sure your turkey is properly tagged for transportation.

Field Dressing

In hot weather hunting conditions, field dressing your bird is a good idea before you clean it for the table. If you decide to field dress your bird, start by placing the turkey on its back. Find the bottom of the breast plate and insert your knife, making a cut to the anal vent. Remove the entrails from this opening and then reach into the cavity to sever the windpipe, heart and lungs. Cool the cavity by placing ice inside the chest.

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08:59
Cleaning & Preping Your Wild Turkey
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Cleaning Your Wild Turkey If you're a turkey hunter, you're used to making decisions. And, after choosing the right turkey loads, camouflage, decoys and calls before entering the spring woods, it's a relief when the final decision of the hunt is how to care for and cook your bird. Cleaning your turkey is the first step, and regardless of whether you plan to skin, pluck or breast out and cut up your bird, doing it properly is both quick and easy. Just follow these simple steps. 1. If you don't plan to cook your bird whole, start by laying the turkey on it's back. Remove just enough breast feathers so as to expose the skin.

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 03/31/2011
13:19
How to Score Your Wild Turkey - Easterns, Rios, Merriams and Osceolas
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

How to Score Your Wild Turkey You can calculate the score of your turkey with our scoring calculator. Before you begin to score your turkey, be sure to note that all measurements are taken in 1/16-inch increments and converted to decimal form. A current NWTF member or another licensed hunter from the state where the bird was harvested must verify all measurements. A conversion chart for measurements is located at the bottom of this page.

Step 1: Weigh your bird in pounds and ounces and convert ounces to decimal form.

Step 2: Measure each spur. Spurs must be measured along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur. Add both spur measurements and multiply the combined length of the spurs by 10. This is the number of points you receive for the turkey’s spurs.

Step 3: Measure the beard length (a beard must be measured from the center point of the protrusion of the skin to the tip) and convert it to decimal form.Next, multiply the beard length figure by 2; this is the number of points you receive for the beard length. If you have an atypical bird (multiple beards), measure each beard, convert them to a decimal number, then add those figures together and multiply by two. This is the number of points you receive for your turkey’s beards.

Step 4: Measure the beard length (a beard must be measured from the center point of the protrusion of the skin to the tip) and convert it to decimal form.Next, multiply the beard length figure by 2; this is the number of points you receive for the beard length. If you have an atypical bird (multiple beards), measure each beard, convert them to a decimal number, then add those figures together and multiply by two. This is the number of points you receive for your turkey’s beards.

Conversion Chart

1/8 Measurements 1/8 = .1250 2/8 = .2500 3/8 = .3750 4/8 = .5000 5/8 = .6250 6/8 = .7500 7/8 = .8750

1/16 Measurements 1/16 = .0625 2/16 = .1250 3/16 = .1875 4/16 = .2500 5/16 = .3125 6/16 = .3750 7/16 = .4375 8/16 = .5000 9/16 = .5625 10/16 = .6250 11/16 = .6875 12/16 = .7500 13/16 = .8125 14/16 = .8750 15/16 = .9375

Weight 1 OZ. = .0625 2 OZ. = .1250 3 OZ. = .1875 4 OZ. = .2500 5 OZ. = .3125 6 OZ. = .3750 7 OZ. = .4375 8 OZ. = .5000 9 OZ. = .5625 10 OZ. = .6250 11 OZ. = .6875 12 OZ. = .7500 13 OZ. = .8125 14 OZ. = .8750 15 OZ. = .9375

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10:50
Merriam's Turkey Hunting - Simply The Best!
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

"Some of the Best turkey hunting I have had in my life. I saw over 30 turkeys a day and we harvested our 4 tom turkeys in 20 hours. Turkey hunting unlike anywhere in the United States."

Wallace Fennell Camillus Knifes - Rock hill, North Carolina

"The mixture of rolling hills, wide open terrain and dense cover of central Nebraska, provides a truly unique Turkey hunting experience. If your in search of the Turkey hunting experience of a lifetime, your search has ended. I highly recommend Scott Croner and his associates at the Nebraska Hunting Company.

Rob Swords - Plant Manager Worthington Steel - Columbus, Ohio

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10:05
Spring Turkey Season Only Two Weeks Away - April 16,2011
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunt

3 days / 3 nights per hunter: $ 1295.00 Archery / Shotgun Package includes: * 2 Tom Turkeys (third turkey $300.00) * Lodging and meals * Transportation once your arrive at NHC, Inc. Lodge in Brewster, NE

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10:05
Spring Turkey Season Only Two Weeks Away - April 16,2011
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunt 3 days / 3 nights per hunter: $ 1295.00 Archery / Shotgun Package includes: * 2 Tom Turkeys (third turkey $300.00) * Lodging and meals * Transportation once your arrive at NHC, Inc. Lodge in Brewster, NE

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 03/29/2011
12:06
Merriam's Spring Shotgun Season Starts April 16, 2011 - Checklist
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Equipment:
Shotgun
Turkey loads
Turkey choke tube
Patterning targets
Camo blind — where legal
Seat, cushioned stool
Shotgun sling
Turkey decoys
Camera Lo Boy
Lite Chair
Monopod gun rest
ThermaCELL
Compass Maps
Knife
Ratchet cutters
Insect repellent
Flashlight
Trail ribbon
Binoculars
Camo tape
Cooler
Water bottle
First aid kit

Clothes:
Camo gloves
Camo facenet
Camo paint
Camo make-up
Camo shirt
Camo pants
Camo jacket
Camo turkey vest or pack
Camo cap
Camo socks
Camo undershirts
Rain suit
Calls:
Box call
Diaphragm calls
Slate or glass pot & peg call
Glass call
Gobble call
Tube call
Push-pin call
Turpin/wingbone call
Crow/locator call
Owl hooter call locator calls

Call Accessories:
Box call chalk
Sandpaper
Call lanyard
Box call holster

Archery gear:
Bow (camouflaged)
Broadheads
3-D Camo clothes
3-D targets

To Do:
Get license/turkey tags
Pattern shotgun

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 03/23/2011
17:22
Merriam's Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami)
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Complete your "Grand Slam" with a Merriam's Turkey Hunt, Contact Scott Croner at 402-304-1192

Physical Description
Although approximately the same size as the Eastern, the Merriam has different coloration. It is black with blue, purple and bronze reflections. White feathers on the lower back and tail feather margins distinguish the Merriam from other subspecies of turkey. The margins have a dull white appearance. Merriam’s appear to have a white rump due to pinkish buff, or whitish tail coverts and tips. The tail feathers are very conspicuous when the gobbler struts against a dark background. Toms have black-tipped breast feathers, while the hens exhibit buff tips. Hens have a more extensive white area on the wings giving a whiter appearance when the wings are folded.

Average Weight Range
Mature Merriam wild turkeys weigh from eight to over 20 pounds.

Reproduction
Breeding occurs during the spring and summer months (May through August). The increase of daylight hours in spring triggers hormonal changes. Gobbling is used to attract receptive females for mating in late February to early March. Males exhibit both gobbling and strutting to attract females. Gobbling attracts the hen to the male, who then courts the female by strutting. If the gobbler is successful, the female will crouch to signal the male to begin copulation. The first peak time for gobbling occurs at the beginning of breeding season when gobblers are searching for hens. The second peak begins a few weeks later, when most hens begin incubation. Gobblers mate with several hens, and it is generally the adult males who do most of the mating. Hens lay anywhere from 8 to 12 eggs per clutch, averaging about 28 days for incubation.

Food Usage/Selection
Wild turkeys are omnivores, eating a variety of plant and animal matter wherever and whenever available. Poults, or young turkey, eat large quantities of insects and other animal matter to get needed protein for development. As turkeys age, plant matter becomes the primary food source with about 90 percent of the mature turkey’s diet including the green foliage of grasses, vines, forbs, acorns, buds, seeds and various fruits.

Range
The Merriam is found in the ponderosa pine forests of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and the rest of the Rocky Mountain range, and has been transplanted to Nebraska, Washington, California, Oregon, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.

Habitat
Merriam’s wild turkeys inhabit ponderosa pine forests, western mountainous regions of the United States and the woodland prairies. Merriam’s tend to live in regions that receive annual rainfall of 15 to 23 inches.

Common Hunting Methods
The shotgun, bow and arrow, and black powder are all used to hunt turkey. To attract turkey, hunters use a wide range of calls to lure them or to induce gobblers to a fight. Calling has become so popular that contests are held each year so experts and novices alike can fine-tune their skills.

Hunting Challenges/Values
With their excellent eyesight and well-developed sense of hearing, the turkey can sometimes outsmart decoys used by hunters as they become more and more sensitized to their presence. Wild turkeys are very good to eat and can be smoked, fried or baked. Many hunters proudly display their colorful capes, beards or full-bodied mounts.

Interesting Tidbits
Turkeys will answer thunder from an approaching storm with calls of their own.
Turkey hunting is one of the most popular forms of hunting.
Hens produce droppings in shapes like a mound, and the gobbler’s droppings are in a straight line or resemble the letter “J.”

Named for C. Hart Merriam, who was the first chief of the U. S. Biological Survey.

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09:00
Nebraska Merriam's Mania With Scott Croner and The Nebraska Hunting Company By Brandon, Wikman
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Realtree: Community: Nebraska Merriam's Mania: "Nebraska Merriam's Mania

By Brandon Wikman, Bass Pro NGX Team

The rumors tucked away in the Sand Hills of central Nebraska hold more truth than told. Deep in this picturesque valley of cedars, sand and lofty hills, is a sought after secret of the mystical Merriam’s turkey.

Plenty of the country hunted was open, but the birds have a propensity to find and use available cover to their advantage.
The time-crazy world hasn't changed the background of the old ranch town I stayed at. As I passed through the hundred yard main street strip of not-a-whole-lot, I soon became familiarized of what the little town was known for from the camouflage jackets and cowboy hats worn by the locals. I marveled at cattle ranchers stringing barbed-wire fence by hand for miles, while others admired their massive prairie burns. I felt as if I were taken back to the cowboy days and imagined the covered wagons trekking across the desolate land. Sod houses from the 1800's still stood amongst the canyons and withheld their enduring beauty throughout years of erosion.
THE GRAND QUEST
Although, the scenery and generalization of the Sand Hills inspired my historic inner-feelings, I was there to conquer the last species of turkey for my Grand Slam quest and face the secrets head-to-head with Nebraska Hunting Company, a nationally acclaimed outfitter from the heart of Nebraska."

Read More

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 03/15/2011
08:05
[nt]
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 02/12/2011
14:57
Tom Thrasher Enjoys Chasing Gobbler's With Nebraska Hunting Company
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Tom Thrasher
14466 Sherwood Ave
Omaha, NE
402-493-6424
402-740-5811
May 2, 2007

Scott Croner
President
Nebraska Hunting Outfitters Company
Lincoln, NE

Hi Scott,
We just arrived home from our turkey hunt and had an easy drive. It only took us 4 hours
with a short stop for a sandwich and we wanted to let you know that Monty and I had a great time. The hunt was all together different than I expected which was a good thing. My only other hunt involved setting up a blind in the woods and calling birds for 3 days without success. I was expecting the same process with only different results this time. As it turned out, the entire hunt was different. I’m not one to sit still for several hours so your hunt was a perfect fit. It offered lots of variety and action with excellent results. It was like elk hunting for turkey! There was lots of activity and exercise which really made the hunt fun.

We were both impressed with your bird calling ability and George also did a very nice job. You made us both feel very comfortable and I appreciated your constant concern about how we were doing physically during the hunt. You know that we retired folks aren’t always in the best of shape. I believe we would both like to repeat this hunt and I’d like very much to talk to you about a deer hunt this fall. Thanks again for a great time and I look forward to receiving the pictures.

Best regards,

Tom Thrasher

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 02/10/2011
17:13
Preseason Scouting for Spring Turkey 2011
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Well after trip to the woods on the first warm day here in Nebraska it didn't take long to figure out that even the turkey were ready to feel the warm sun on the coal black feathers. I ventured into two alfalfa fields this afternoon to look for any sign that the turkeys had decided that winter might be coming to an end and sure enough something provoke on of the toms to shock gobble down in the timber. Maybe we shouldn’t' rely on a ground hog to predict weather winter will be over sooner than later.

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 02/01/2011
08:12
Determine a Turkey's Age by its Spurs | The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Turkey Hunters! My friend Albert Rasch of Florida has put together a great article on ageing turkeys by their spurs.

Read more at:
Determine a Turkey's Age by its Spurs The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles

All the best!
Scott Croner, Merriam's Turkey Hunting

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 01/13/2011
11:59
Ron's Trophy Merriam's Turkey - How Many Beards?
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Scott, I want to thank you once again for your very first "handicap" hunt. Hopefully I can get this straightened out for a return trip. Also the final tally on the number of beards is.
9"-7 1/2"-7 1/2"-5 1/2"-4" on the beards.
Ron

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 01/10/2011
18:34
© 2011 Scott Croner and ...
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

© 2011 Scott Croner and
Nebraska Hunting Company™

LINCOLN, Neb. – Spring turkey hunting permits will be available from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission starting at 1 p.m. Central Time on Jan. 10.

The archery and youth archery hunting seasons are March 25-May 31. The youth shotgun season is April 9-May 31 and the regular shotgun season is April 16-May 31.

The 2011 permit prices, not including issuing fees, are: resident turkey, $23; nonresident turkey, $90; and resident and nonresident youth turkey, $5. Youth permits are for hunters who are under age 16 on the opening day of the youth archery season. All turkey hunters, except residents under age 16, require a Nebraska Habitat Stamp.

A spring turkey permit, as well as a spring youth turkey permit, allows a hunter to take turkeys with bow and arrow in the archery season and a shotgun in the shotgun season. A person may have up to three spring turkey permits. The bag limit is one male or bearded female turkey per permit.

Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunting Brochure

Visit OutdoorNebraska.org or Game and Parks permitting offices to purchase permits.

Best to you,
Scott Croner
Nebraska Hunting Company

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15:00
Guided Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunts - Scott Croner - 402-304-1192
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 01/03/2011
13:03
Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunting Guides
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 12/29/2010
17:49
Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunt 2011 - Opening Date
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Merriam's Spring Turkey Opens April 16, 2011 and will close at the end of May. Book Your 2011 Hunt and finish your Grand Slam.

Merriam's Spring Turkey Brochure

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 11/23/2010
12:43
Nebraska Hunting Outfitters: Last Chance Buck: Hunting Nebraska's Whitetail Deer
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Scott Croner takes a very nice 150 class Nebraska buck during rifle season. Catch up with him at:

Nebraska Hunting Outfitters: Last Chance Buck: Hunting Nebraska's Whitetail Deer

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 10/01/2010
07:41
2010 Spring Turkey - Biggest Season Ever
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

© 2010 Scott Croner and
Nebraska Hunting Company™

Wow who would have thought it was possible that 2010 would be bigger than 2009. Here are the stats.

40 Clients - Harvested 104 Gobblers - 32 Days

Best to you,
Scott Croner
Nebraska Hunting Company

Albert A Rasch
Spoons: They're Not Just for Cereal!The Range Reviews: AGI Armorer's Course 1911 Auto Boar Hunting Calibers: Part I

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 08/13/2010
04:51
Keep Nebraska Clean!
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts
© 2010 Scott Croner™ and
Nebraska Hunting Company

Keep Nebraska Clean: Dispose of Litter

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission forwarded the following to me:

As fall approaches, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters and anglers to act responsibly and avoid littering. Disposing of litter is a way everyone may gain a sense of ownership of Nebraska's outdoors. Nebraskans can ensure future generations will have clean hunting lands, parks and waters to enjoy.

Litter is unsightly, pollutes water and landscape, and can be fatal to fish and wildlife. In addition, hunters and anglers who litter on private, walk-in-only sites risk having landowners remove their acres from access programs. The following are some suggestions from Game and Parks for keeping land and water clean:
- Leave only your footprints - Properly discard trash when camping, fishing, hunting, or hiking.
- Parks have trash containers, but the lack of a container in a more remote spot is no reason to litter - pack it out with you.
- Recycle trash - Take the aluminum cans, plastic bottles and paper home with you to recycle.
- Recycle fishing line - Bins specifically designated for these purposes are located at many eastern Nebraska lakes and sporting goods stores.
- Reuse - Do not leave spent shotgun shells behind. Consider reloading them.
- Pick it up - If you see trash, pick it up and dispose of it. Take a plastic garbage bag with you when you visit a park or lake and clean up what you can.
- Set an example - Doing any of the above items will set a good example. Maybe someone will notice and help. And don't forget to teach children why they should not litter.
Best to you,
Scott Croner™
Nebraska Hunting Company
Phone: 402 304 1192
Email: scott@nebraskahunting.net

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Nebraska blogs (US-NE), 07/29/2010
05:45
Hunting Merriam's Turkeys: Hints and How-to's
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

Hunting Merriam's Turkey: Hints and How-to's
Reprinted with permission from:
Hunting Merriam's Turkeys: Hints and How-to's
For those pursuing any of the National Wild Turkey Federation Slams, finding a great spot to hunt the Merriam's turkey can be a challenge. As we have discussed before, the reintroduction of wild turkeys in Nebraska began in 1959. Twenty eight Merriam's turkeys trapped in South Dakota and Wyoming were released in the Pine Ridge area of Nebraska. Although Merriam's were not native to Nebraska, Pine Ridge was to their liking and in just four nesting seasons, the Merriam's population grew to 3,000 birds!

Further introductions of Rio Grande and Eastern turkeys increased the wild turkey population substantially. This has also had the effect of creating some interesting hybrids. The hybrids tend to be larger and brawnier than their purebred cousins, making them trophies in their own right.

For hunters in the pursuit of a trophy Merriam's turkey, the answer may be hunting the Pine Ridge area of Northwest Nebraska. Located between the Niobrara and White Rivers, the Pine Ridge is a high table top escarpment range where the turkeys are numerous, and the terrain is a challenge.

An escarpment is a natural geological uplift along a fault line or series of fault lines. It is characterized by steep elevations, cliffs, and canyons. It is also accented by the different erosion rates of the assorted geological strata which help in creating ridges and buttes. The Pine Ridge is well forested and in conjunction with the rugged terrain, creates a natural haven for the Merriam's turkey.

The Sandhills of Nebraska
Another premier area for Merriam's turkeys is the Sandhills region in north central Nebraska. The Sandhills region is a fascinating ecosystem that few people are aware of, and supports a thriving family of diverse plants and animals. Created by vast deposits of sand eroded from the Rockies and left there by glaciers, the Sandhills create an undulating topography, with innumerable micro wetlands and ponds between the vegetation covered dunes. It is actually the nation's largest wetland ecosystem and helps to replenish the vast Ogallala Aquifer. It is also the home to mule deer, bison, pronghorn deer, whitetail deer, and elk!

Merriam's tend to congregate through the few drainages that cut through the Sandhills. Most of that land is privately owned so it really is necessary to have an outfitter that can get you access. Turkeys look for tall trees to roost in and the river bottoms provide them. During the days they spend their time foraging throughout the rich dunes and grasslands of the Sandhills.

Clothing revolves around the Nebraska elements, and camouflage. Weather in Nebraska, especially in the spring can be, to put it politely, variable! You can get early spring storms that dump snow on one day, to near summer time temperatures the next. It is important that you dress accordingly. Check the long range weather reports before you leave, and bring appropriate gear in anticipation. Good boots for hiking are a prerequisite in the Pine Ridge area, while waterproof boots are imperative in the potholes of the Sandhills region.

Good camouflage and movement control are prerequisites for success. Turkeys have eyes practically at the top of their skulls, so they don't have to show much of their noggins to get a good look around. Touch base with your outfitter to get a handle on the proper camo pattern to wear. Good camo is an asset, but being still and quiet are more important. Turkeys have keen eyesight and will pick up unusual movements in the proverbial blink of an eye.

Calling is another challenge. The trick is to pick up the local dialect! As it turns out, turkeys have regional differences in their vocalization patterns. Your best bet is to start softly when emulating a hen, and work your way up. Remember, a tom will usually stick with the hen he has, rather than chase the one he can't see. Again, a good outfitter and guide can help you with the particulars. Scott Croner of Nebraska Hunting Company explained the differences in the different types of calls and the different ways to apply them in different hunting conditions and terrains.

Scott also explained to me the different decoy strategies that he employs in the various concessions that he manages and guides on. Hens, junior jakes, and tom decoys are all used in different fashions to entice gobblers into shooting range.

The more I learn about the different turkeys and the paraphernalia that you can get, (Of course I need another box call honey.), the more fascinated I have become by the siren call of the gobbler.

On another note, one of our blogging friends, Rick at Whitetail Woods loves his whitetails, but he is also an avid turkey hunter. He recently posted a quick article on a NWTF Grand Slam that was awarded to Jessica Haack. You can read about it at Whitetail Woods, Grand Slam of Turkey Hunting.

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04:45
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Yo-Yos for Troops!
» Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts

A good friend of mine Albert Rasch is currently serving in Afghanistan. He has asked me to share the following post with you, in the hopes that you can help him, and help our fellow Americans serving in Afghanistan.

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Yo-Yos for Troops!

Please stop by his Blog, and leave him a note of support, and if you are able, send him a Yo-Yo or two for the Troops!

Thanks!
Scott

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Merriam Turkey Hunts - Nebraska Spring Turkey Hunts (25)