Wild Turkey Hunting

The Grand Slam

A Grand Slam includes an Eastern; Merriam’s; Rio Grande; and Osceola wild turkey.

Eastern Wild Turkey

Eastern Wild Turkey

Eastern wild turkeys are the most widely distributed subspecies east of the Mississippi River. This subspecies is also the most abundant of all the subspecies. In fact, they are hunted in 38 states and numerous Canadian provinces. The southern range is from northern Florida west to eastern Texas and the northern range is from New England and southern Canada west to Minnesota. The Eastern Wild Turkey has also been introduced into some of the mid-western and  western states such as Kansas, northern California, Oregon, Washington and also into Ontario. This turkey lives in the most diverse of environments and habitat; from the south-east hardwood forests and pastures, to the northern woods.

They have chestnut-brown tips on tail feathers, with white and black bars on the wings. Eastern turkeys have VERY long beards, making them a great trophy. They have the loudest gobbles of all of the subspecies of wild turkey, however, they’re tough to call in…second only to the Osceola.

Merriams Wild Turkey

Merriam’s Wild Turkey

The Merriam’s wild turkey is found primarily in the ponderosa pine country of the western mountain regions of the United States. Within its suspected historic range in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, the Merriam’s was relatively isolated from the other subspecies of wild turkey. This subspecies has also been introduced into some Midwestern states such as Nebraska.

Merriam’s are about the same size as their Eastern cousins, but has a 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. Merriam’s appear to have a white rump due to pinkish buff, or whitish tail coverts and tips. It closely resembles the Gould’s turkey but its tail margin is not usually quite as pure white nor is the light margin of the tail tip quite as wide as in the Gould’s.

Rio Grande Wild Turkey

Rio Grande Wild Turkey

The Rio Grande wild turkey is similar in size to the Osceola (Florida) wild turkey, but tend to have longer legs giving them the same height as the Eastern subspecies. The tips of their tail and covert feathers yellowish or tan in color, and they tend to be lighter than the Eastern and Osceola (Florida) birds, but usually darker than the Merriam’s. Their body feathers are an iridescence of copper, bronze and sometimes have a greenish sheen.

Rio Grande turkeys are found in the mid to southern Great Plains, from southern Texas, north into Oklahoma, Kansas and southern Nebraska. In the Western United States, they have been introduced into central and western California, western Oregon, and parts of Washington. In the late 1950s, they were also introduced into several of the Hawaiian Islands.

Osceola Wild Turkey

Coming soon…

The Royal Slam

The Royal Slam includes an Eastern; Merriam’s; Rio Grande; Osceola; and Gould’s wild turkey.

Gould’s Wild Turkey

Coming soon…

The World Slam

The World Slam includes an Eastern; Merriam’s; Rio Grande; Osceola; Gould’s; and Oscillated wild turkey.

Oscillated Wild Turkey

Coming soon…