Chasing Slam this spring

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jhogue
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Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

Since I was successful in Florida last week, I’m going to make a run at a slam this spring. I anticipate I should be able to kill and Eastern in Arkansas or Eastern Oklahoma as I’ve done in previous years. I’m heading to west Oklahoma next week to chase Rios and plan to head to northwest Nebraska in May to try for a Merriam’s. Since I’ve never hunted Rios or Merriam’s, I know I’m a little out of my league and open to any advice in relation to terrain to look for and tactics to try for success for either. Outside the Osceola last week, all my hunting has been Easterns across the southeast, mostly in hardwoods and pine timber.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Tail Feathers
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Tail Feathers »

Good luck. I didn't hear, much less kill an Osceola but I hope I can redeem myself on the other three this spring. I may see you in OK.
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Hoobilly
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Hoobilly »

I heard western Oklahoma can be a crap shoot due to heavy pressure

But I’m looking forward to hearing how you do
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Hobbes_mobile
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Hobbes_mobile »

If you can kill Easterns, you can kill Merriam's. Cover ground and call to locate. We may cross somewhere in the middle. I'm trying to plan out a mid to late May KS hunt for a Rio and Eastern.
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joey46
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by joey46 »

Good luck. We'll be following your adventures. I've already mentioned I hope to stumble around a few days in WY in the Black Hills mid May. Couldn't resist $49 airfares on SWA from Tampa to Denver. Trip will be no more than renting a car and driving north ending up near Sundance or Hulett. Unless I'm mistaken WY tags are "over the counter" for this Black Hills NF zone and I should be able to purchase at a local outlet after arrival. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this. Remember WY not SD. I know I can't do this on the spur of the moment in SD.
jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

Tail Feathers wrote: March 31st, 2021, 10:45 pm Good luck. I didn't hear, much less kill an Osceola but I hope I can redeem myself on the other three this spring. I may see you in OK.
Have you hunted Oklahoma before? Anything a newbie out there needs to know?
Tail Feathers
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Tail Feathers »

jhogue wrote: April 1st, 2021, 8:44 am
Tail Feathers wrote: March 31st, 2021, 10:45 pm Good luck. I didn't hear, much less kill an Osceola but I hope I can redeem myself on the other three this spring. I may see you in OK.
Have you hunted Oklahoma before? Anything a newbie out there needs to know?
I've hunted private in OK several times. This is my first time on public. Expect other hunters. Rios don't mind traveling a ways to get what they want and where they want. Good thing as much of that area is pretty open.
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Tail Feathers
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Tail Feathers »

jhogue wrote: April 1st, 2021, 8:44 am
Tail Feathers wrote: March 31st, 2021, 10:45 pm Good luck. I didn't hear, much less kill an Osceola but I hope I can redeem myself on the other three this spring. I may see you in OK.
Have you hunted Oklahoma before? Anything a newbie out there needs to know?
I've hunted private in OK several times. This is my first time on public. Expect other hunters. Rios don't mind traveling a ways to get what they want and where they want. Good thing as much of that area is pretty open.
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LAturkey
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by LAturkey »

Don’t be afraid to drive and hit multiple spots in a day if it’s possible. Turkeys in that part of the country usually have a roost sight they go to every day then fly down and may go a LONG way to a farm or somewhere with feed. Don’t be upset if they leave the property just go try some other spots and come back later that afternoon they’ll come back after they feed and get water.
jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

LAturkey wrote: April 1st, 2021, 8:00 pm Don’t be afraid to drive and hit multiple spots in a day if it’s possible. Turkeys in that part of the country usually have a roost sight they go to every day then fly down and may go a LONG way to a farm or somewhere with feed. Don’t be upset if they leave the property just go try some other spots and come back later that afternoon they’ll come back after they feed and get water.
Great info. Thank you. Definitely intend to stay at it all day for the time we will be there. Will try to find them however we need to. I hear that Rios like to gobble more than Easterns, so looking forward to that. I’ve heard mixed things about calling too much or too loud to them. I’ve gotten used to calling less and softer with Easterns and hardly called at all when I killed my Osceola. What’s general consensus on calling to Rios in relation to volume and frequency?
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jsh909 »

Good luck Jason, hope it works out for you brother. If there is anything I can do to help you from Ohio just give a shout out.
jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

jsh909 wrote: April 2nd, 2021, 2:30 am Good luck Jason, hope it works out for you brother. If there is anything I can do to help you from Ohio just give a shout out.
Send some of your excess turkeys to Arkansas!
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Hobbes_mobile »

When do you think you'll be going for the Merriam's? I got the okay from my boss to work remotely for a week or so in May while hunting out of state. I'm looking at living out of the bed of my truck in KS sometime between May 15th and 22nd. I may shift it a little sooner depending on how MT is going. I may drive home through NE If things were to go really well in KS. Of course I'd buy a NE license while doing that
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joey46
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by joey46 »

If you two team up the turkeys may be fatally embarrassed. Good luck.
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jsh909 »

jhogue wrote: April 2nd, 2021, 11:54 am
jsh909 wrote: April 2nd, 2021, 2:30 am Good luck Jason, hope it works out for you brother. If there is anything I can do to help you from Ohio just give a shout out.
Send some of your excess turkeys to Arkansas!
No problem, I will let them know
jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

Hobbes_mobile wrote: April 2nd, 2021, 12:16 pm When do you think you'll be going for the Merriam's? I got the okay from my boss to work remotely for a week or so in May while hunting out of state. I'm looking at living out of the bed of my truck in KS sometime between May 15th and 22nd. I may shift it a little sooner depending on how MT is going. I may drive home through NE If things were to go really well in KS. Of course I'd buy a NE license while doing that
Currently planning on the week before that. I went to Kansas starting around May 15ty a few years ago and felt like I was a little late. Very little gobbling. I manage to make it happen but hunted my butt off to get my bird. Ended up finding a lonely Tom in late afternoon of fourth day of hunt that came over a half mile and flew across an uncrossable creek to die.

I hope it works better for you that week Shane. I’m hoping birds are still somewhat eager 9-16 May in Nebraska.
jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

Hobbes_mobile wrote: April 2nd, 2021, 12:16 pm When do you think you'll be going for the Merriam's? I got the okay from my boss to work remotely for a week or so in May while hunting out of state. I'm looking at living out of the bed of my truck in KS sometime between May 15th and 22nd. I may shift it a little sooner depending on how MT is going. I may drive home through NE If things were to go really well in KS. Of course I'd buy a NE license while doing that
Currently planning on the week before that. I went to Kansas starting around May 15ty a few years ago and felt like I was a little late. Very little gobbling. I manage to make it happen but hunted my butt off to get my bird. Ended up finding a lonely Tom in late afternoon of fourth day of hunt that came over a half mile and flew across an uncrossable creek to die.

I hope it works better for you that week Shane. I’m hoping birds are still somewhat eager 9-16 May in Nebraska.
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Hobbes_mobile »

I've done well the last week of May in Nebraska before. Maybe less birds gobbling than earlier but still found birds that wanted to die. I think you'll be good.
jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

Went to Oklahoma for a few days of paid experience gaining. Saw lots of ground and public land I’ve never experienced. Located some gobblers but didn’t have any real personal interaction. Drove about 1800 miles total. Visited over 30 pieces of public land. Watched some flocks of turkeys on private land. Generally had a good time with Dad and learned some things that will inevitably lead to a Rio kill in the future. Plan to get back there later in the month. Chase is still on!Image
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Matt76cmich
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Matt76cmich »

Sounds like a good time. Good luck!

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quavodus
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by quavodus »

Good luck when you go back.
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jhogue
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by jhogue »

Made a trip back out to Oklahoma last weekend. Weather was friendlier, but still didn’t manage to work a bird. I did roost a couple birds the first evening. One was gobbling at 9:30 way into the night. The next morning I found him with about 12-15 hens. They were roosted right on the public, but went staring to private on fly down and never returned while I was there. Checked out some other areas and found more places to hunt later. Not sure I will get another chance at Rios this season. Image
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Arkansas season started this Monday, but I was in SE Oklahoma for the opener there. The area of National Forest I have hunted in previous years was just burned, and I mean 1000’s of acres burned. I found a couple gobbling turkeys and hens, so the fire didn’t run them all out, but it was way quieter than previous years. Tuesday and on I started hunting in Arkansas on the military post I work on. Each morning was different, but there was very little gobbling on the ground any morning. Friday I had to hunt a different area because the areas I’d hunted all week were closed for training. I walked 3/4 mile in and found a ridge top to listen from. Right at normal gobbling time I heard a bird almost back to my truck. I waited a little longer and heard a mor vocal bird down in the valley, but still 3/4 of a mile away as it sounded. I moved toward the vocal bird about 250 yards. Just when I was about to stop to listen for him again, another bird started gobbling within a 1/4 mile on my side of the ridge. I moved to him and just when I was about to sit down, I realized I had a large opening between us. I was concerned he would see me if I moved any further and didn’t think I could manage to get above him based on terrain and vegetation. I sat up near the edge where I hoped I was concealed and listened. He finally pitched out but I couldn’t tell the direction. He gobbled about 2 minutes later about 150 yards uphill. I walked to a place I thought I could use as a good set up and made a quick run of yelps. He responded immediately. I called once more and he cut me off. 1 minute later he appeared coming down a small gravel road into the opening. He had another quiet gobbler in tow. The gobbling bird strutted and the other was just a looker. In about 5 minutes they were writhing range and I shot the strutter. Great fast hunt in a new area. I’m basically done in Arkansas due to hunting time. Plan to head to Nebraska to chase Merriam’s mid May. The single season slam probably won’t happen this year, but I’m having a fun season none the less. Dad killed his first bird in 2 years as well and has had several good hunts out our farm. Hoping for an opportunity in SE Oklahoma in the morning. After that, I may not get to hunt till the Nebraska trip. Crazy how quick a season can get away from you!Image
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joey46
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by joey46 »

Sounds like you're having a good time. Have fun. Congrats on the latest bird.
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by Hobbes_mobile »

Good looking bird. Congrats!! Good luck in NE.
quavodus
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Re: Chasing Slam this spring

Post by quavodus »

Congratulations and nice looking country. Does that sign say unexploded ordnance? Wow, that would make some interesting hunting.
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