Montana Merriam

[PFUNK]

Thought I'd share a picture and story of the Merriam I took this morning near Missoula, MT. I moved here three years ago for college but haven't hunted turkey at all up until this year. If fact, this is my first year hunting turkey anywhere, and it turned out a success. Myself and a friend of mine have been hunting a square mile section of USFS ground and have been getting on birds every day but the problem has been pulling them off of the surrounding private ground onto the public. Well, this morning I thought this was going to be the case again. They were gobbling as usual at daybreak as I sat atop a ridge 4900 feet. I spotted a tom a little over a mile off just onto the adjacent private ground. I dropped down the ridge line towards this bird hoping I may be able to call it onto public ground, but as I made my way in its direction a gobbler broke out on the next ridge line to my side. I couldn't tell for sure, but I knew it would also be very close to the private ground so I started clipping as fast as I could to close the distance. Unfortunately this meant I had to drop off the ridge top about 400 feet into the bottom of the draw and then climb up the other side. Worried that the bird was going to work his way toward the private ground I was literally running up the mountain as fast as I could. By the time I got near the top I was totally out of breath but because the tom had been gobbling religiously I knew I was real close. I dropped the pack when I got within 60 yards and started sneaking my way up. I still wasn't sure which side of the line he was on, but eventually I spotted his head and neck and sure enough he was on the public ground... game on! I was already sneaking with the gun shouldered so I would be ready, but when I went to draw a bead on him it was tough to get steadied because I was still huffing and puffing pretty good. The 28 yard shot turned out to be a good one and he folded up on the spot. Where he laid he was only 4 steps from the fence marking the public land boundary. I don't know if he would have been on the public land still had I not ran as fast as I could to get there, but I am convincing myself he wouldn't have been. Would have liked to have called one in, but after a few days of toms talking back to me from on the other side of the fence, I was pretty pumped to have a bird in hand. They sure are pretty out here with their cream colored fans. Here he is....

[DonBo]

Good job. Beautiful bird!

[hugonian1]

That's a great looking tom.

Very heavy beard.

Congratulations.

[Shu]

Very nice bird, congrats!

[Borch]

I Love those Merriams.

Awsome bird and story!

[PFUNK]

Thanks guys! I am definitely hooked. Felt a lot like elk hunting on a very vocal bull (minus all the worry about being detected by a very keen nose).

[Cheetah]

It's a lot of fun running down turkeys and sneaking them. Especially if they are gobbling in front of you the whole time. Big adrenaline rush.

[mrklean]

great job

[IlliniWalli]

big congrats!!!!

nice lookin bird!!!!

[sticknstring]

Congrats on a beautiful bird! I bet you're hooked now!