Colorado OTC Turkey Hunt (advice needed)

[180ls1]

I'll be meeting up with a friend from UT and a friend from OH to go Turkey hunting about an hour south of Denver. We went last year around this time (the second weekend of April) and were caught by cold weather and turkeys that would occasionally gobble but it seemed like nothing wanted to move in. This year we are going 4/28-5/3 in hopes of better timing.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks we should know when hunting these mountain birds? Most of our hunting will be around 8-10K ft with some private access and staying below the snow line.

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[MJB]

Rokslide had a Colorado backcountry thread go add your post over there........that should give you some local knowledge too

 

[180ls1]

Rokslide had a Colorado backcountry thread go add your post over there........that should give you some local knowledge too

Thank you!

 

[ilovesprig]

I've hunted the Merriam's quite a bit in New Mexico, Montana, Utah, and Colorado...The one thing I have found is, they will roost on public land, but spend much of their day on private...Finding the roost is important in the sense, you can pattern them pretty well...Gobblers like barren/dead pine trees...Hens will be nearby and will roost in anything...Mountain birds walk a lot, up to 8 miles in a day...So, it normally takes a day or so to figure them out...Hens this time of year will NEVER be far from water...Tanks, creeks, or ponds are all good places to start scouting...A nice meadow or open area (strut zone) is near the roost tree as well...They also like to gobble just at dark...Great way to find them.

Calling is normally is long range and on a quite morning, they can hear a long ways (so can you)...Have your best and loudest box call you have with you...It is often windy in the afternoons...After you put a visual on them (binos are a must have)...Treat them like any other turkey...Don't over call and watch your movement...You're normally in pretty open country (sugar & yellow pine forests)...I have them loop me a number of times and come in from the rear.

I have only killed a couple of Merriam's with a decoys out...I would say a single hen is all you need for the most part, since you have to walk a lot...Carrying decoys is a pain in the a$$...If you don't have to walk much...Give the jake and hen combos a try...Good luck

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[180ls1]

I've hunted the Merriam's quite a bit in New Mexico, Montana, Utah, and Colorado...The one thing I have found is, they will roost on public land, but spend much of their day on private...Finding the roost is important in the sense, you can pattern them pretty well...Gobblers like barren/dead pine trees...Hens will be nearby and will roost in anything...Mountain birds walk a lot, up to 8 miles in a day...So, it normally takes a day or so to figure them out...Hens this time of year will NEVER be far from water...Tanks, creeks, or ponds are all good places to start scouting...A nice meadow or open area (strut zone) is near the roost tree as well...They also like to gobble just at dark...Great way to find them.

Calling is normally is long range and on a quite morning, they can hear a long ways (so can you)...Have your best and loudest box call you have with you...It is often windy in the afternoons...After you put a visual on them (binos are a must have)...Treat them like any other turkey...Don't over call and watch your movement...You're normally in pretty open country (sugar & yellow pine forests)...I have them loop me a number of times and come in from the rear.

I have only killed a couple of Merriam's with a decoys out...I would say a single hen is all you need for the most part, since you have to walk a lot...Carrying decoys is a pain in the a$$...If you don't have to walk much...Give the jake and hen combos a try...Good luck

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Incredibly helpful! Thank you!

If I get a bird that does not want to play, how long and what would you do to work him? I've learned with elk that some bulls are all talk but will protect and push their herd off. Does that happen with these guys?

 

[ilovesprig]

Incredibly helpful! Thank you!

If I get a bird that does not want to play, how long and what would you do to work him? I've learned with elk that some bulls are all talk but will protect and push their herd off. Does that happen with these guys?

It's not the guys that you have to worry about...It's the girls...Once they decide they're going on their daily routine...You ain't pulling a tom off of them...What you're hoping for are satellite toms...They hear a lone hen and they normally can't help but check her out.

Being near or in the general vicinity of a roost will help...Toms are always going back to see if there's any lingering hens around...They get way more susceptible in the afternoons IMO as well.

ps...If you find a place that looks like this...Then you have found a traditional roost...Jackpot!

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[Wildgame]

Very cool.

You seem to be pretty successful at hunting anything..I am sure you will find some birds.. I am jealous. Where do you find the time...I can barely get to scout locally, let alone going to look for anything out of state.....lol..it sucks.
Post some pics when you come back.

 

[180ls1]

Very cool.

You seem to be pretty successful at hunting anything..I am sure you will find some birds.. I am jealous. Where do you find the time...I can barely get to scout locally, let alone going to look for anything out of state.....lol..it sucks.
Post some pics when you come back.

Thanks for the kind words! I am self employed (finance/insurance) and work from home with no kids (yet) so that affords me a lot of flexibility.

I'll keep you all updated.

 

[180ls1]

Battling the wind today. 10-20mph constant with guest doubling that. No birds seen but I did see some elk and deer.

 

[sportyg]

looks like your having fun even with no birds yet

 

[180ls1]

Well Yesterday was rough. Still battling wind and no birds seen. Didn’t hear any either. It’s funny I talked to the biologist prior to the hunt and his best advice was take the OTC tag to a better unit(s), further south. One friend was seriously considering that even if it was a few hours of driving. That all changed with we finally heard a gobble. Then magic happened. Can’t let the negative thoughts in your head. Here is a pic of my buddies first merriams. Looks like the beard froze off? He was killed at about 9k.

 

[MJB]

They do freeze when they get water on it then it freezes and dies off they will pick at it to.
Looks cold!

 

[180ls1]

Went out the following day after getting that bird down. LOTS of miles covered on foot and lots of calling. We ended up striking a gobble in the morning but he went silent upon fly down and we bumped him. On our way back we located another bird. I guess we shock gobbled him because he never would respond to calls. We Went back in the middle of the day for a little rest and came back to the same area with my other buddy circling in over the top of where we heard that bird. On the way there we almost smoked a coyote coming in to our calls but I didn’t feel right about the shot. As it turns out, that dog went straight up hill and actually drove the birds to our friend. One shot at 50 with the tss and we had our second bird down.

 

[sportyg]

well done guess yotes can be good for something once in a while

 

[180ls1]

Well, we hunted the rest of that day without hearing a sound.

Final day, wake up to snow starting and blowing wind…. great. Try to locate birds to no avail. Luckially the storm is getting beat back by the sun and the weather subsided. We all split off again trying to find birds. Finally in the afternoon I get word of an aggressive hen calling not too far from where the last bird was killed. My buddy and I close the distance only to find other hunters. Damn. With about 4hrs left we decide to drive to the meadow that two trucks just came through hunting. 30 mins into waiting we hear a gobble. Game on!!! We quickly close the distance taking a chance cutting across the open.

The final setup has my buddy below me with me in between much like an elk setup. Everything was unfolding perfectly until we realized he had hens and they took him in another direction. I had an idea where they were headed and realize things are about to get western. We take off and circle the meadow taking a big risk getting seen. Sure enough the 3 birds out across a creek 100 yards from us. It happened so fast I couldn’t tell if one was the Tom. So I am circling again trying to see them without them seeing me, they won’t respond calls.

All of a sudden we get hit with a gobble behind us. We were chasing the hens. We turn around and try and get setup but again he won’t respond. I try and stalk in the direction we heard him only to have him gobble again but he had moved and was down below. This was looking perfect, we were setup right between him and his hens as light was starting to fade. Unfortunately he did not come uphill towards the hens and did not care for our calls. I did however see him about 120 yards below us in the creek. I knew I had to revert to my old running and gunning tactics. As soon as he got behind a rock pile I got up and closed the distance. Coming out from the rocks we lock eyes at 60 yards and I let the tss take wings. He went down instantly. What an ending to an incredible hunt. My first merriams and my first banded Tom.

I am waiting to hear back from the biologist on the band.

 

[MAG 1]

Sweet looking bird.
Congrats

 

[Stikbrandon]

That’s rad

 

[2duckhunter4]

Really enjoyed the stories and pics of your trip. Well done gentlemen

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

Relentless...well done. It paid off and a hell of a bird

 

[sportyg]

Great bird and story, you worked hard for that one