Turkey Slam
Walker Davidson for SPLIT REED
In turkey hunting, there are several different slams, and anyone that considers themselves a true turkey hunter probably has set out to complete one or multiple slams. Instead of boring you all with an explanation of each slam, I will include a link at the end of this article that explains in detail the requirements to complete each slam according to the National Wild Turkey Federation. In this article, I am going to write about my experiences and unique challenges hunting each subspecies of turkeys that make up the Grand Slam.
Let’s start with the Osceola.
Known for the magnificent swamps they live in and for having generally longer and sharper spurs than their cousins, Osceola’s are most similar to an Eastern. Their gobble is about indistinguishable from and Eastern and their habits are pretty similar as well. One of the tell-tale signs of an Osceola is their extremely dark wings, but with any wild animal species, some variation exists and there are some that have lighter wings. They do tend to be a bit lighter than Eastern’s, however. In my experience hunting Osceola’s, they don’t gobble a whole lot on the ground, which can make maneuvering on them challenging. For those that like hunting with decoys, building a blind and setting up a jake, or hen, or both, can be very effective. I prefer to hunt without decoys, however, when hunting Osceola’s. I use the terrain to my advantage and try to glass big fields and then be where those birds were the next day. Because they do not gobble a whole lot after they fly down, being in a target rich environment and being patient are the keys to connecting with an Osceola.
Second, we have the Eastern.
The Eastern wild turkey is a magnificent creature, no more or less than his cousins, but there is something about a hardwood ridge running Eastern that sends shivers down the spines of grown men. I have spent more days hunting Eastern’s and killed fewer per day of hunting than any other subspecies. Make note, I am not claiming that an Eastern is harder to kill, for each is hard in their own way. However, if you can sit down and yelp up and Eastern in Mississippi or Alabama, it is my belief you can do it anywhere. Eastern’s are the biggest of all the subspecies, having longer beards and weighing more on average than the others. An Eastern also has the strongest gobble of all. The way I like to hunt them, at least in my home state of Alabama, is to start out before daylight one a ridge near where they should be roosted, after hearing him gobble move into a position that seems like a suitable place, and from there judge his gobbling intensity and distance to continue to move until I am able to get him into shotgun range. Without using decoys, the terrain again comes into play here, the idea being that I am set up in such a way that as soon as I see the gobble I am able to kill him, leaving him little to no chance to stand there and hang up looking for a hen.
Next, we have the Rio.
Famous for being very vocal at all times of the day and always looking for a fight, Rio turkeys are a blast to hunt. They gobble great in the tree, great on the ground, great in the afternoon, I think you all get the idea. Rio’s aren’t known for their long spurs or long beards or being extremely heavy, but they do love to gobble and any turkey hunter loves hunting turkeys that love to gobble. For Rio’s, I essentially use the same tactics that I do for Easterns, though I may call more aggressively to a Rio, especially if he has not been very pressured. It seems like a Rio is always willing to gobble and come to a call when a willing hen is fired up, compared to an Eastern that may need more coaxing. The most challenging thing about hunting Rio’s is dealing with the wind. In the places Rio’s live, there are often strong winds that can make hearing them gobble challenging, especially due to the fact that their gobble is weaker than Eastern’s or Osceola’s. However, because the terrain is generally pretty open where Rio’s live, spotting them from a distance and then using the wind to your advantage to slip in really close, undetected, then by staying upwind you can hear their gobbles but it will blow any sounds you are making the other direction. And for those that like using decoys or reaping turkeys, Rio’s were built for it, and fanning is more effective on Rio’s than any of the other subspecies, in my opinion.
Finally, we have the Merriam’s.
The country they live in is almost as pretty as the birds themselves, with their snow white fan tips that contrast against their extremely dark bodies. Like Rio’s, they are generally very vocal turkeys and they cover a lot of ground quickly after they leave their roost. One of the most effective ways to hunt them is after locating their roost in the morning, set up as close as you can to it in the afternoon, and kill the gobbler as he is heading back to bed. Often times it can be challenging to try to keep up with these turkeys and move with them because the terrain they live in is so steep and rocky. The other technique I use is because they are known to start gobbling well before daylight and for roosting in big groups. If I can get in close enough to their roost, that is within 100 or 75 yards and sound like another bird in the group that just got separated, oftentimes I can convince some of the hens to come to check it out, and more often than not dragging the gobbler in tow.
So, now you have my basic rundown of each subspecies, and some tactics to try out when you are chasing your Grand Slam. I would love to hear back on other ideas or tactics that you all use, as well as what you agree or disagree with! As promised here is the link detailing all of the different slams.
Good luck chasing turkeys!
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