Wyoming turkey hunt

[Walleyedrifter]

I'm thinking about a Wyoming turkey hunt for myself and my wife this spring. We've hunted turkeys extensively in Minnesota but would like to try Merriam's out west. I have a contact in Sheridan that is somewhat familiar with that area but is not a turkey hunter. When I looked at the statistics for success, I was surprised to see that non-resident success is over 50%. We'd be hunting sometime before May 20th. What is the turkey population like in the general Sheridan area? Are there a lot of hunters in the Sheridan area? Any information would be helpful

 

[rcfireninja]

https://wgfapps.wyo.gov/QuotaAvailability/QuotaReport.aspx

I’d research on the WY site. Not showing any tags available for this year if you didn’t put in for the draw already.


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[Walleyedrifter]

Thanks for the tip. I did some checking and was told that I could buy a general license over the counter.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Thanks for the tip. I did some checking and was told that I could buy a general license over the counter.

Yes, you can do that for certain areas. Game plan it well though, the public land in some of those hunts is challenging at best.

 

[Beaglegun]

Me and my wife hunted NE Wy 3 years ago. We hunted private land with Trophies Plus outfitters. You'd have to have terrible weather and worse luck not to kill a bird. They gobbled all day long and I would say they are twice as easy to kill as an eastern. Probably the most fun I've ever had. I would think an experienced turkey hunter could kill a bird on public land in the Black Hills area.

If you go with an outfitter, get the shortest hunt they offer cause you will kill the first morning, weather permitting. Nobody stays the 3rd day of a 3 day hunt. They just pay for it!
Me and my wife had our own room with an attached bathroom. That was a must for my wife. The guide was outstanding.

 

[Beaglegun]

Wy is best by far!!!!

 

[manitou1]

I live in the area. Turkey require 1) trees, 2) water.
We see them every day on private.... and in town. Not so much on public. Most land that has the items listed earlier has gone to ranchers over the years, so you will find little turkey habitat on public around the area.
On private land, it is a matter of walking up to them and shooting them. Not nearly as weary as Easterns. I have taken over 50 Easterns, so I have an idea.

 

[Kevin Bogert]

Have you gone? How was your hunt?
I live in central WY, grew up in IA hunting easterns. I second the merriams not being as weary as easterns, it is pretty odd hunting easterns my whole life. Lots of turkeys in the area but as stated before, roost trees and water. Do a lot of scouting online, I'd suggest hunting in NE just to have more accessible public ground. Something that's worked for me too, if they're not receptive to calling, and you can't stalk them, take note of where they're roosting and try cut them off on their way back. You can hunt til sunset in WY. Lots of turkeys in Buffalo/Story area, but lots of pressure on the little public closer to town.

 

[Beaglegun]

I killed a bird in Black Hills in late April. Had 3 days left, so I drove to Wy and scored there also. Wy is best by far from my experience. I wouldnt of killed either bird in Ky. They both would have spooked. You can get away with 3 times the mistakes with merriams. Rio's are much less spooky also.

 

[Kevin Bogert]

I killed a bird in Black Hills in late April. Had 3 days left, so I drove to Wy and scored there also. Wy is best by far from my experience. I wouldnt of killed either bird in Ky. They both would have spooked. You can get away with 3 times the mistakes with merriams. Rio's are much less spooky also.

Agreed. But nothing beats the gobble of an eastern.

Kentucky is on my bucket list. In the next couple years I'll make it down there!

 

[tbowers]

I just got back from WY- I timed the weather terribly. It was 85 the day I arrived, the next morning it was 31 and never got above 40 and the clouds never lifted- just miserable conditions and never heard a bird after 7 miles on the boots and about 60 in the car. The following day it was 35 degrees at 4am, still rainy/overcast/fog- heard some birds on the roost but that was it. The forecast didnt call for much improvement so I bailed two days early.

I've hunted out there several times- turkeys are turkeys- Merriams are no easier then anything else. Each area and sub specifies has aspects you can exploit but in the end they are unpredictable birds with brains the size of a pea haha.

 

[Kevin Bogert]

I just got back from WY- I timed the weather terribly. It was 85 the day I arrived, the next morning it was 31 and never got above 40 and the clouds never lifted- just miserable conditions and never heard a bird after 7 miles on the boots and about 60 in the car. The following day it was 35 degrees at 4am, still rainy/overcast/fog- heard some birds on the roost but that was it. The forecast didnt call for much improvement so I bailed two days early.

I've hunted out there several times- turkeys are turkeys- Merriams are no easier then anything else. Each area and sub specifies has aspects you can exploit but in the end they are unpredictable birds with brains the size of a pea haha.

Tough break on the weather.

I agree, they never just give up.

 

[tbowers]

I would argue that weather is the single biggest variable in whether or not you have a 'good' hunt- this goes for any animal really. if you time it wrong and arrive like I did when the weather turns to absolute crap, you are going to have one heck of a time. Its so tough on planned trips, because most cant change the dates at the last minute if the forecast looks crappy. In my case on this one, the weather forecast was actually pretty accurate- I was hoping it would be wrong like it is 92.3% of the time but they got it right this time!

 

[Walleyedrifter]

My wife and I hunted the first week in May. Weather was unpredictable at best. Snow, sleet, rain and some sun. However, we were able to hunt every day we were there. I was able to shoot a nice tom the first day. Had 6 birds gobbling in the area of our set up that 1st day. Unfortunately, we decided to hunt the same spot a couple other days and did not hear anything. We did a lot of scouting and did get on a couple other birds. My wife was not able to fill her tag. The country is beautiful and the birds are numerous enough to keep it interesting. Easterns are fun but Merriams in the Black Hills are pretty special too. Looking forward to coming back next year.