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Thread: Western Merriams hunt recap

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
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    Default Western Merriams hunt recap

    I wanted to give a quick recap of the Western hunt, and more so thank Birdhunter2 for his generosity and care for Jacob.

    After having to delay the trip one day due to a work obligation on my end, we hopped a plane headed west. The group we were meeting got a great head start, and had several birds down by the time we pulled into town. Seamless travel, and all luggage is always a good thing.

    We set out hitting different spots that have produced in the past, along with spots from folks who had been before us. We found lots and lots of gobbling turkey, which is not uncommon for Merriams country.

    After what seemed like endless close calls, we dialed in an incredible morning hunt with tons of gobbling, excited hen talk, and a gobbler strutting to the barrel inside 10 yards at one point. Birdhunter2 made a great shot, and he had his first mountain Merriams gobbler. Lots of celebration and pictures, and we set out to find another. We spotted a bird that we had messed with twice previously who had one of those hens that is just tough to deal with. Calling to him sent her the opposite way with him in tow. Birdhunter2 was able to keep his attention while I slid into position, and I collected the second of the day.

    That afternoon we found a mountainside gobbler who was more than willing to play, but we somehow bumped his hen. We got on him again the following day, a little smarter than we had been the day before, and yelped him gobbling and strutting all the way to 15 yards where Birdhunter2 was able to kill him.

    We moved states and had more close calls/screwups/miscommunications/dumbassery, but had tons of gobbling and strutting action. We felt like it would never fall our way, until we were able to spot some birds loafing (it got up to 90 during the day and the birds were inactive from 11-4). We used the terrain to get in position, and a gobble at thunder gave them away. Before we could call, they had heard us walking in the brush and came to investigate. I was under attack and had to defend myself at 4 steps.

    All in all, I felt like a pretty poor turkey hunter. It seemed like every move I made was wrong, and I regret not making better decisions. The competitive side of me was pretty frustrated at times. My running mate is an awesome individual, and even when I was kicking myself, he was having a great time, and in awe of the amount of gobbling. This was his first real hunting adventure outside of his comfort zone, and I appreciate his generosity, and trust in me. I feel it safe to say that we each have a new friend.

    All in all, it was a gorgeous piece of the world, with beautiful gobbling birds, and great company. Birdhunter2 is a private person, and I certainly respect that. I truly appreciate his generosity and friendship.

    ETA: Not to be outdone, when Birdhunter2 shot his first western bird, he had received a text from his bride. She had completed an incredible quest, that morning, to identify 50 species of birds in each of Georgia’s 159 counties on public land. That simply blows my min, and I thought it worth mentioning.







    Last edited by trkykilr; 05-25-2023 at 08:48 AM.
    Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him

    He ain't wrong, he's just different, and his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right

    They don't put Championship rings on smooth hands

  2. #2
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    Sounds like a great trip, fine work fellas.

  3. #3
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    Aug 2016
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    957

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    Good stuff.

    Noticed one of those TFC stickers while driving near Chester the other day. Wonder which one of you degenerates it was

  4. #4
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    That is some incredibly beautiful country. Congrats on a great trip.

  5. #5
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    Sep 2011
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    Summerville
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    Nice work gentleman. Nothing like going out west!
    Member of the Tenth Legion Since 2004

  6. #6
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    Nov 2001
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    Columbia, SC
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    LIKE!

    prayers to birdhunter for having to keep up with boozers stride....
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  7. #7
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    Awesomeness!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2thDoc View Post
    LIKE!

    prayers to birdhunter for having to keep up with boozers stride....
    He hung in there with no problem. It was niCE for me not to be following a couple of the spider monkeys I hunted with last year out there.
    Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him

    He ain't wrong, he's just different, and his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right

    They don't put Championship rings on smooth hands

  9. #9
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    Good stuff!

  10. #10
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    Nov 2005
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    Fort Kickass
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    Golf Clap.
    "Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery elements are for wise men to contemplate and for fools to pass by without consideration" -Izaak Walton

  11. #11
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    Mar 2003
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    Gobbler's Knob, GA/ Bamberg,SC
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    I discovered on our foray to the West in late April that the mountains have indeed gotten a little steeper. (again)

    Nice work Michael. Enjoyed the recap.
    F**K Cancer

    Just Damn.

  12. #12
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    Jan 2010
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    Greenville, SC
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    Looks like a fun trip! Go Man.

  13. #13
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    Dec 2008
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    Clarendon County
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    Well done buddy!

  14. #14
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    Mar 2002
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    Summerton, SC
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    Very nice
    "You are Citadel Men, you have no pension for failure, you wear the Ring, you never let a friend down, you will be good fathers, husbands, and leaders in the armed forces and industry, you are strong in heart, body, and mind. You protect such things as Honor and Fidelity. Your virtues matter not only in wealth, but in the richness of family, you are the last of the knights."
    - late President Ronald Reagan

  15. #15
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    Outstanding work for all involved.
    Vegetarian: Native American for Piss Poor Hunter

  16. #16
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    Nov 2002
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    Lexington
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    Congrats. I wish I could have got some intel on my Western trip. However makes you love it more when you have to work for it.
    More fuel = more boost!!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Summerville, SC
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    Damn, that's a lot of free firewood laying around.....


    P.S. Looks like a great time. That first turkey pic is pretty cool.

  18. #18
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    May 2003
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    Cayce, SC
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    Congratulations! Great pics!
    Bone....

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by KRT View Post
    Congrats. I wish I could have got some intel on my Western trip. However makes you love it more when you have to work for it.
    Ask
    Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him

    He ain't wrong, he's just different, and his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right

    They don't put Championship rings on smooth hands

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    27

    Default

    First, fuck cancer and the pain it causes. Prayers that Jacob remains cancer free! It was a priveledge to be a little part of a big effort to support a worthwhile cause and I'm in awe of what a group of nimrods, rednecks and dumbasses were able to do to support Jacob and others facing cancer.

    Merriam's did not disappoint. Michael delivered on everything he offered and then some, first class man and first-class trip. Heard more gobbling and saw more birds in a week out west than a season in the east. He understood that the hunting experience was important to me, and generously allowed me to hunt as I like. By that I mean find gobbling birds, chase them until we screwed them up then go find more. Their were gobbling birds and opportunity all day, every day and had I been patient or willing to change how I hunt we could have loaded a truck with birds, but that simply didn't interest me. Plenty of beer, birds, beautiful scenery and generosity to make the trip memorable and certainly new a new friend to enrich my life. 2th knows, a short fat boy has to work to keep pace with long-legged trkykilr on a steep slope, but you never need to worry about encountering a spider webs when you follow the tall person. A western Merriam’s hunt is a cool experience.

    and, fuck cancer

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