Spring Hunts 2015, the Grand Slam pursuit continues!

As we zero in on opening day of Spring Turkey 2015, I am once again reminded of the goal I set for myself two years ago. The prestigous turkey Grand Slam, a lofty goal that takes time, patiece and alot of early mornings in a blind! A goal however, in this hunters opinion, worth the effort. Alot of turkey hunters set out to capture the renowned Grand Slam, which yeilds a lifetime supply of bragging rights, but fall short. The hunters that do achieve Grand Slam status however, usually only do so after several years of planning and traveling. If youre wondering what in the world a turkey Grand Slam is and why im yamering on about its illustrious appeal, let me explain. The turkey Grand Slam is when a hunter hunts and kills all four species of  North American wild turkey, these species include the Eastern (pictured below), found along the East Coast of the U.S.A., and in parts Missouri, Michigan and even in parts of Canada. The Eastern wild turkey is the most populated turkey in North America.
 
the Merriam, (featured below) that can be found in South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
 
the Rio, (featured below) which can be found in Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oregon.
 
and of course my personal favorite the elusive Osceola, which can only be found in South Florida. The Osceola is the hardest for hunters to get because of the small area they populate.

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There is also a very colorful breed of turkey found in different parts of Mexico that some hunters are adding to their collection, the vibrant Ocellated wild turkey, .
 Hunters that have set out to fulfill the Grand Slam goal, like myself, take years to actually achieve it, the process involves years of planning, scouting and paying for trips across the U.S in order to hunt the various species. Last year I took my first Osceola (see post entitled "An Osceola Occasion"), and this year the goal is set on the Eastern wild Turkey. T.G.O. has been invited to use private property in south Georgia to facilitate this aspiration, and has very high hopes for a successful season. Eastern turkeys compared to Osceola, this hunter has learned are a lot more vocal during the spring time. Hopefully this makes for a smoother hunting experience, and T.G.O. can get some good back and forth calling. Decoys will be packed and pot calls scratched soon, so stay tuned to see the results of one more chapter in the Grand Slam pursuit series.


"Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hut game for me." Genesis 27:3