Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunt - Steve Schumacher

 

I drove 1,200 miles from Ohio to hunt Merriam Turkeys in Nebraska with Scott Croner.  The trip proved to be one of the best hunting decision I ever made.  

I was able to arrive at Uncle Buck's Lodge by noon on the day before my scheduled three day hunt.  Since the previous hunters had already tagged out and the weather forecast for the next few days wasn't good,  Scott told me to grab my gear and off we went.   An hour later I had my trophy Merriam.  Fortunately I have a good heart as this bird was taken at 6 yards.    The next day, in a snow blizzard and 30 mile per hour winds we navigated a long stalk on a trophy Rio Grand Turkey which I harvested at 35 yards.

Scott Croner is second to none, when it comes to turkey hunting.   If you listen to what he tells you in preparing for and during the hunt, you will kill birds.  Croner enhances the hunt with his knowledge and enthusiasm for turkey hunting.  He understands and shares in the excitement and the importance of your hunt.  

With the pending bad weather, I  was pleased to be tagged out on the first scheduled day of my hunt by 11:00 am, with two trophy birds. 

Not only was it a great hunt, but the accommodations and hospitality at Uncle Bucks Lodge was first class.   The food was fabulous and I even got to check and feed cattle with (Walt) the owner of the ranch.

Not regrets on this trip!   I highly recommended this hunt.

Go prepared and be ready!   It can be fast and furious.

Steve Schumacher

Gavin Harvests First Gobbler At Close Range

Gavin harvested his first gobbler in his hunting career at close range. His gobbler came at full charge to the turkey fan he took his shot inside of 10yds. His shot was on target and resulted in harvesting a mature Nebraska Merriams gobbler.

Gary Walker Returns To Nebraska In 2012

Hi every one. If you have read the blogs from Scott Croners  site you have read about my hunt last year. It was great. As you recall. I hunted last year in some of the worst weather you could imagine. 30 mile winds. rain and occasional snow flurries.Scott still got me my birds .Well, this year was about as 180 degrees the other way as you could imagine. We had sun, little wind and very dry. This was the problem all winter and spring. Hot weather started the birds early and they were about 3 to 4 weeks advanced. We were working birds that thought it was the third week in May not April. ( the last day I hunted It was 92 deg.).

All the Toms were bread out and didn't want to fight any more. (I guess getting beat up all spring takes a toll on you).. Every thing was advanced about three to four weeks because of the weather, Scott still took me out in these conditions and fond two birds that wanted to commit suicide. Between the two, total time was about 8 min.  Now there was some scouting time, but the point is that Scott Croner and the Nebraska hunting co is the premier Turkey hunting organization I have found.,

I hope this blog helps every one understand that this year the weather has made things far more advanced then before. Scott will do everything that he can to get you your birds, he runs, watches and ;listens to what the turkeys are doing, Scott will get the birds for
you, I have never been let down.

Scott Croner and the Nebraska hunting co, Is the only Outfitter I will ever hunt with in Nebraska.

The one thing I will say is that no matter how great Scott is, he still  can not control the weather, i promise you,  from a previous client, that Scott Will do all that is required to get the best birds possible

This is the best Turkey hunting experience I will ever have. See you next year Scott (fan man). I have already re booked.

Uncle Bucks lodge is great. Marilyn and Walt are fantastic proprietors. It is a working ranch so you will meet a verity of people and conditions. The food is second to none and you can't ever get enough of the family atmosphere. If you need anything all you need to do is ask.

In summery, This is the most professional and personable outfit I have ever associated with. Scott will do all he can to make sure you have a great time/

See you there..

Gary Walker

Please call Scott and book the best Turkey hunt you could ever imagine and I may see you there

Sis & Mel Harvest Mature Merriams Gobblers

Sis and Mel harvest mature Nebraska Merriam's turkeys.

David Marshall Harvests Merriams Turkey In Nebraska

Scott,

    Just wanted to thank you for probably what I could call the best and most exciting turkey hunt I've ever had! I knew it was going to be a success when you have a guide who works harder to fill your tag than most hunters do to fill their own.
    I have hunted with other outfitters before but none seem to measure up to the experience that I recently had with you and the great hospitality that I was shown.
    There wasn't once that we went out that there weren't birds seen and worked, GREAT strutting  Merriam's Toms everywhere. This is probably the closest thing to a one hundred percent hunt that a person could get. Everything is there that one would want for a great experience. You've got the high energy Guide, lots of birds, great food, camaraderie, and a successful hunt. If anyone ever asks me about my hunt, I will never hesitate to point them in your direction and give them all the info. they need to contact you so that they too can have the opportunities that I was given on my hunt.
    This was a unique experience for me, not your typical southern turkey hunt. Lots of fast paced hunting action. I saw more turkeys in a day and a half hunting than almost a whole spring season most other places.
    I am truly appreciative of the efforts that was put forth in order for me to harvest the birds I came home with. I am looking forward to returning next year and plan to bring my wife along to hunt as well. I almost hated to leave I was having so much fun, but you can only do so much once you're tagged out.
    See you next year Scott, and thanks again.

    Sincerely, David Marshall
   
        P.S. Scott, I took one of the Trophy birds I harvested at your place to the Taxidermist today.

Larry Parrish Hits Home Run With Merriam's and Rio

Congrats to Larry on his two awesome Nebraska gobblers in 2012. A Merriam's on the left and a Rio on the right.

 "Scott it was a very enjoyable trip, always great to chase turkeys anywhere but hunting in Nebraska with both Merriam's and Rio's to hunt made it even better. Then when you hunt them Indian style just doubled the excitement."  L. P.

Jack Croner - Scores During Youth Season

Jack Croner score big during youth season. the gobbler on the right weighed 24 lbs. sported a 10 inch beard and 1 3/8 spurs, both birds were shot just off the Missouri River in Eastern Nebraska.

How to Score Your Wild Turkey - Merriam's, Rio's, Eastern's, and Osceola's

You can calculate the score of your turkey with our scoing calculator.

Before you begin to score your turkey, be sure to note that all measurements are taken in 1/16-inch increments and converted to decimal form. A current NWTF member or another licensed hunter from the state where the bird was harvested must verify all measurements. A conversion chart for measurements is located at the bottom of this page.

Step 1:	Weigh your bird in pounds and ounces and convert ounces to decimal form.
Step 2:	Measure each spur. Spurs must be measured along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur. Add both spur measurements and multiply the combined length of the spurs by 10. This is the number of points you receive for the turkey’s spurs.
Step 3:	Measure the beard length (a beard must be measured from the center point of the protrusion of the skin to the tip) and convert it to decimal form. Next, multiply the beard length figure by 2; this is the number of points you receive for the beard length. If you have an atypical bird (multiple beards), measure each beard, convert them to a decimal number, then add those figures together and multiply by two. This is the number of points you receive for your turkey’s beards.
Step 4:	Add together the weight, the points for spurs and points for beard(s): This is the score you receive for your turkey.

---

Conversion Chart

1/8 Measurements	1/16 Measurements	Weight
1/8 = .1250	1/16 = .0625	1 OZ. = .0625
2/8 = .2500	2/16 = .1250	2 OZ. = .1250
3/8 = .3750	3/16 = .1875	3 OZ. = .1875
4/8 = .5000	4/16 = .2500	4 OZ. = .2500
5/8 = .6250	5/16 = .3125	5 OZ. = .3125
6/8 = .7500	6/16 = .3750	6 OZ. = .3750
7/8 = .8750	7/16 = .4375	7 OZ. = .4375
	8/16 = .5000	8 OZ. = .5000
	9/16 = .5625	9 OZ. = .5625
	10/16 = .6250	10 OZ. = .6250
	11/16 = .6875	11 OZ. = .6875
	12/16 = .7500	12 OZ. = .7500
	13/16 = .8125	13 OZ. = .8125
	14/16 = .8750	14 OZ. = .8750
	15/16 = .9375	15 OZ. = .9375

Merriam's Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami)

Complete your "Grand Slam" with a Merriam's Turkey Hunt, Contact Scott Croner at 402-304-1192

Physical Description
Although approximately the same size as the Eastern, the Merriam has different coloration. It is black with blue, purple and bronze reflections. White feathers on the lower back and tail feather margins distinguish the Merriam from other subspecies of turkey. The margins have a dull white appearance. Merriam’s appear to have a white rump due to pinkish buff, or whitish tail coverts and tips. The tail feathers are very conspicuous when the gobbler struts against a dark background. Toms have black-tipped breast feathers, while the hens exhibit buff tips. Hens have a more extensive white area on the wings giving a whiter appearance when the wings are folded.


Average Weight Range
Mature Merriam wild turkeys weigh from eight to over 20 pounds.

Reproduction
Breeding occurs during the spring and summer months (May through August). The increase of daylight hours in spring triggers hormonal changes. Gobbling is used to attract receptive females for mating in late February to early March. Males exhibit both gobbling and strutting to attract females. Gobbling attracts the hen to the male, who then courts the female by strutting. If the gobbler is successful, the female will crouch to signal the male to begin copulation. The first peak time for gobbling occurs at the beginning of breeding season when gobblers are searching for hens. The second peak begins a few weeks later, when most hens begin incubation. Gobblers mate with several hens, and it is generally the adult males who do most of the mating. Hens lay anywhere from 8 to 12 eggs per clutch, averaging about 28 days for incubation.

Food Usage/Selection
Wild turkeys are omnivores, eating a variety of plant and animal matter wherever and whenever available. Poults, or young turkey, eat large quantities of insects and other animal matter to get needed protein for development. As turkeys age, plant matter becomes the primary food source with about 90 percent of the mature turkey’s diet including the green foliage of grasses, vines, forbs, acorns, buds, seeds and various fruits.

Range
The Merriam is found in the ponderosa pine forests of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and the rest of the Rocky Mountain range, and has been transplanted to Nebraska, Washington, California, Oregon, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.

Habitat
Merriam’s wild turkeys inhabit ponderosa pine forests, western mountainous regions of the United States and the woodland prairies. Merriam’s tend to live in regions that receive annual rainfall of 15 to 23 inches.

Common Hunting Methods
The shotgun, bow and arrow, and black powder are all used to hunt turkey. To attract turkey, hunters use a wide range of calls to lure them or to induce gobblers to a fight. Calling has become so popular that contests are held each year so experts and novices alike can fine-tune their skills.

Hunting Challenges/Values
With their excellent eyesight and well-developed sense of hearing, the turkey can sometimes outsmart decoys used by hunters as they become more and more sensitized to their presence. Wild turkeys are very good to eat and can be smoked, fried or baked. Many hunters proudly display their colorful capes, beards or full-bodied mounts.

Interesting Tidbits
Turkeys will answer thunder from an approaching storm with calls of their own.
Turkey hunting is one of the most popular forms of hunting.
Hens produce droppings in shapes like a mound, and the gobbler’s droppings are in a straight line or resemble the letter “J.”

Named for C. Hart Merriam, who was the first chief of the U. S. Biological Survey.

Nebraska Merriam's Mania With Scott Croner and The Nebraska Hunting Company By Brandon, Wikman

Realtree: Community: Nebraska Merriam's Mania: "Nebraska Merriam's Mania

By Brandon Wikman, Bass Pro NGX Team

The rumors tucked away in the Sand Hills of central Nebraska hold more truth than told. Deep in this picturesque valley of cedars, sand and lofty hills, is a sought after secret of the mystical Merriam’s turkey.

Plenty of the country hunted was open, but the birds have a propensity to find and use available cover to their advantage.
The time-crazy world hasn't changed the background of the old ranch town I stayed at. As I passed through the hundred yard main street strip of not-a-whole-lot, I soon became familiarized of what the little town was known for from the camouflage jackets and cowboy hats worn by the locals. I marveled at cattle ranchers stringing barbed-wire fence by hand for miles, while others admired their massive prairie burns. I felt as if I were taken back to the cowboy days and imagined the covered wagons trekking across the desolate land. Sod houses from the 1800's still stood amongst the canyons and withheld their enduring beauty throughout years of erosion.
THE GRAND QUEST
Although, the scenery and generalization of the Sand Hills inspired my historic inner-feelings, I was there to conquer the last species of turkey for my Grand Slam quest and face the secrets head-to-head with Nebraska Hunting Company, a nationally acclaimed outfitter from the heart of Nebraska."

Read More

Merriam's Spring Turkey Hunt 2011 - Opening Date

Merriam's Spring Turkey Opens April 16, 2011 and will close at the end of May. Book Your 2011 Hunt and finish your Grand Slam.

Merriam's Spring Turkey Brochure

2010 Spring Turkey - Biggest Season Ever

© 2010 Scott Croner and
Nebraska Hunting Company™

Wow who would have thought it was possible that 2010 would be bigger than 2009. Here are the stats.



40 Clients - Harvested 104 Gobblers - 32 Days

Best to you,
Scott Croner
Nebraska Hunting Company

Albert A Rasch
Spoons: They're Not Just for Cereal!The Range Reviews: AGI Armorer's Course 1911 AutoBoar Hunting Calibers: Part I