montana turkey

[jasonmeekhof]

I'm the chair of the Michigan chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and as such will be attending the bha rendezvous this spring (April 7-9) I was thinking that since I'm going out there anyway I should wrap something into the week following it. I noticed that last year the opener for turkey in montana was that weekend. My father in law has been wanting to get a merriams for quite some time and I figured this would be an affordable option for him since I'm already going out there and he can tag along with me. So my question is: this seems really early in the spring and is it even worth trying that time of year? will there be any birds on public or will they be all flocked up on feed lots on private? I'm not looking for where to go as much as should I even go and will there be a decent chance at getting a bird?
thanks
Jason

 

[Art Vandeley]

They are not flocked up on feed lots. At least where I hunt. Definitely worth a go on opening weekend. The biggest problem is hens sweet talking Toms away from you.

Good luck.

 

[406LIFE]

They will definitely be on when you get here. I start getting gobbles a few weeks before the season opens. There are about 1.2 billion turkeys in the Missoula area. Access will be your bigger issue. I may be the only guy who seriously chases turkeys in the spring, most are after bear. Last year MT just redid their turkey regs so you can get two tags in the R2 area. As for affordable, it might be the cheapest hunting a NR can do in MT. If you got the time, I think there is a more than decent chance of tagging a Merriam's. I will tell you that we have some Eastern genetics in our birds and if you are looking for blaze white tips, you might have to be a bit more selective.

Send me a PM I'll be at the Rendevous as well.

 

[Coyotes-R-Us]

1.5 billion turkeys That's a lot of turkeys ....
Eastern Mt has turkeys too not a Billion but huntable amounts.
The problem is most the time the snow is but deep or the mud make travel imposable.
One year you could not get TO the turkeys till after the season closed.
Montana has NO smart turkeys If you find turkeys you will kill turkeys.
You can't use rifles in the spring or shoot hens like you can in the fall, Just saying...