# Meriam Turkey in Northern Utah



## bbach56 (Jan 6, 2016)

I can't find a map of the distribution of Meriam turkey.....only a map of all turkey species as a single color on a map. I know Meriams are well distributed in the southern area but I am looking for areas in the north above 7,000 feet which is higher than the Rio Grandes will travel. I am above 7,000 feet and have Rio's down river close to me but they will walk up to....but absolutely will not cross......that 7,000 foot contour line. Particularly I am trying to figure out if Meriams were ever stocked in the mountains east of Kamas in Summit County. Has anybody seen a website that addresses specifically the Meriams species in the North? There are large forest areas devoid of turkey due to those low altitude, river lubbin Rios.


----------



## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRDcyO2X3...ovdiqwIyU/s1600/range_map_tnail_031314[1].jpg

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/images/birds/turkeys/wildturkeymap.gif

NWTF maps which include UT.


----------



## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

There are no Merriams in Northern Utah. Utah planted Merriams starting in the Mid 1950s and several attempts in later years in the La Sals and Boulders but for some reason they never really did that good. Today I personally doubt there are more than a very few pure blood Merriams left in Utah. 
No Merriams were ever planted East of Kamas.
Maybe I am misreading you, but you seem to have a certain disdain for the Rio Grand Turkey. But simply put, the Rio has and is what has made turkey hunting what it is today in America. He is extremely adaptable, tough and viral. In his pure state and when crossed with the other breeds...especially the Merriams, has given us birds that can now live and thrive in nearly all states in America. He lives and flourish in nearly all habitats from river bottoms to mountain tops...well above 7000 ft...from lush forests to semi-arid desert.


----------



## littlebighorn (Feb 14, 2009)

From what I understand, Merriams rely heavily on ponderosa trees for their survival. I have never seen them in places other than that type of habitat and terrain, so I have to assume that is their niche.
They are very beautiful birds with their white tipped tails!


----------



## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

BP is right...until Rios were transplanted to Utah, we had relatively few turkeys that were struggling to survive. It seemed that as soon as the population of merriams would start to grow, they would get hit with a tough year and their population would drop. But, as soon as the rios were transplanted the population boomed. Now, most of our birds are either rios or some kind of merriam/rio mix.


----------



## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

BPturkeys said:


> There are no Merriams in Northern Utah. Utah planted Merriams starting in the Mid 1950s and several attempts in later years in the La Sals and Boulders but for some reason they never really did that good. Today I personally doubt there are more than a very few pure blood Merriams left in Utah.
> No Merriams were ever planted East of Kamas.
> Maybe I am misreading you, but you seem to have a certain disdain for the Rio Grand Turkey. But simply put, the Rio has and is what has made turkey hunting what it is today in America. He is extremely adaptable, tough and viral. In his pure state and when crossed with the other breeds...especially the Merriams, has given us birds that can now live and thrive in nearly all states in America. He lives and flourish in nearly all habitats from river bottoms to mountain tops...well above 7000 ft...from lush forests to semi-arid desert.


All three of these were shot in Northern Utah (Ogden n Morgan areas) I've always assumed they were likely a Merriam or a Merriam/Rio hybrid. They are much whiter than the Rios I've killed. What are your thoughts?


----------



## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

tigerpincer - I am by no means, a turkey expert. I have always been curious about the ones I have gotten and don't really know what they are. I have always assumed Merriams because of the whiter tips and one taken at ~9,000 ft.

To me the first picture looks like a rio.. lot's of bronze/green on the back. The other two look like crossbreeds to me. A complete guess on my part though. I'd like to hear what the others think.


----------



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I think they recently released some Merriam's from NE in the southern part of the state.

We've shot Merriam's in NM that have cream to a bronze look to them. No, they are not Rio's or a hybrid either. Although there are some Rios on the eastern part of the state, the Rio Grande Gorge keeps them from migrating west in the northern part of the state.


----------



## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

look at the wings. Are the white/black bands equal in size? Are the white > black? Black > white?

With Merriam's, the white band will be significantly broader than the black. most of our birds here in Utah show fairly equal size bands on the wings, indicating a mixed or hybridized bird.

(obviously, this is not a perfect identification sign. Other signs should be used in combination to surely identify the birds. It can be pretty difficult to 100% identify which species)

Here's a decent guide on identification:
http://www.realtree.com/turkey-hunting/articles/grand-slam-gobbler-identification-guide#anchored


----------



## coolgunnings (Sep 8, 2007)

bbach56 said:


> I can't find a map of the distribution of Meriam turkey.....only a map of all turkey species as a single color on a map. I know Meriams are well distributed in the southern area but I am looking for areas in the north above 7,000 feet which is higher than the Rio Grandes will travel. I am above 7,000 feet and have Rio's down river close to me but they will walk up to....but absolutely will not cross......that 7,000 foot contour line. Particularly I am trying to figure out if Meriams were ever stocked in the mountains east of Kamas in Summit County. Has anybody seen a website that addresses specifically the Meriams species in the North? There are large forest areas devoid of turkey due to those low altitude, river lubbin Rios.


I have seen Rio's above 7,000 ft. many times. I have seen them on the strawberry ridge line above the walsburg CWMU.


----------

