re: Merriam turkey hunt suggestions

I have hunted the valley around Trout Creek in NW Montana many times. It's in the general area you're talking about.

Lots of turkeys and very few hunters. We never had trouble getting permission. And yes there seems to be a mix of birds that look Eastern and birds that look Merriams.

CSB: One afternoon my nephew and I got on a gobbling turkey at a gravel road intersection. Called him straight down the road on a string and my nephew killed him. Beautiful bird and definitely appeared to be a full Merriam with white feather tips etc.

While we were standing over the bird another one started gobbling straight down the road the opposite direction. We went back to the same tree and switched around to the other side. Five minutes later I shot the turkey and it was a straight Eastern. Just as black as a bird from Mississippi.

Somewhere I've got a picture of us holding those two turkeys side by side and they look very different