25/05/2026
Black Hills, South Dakota. Merriam’s country🦃
We went into this trip completely blind with zero experience hunting the area, just wanting to chase a new subspecies and experience a different kind of turkey hunting. For 3 full days we put on miles through the Black Hills trying to figure these birds out.
The biggest challenge was the lack of gobbling after fly down. Birds would sound off on the roost, hit the ground, and then go almost completely quiet. Even some locals told us the turkeys had started getting non-vocal earlier than usual this year. It made for some long days of covering ground, second guessing moves, and trying to learn the terrain on the fly.
But honestly, that’s what made the trip special.
The Black Hills felt endless. Huge country, unique ponderosa timber, steep ridges, and views that made every hike worth it whether we tagged a bird or not. We learned a ton about hunting Merriam’s, explored incredible public land, and gained a whole new respect for hunting that kind of terrain.
We may not have had the success we hoped for this time, but we’re leaving with a lot more knowledge than we showed up with — and that alone made the trip worth it. One thing’s for sure… we’ll be back, and next time we’ll be even more prepared.
Not every hunt goes how you picture it, but this one reminded us why we love doing it in the first place. New places, hard hunts, good people, and memories that make the miles worth it every single time. 🙌
