X Legion General

I have hunted rios in texas
Merriams In new mexico
and easterns in oaklahoma
all on public land, In my opinion easterns were the toughest.

Hooker

I've only hunted Easterns so far and they seem to be plenty hard.

I'm going to hunt Rios in Texas this year, so I shall see if they are as hard as Easters.

FLboy77

Osceolas because there are less of them.

superstrutter

I've only hunted Easterns and Rios. The Rios were a piece of cake compared to the Easterns.

MosesLakehunter

There are so many variables. I think it has more to do with how much pressure the birds have than the sub-species. If you are hunting Eastern around where you live where there are moderate populations of birds and a lot of hunters and you compare that to a trip you take to the heart of Rio territory in Texas on someones ranch that is set up for turkey hunting than surely Rios will seem easier. My point is I think it is hard to compare apples to apples.

SwampCollie

Not only the eastern... but the eastern in the Lowcountry of SC, eastern NC and Tidewater Region VA. You have lots of hurricane debris for them to hang up on (deadfalls and blowdowns... ice damage as well), lots of small creeks and swamps... lots of super thick bottoms... and typically LOTS of turkey hunters too. I've hunted them in VA, NC, SC, GA, MO, WV and OH.... no doubt that birds in the mountains and the mid-west are still a challenge (mid-west easterns are definately larger and they don't gobble... they ROAR) but those tidal area gobblers are a real tester.

I've hunted Rio's in Texas as well.. and they were very entertaining as the gobble a whole lot and as competetion for hens is pretty fierce most years I've seen them come under and over fences, across creeks, under a cow (that was something to see), through thickets.. you name it... they are going to come a-running.

Osceloas may be the toughest to hunt financially unless you live there, or like me, if you went to college with a buddy whose family owns a bunch of land in that part of the world. One thing I noticed about them was that water doesn't really hang them up as much as it does easterns. I suppose they are just used to it. And they almost always roost over the water as well... that doesn't exactly narrow it down any in Florida.. but it helps you from bumping birds off the roost sometimes.

Haven't gotten to hunt Meriams yet. Though I understand that they usually love to show off, and as long as you can play/handle, some of the terrain they are in, then they aren't overwhelimingly tough.

Bobgobble2

I absolutely agree.I heard this question directed at Harold knight one time and thats exactly what he said pressured birds are just plain tough to hunt...

NY/Al

Ok true story, a few years back me and the girlfriends dad ran into Knight and Hale themselves at a gas station. Now if your like me i personally think they are both dinks, BUT they have been everywhere and exiprenced everything. They told us that they were never comming back because the gobblers around here were by far the hardest hunting they have hunted. We all know that makes for a terrible video so i cant blame them for leaving, to be honest i would go somewheres else too if the money was there. Just thought id share my story, take it how you'd like!

Pat_Ely

The hardest turkey to hunt is the one that won't come in to your calling

Mr. Longbeard

Pressured Easterns!!! Oceola's don't get pressured... Cost to much to pressure them