What Is A Turkey Slam?

© By Othmar Vohringer

I’ve been asked a few times, “What is a turkey slam?” A turkey slam is when a hunter shoots one tom from several turkey subspecies, what subspecies are required for a slam is determined by the type of slam the hunter is aiming for. The National Wild Turkey Federation recognizes six different turkey slams. These are: Grand, Royal, World, Canadian, U.S. Super and Mexican. The completion of a slam does not require completing the feat in a single calendar year.
Below is the outline of each slam and what subspecies it requires to be officially recognized.


Grand Slam consists of:
Eastern Wild Turkey, Rio Grande Wild Turkey, Merriam’s Wild Turkey and Osceola Wild Turkey.

Royal Slam consists of:
The same subspecies as the Grand Slam in addition to the Gould,s Wild Turkey.

World Slam consists of:
The same five subspecies listed above in addition to the Ocellated Wild Turkey.

Mexican Slam consists of:
Rio Grande Turkey, Gould’s Turkey and Ocellated Wild Turkey. All three subspecies must be taken in Mexico.

Canadian Slam consists of:
Eastern Wild Turkey and Merriam’s Turkey. In order to be recognized as “Canadian Slam” the birds must be taken in the following provinces; Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta or British Columbia.

U.S. Super Slam consists of:
One turkey of every state except Alaska. This is without question the most challenging wild turkey slam to complete. James, Wilhelm of VA is the latest of three turkey hunters to ever achieve this incredible feat.

For more information about the National Wild Turkey Federation visit their website.

Are Wild Turkeys Impacting East Kootenay Agriculture Producers?

New Study Reveals the Facts

Article by Mark Hall, EKWTA Field Program Coordinator

Private farmland in the East Kootenays provides seasonal and year-round habitat for many wildlife species. Some of the region’s wild turkey flocks are considered to be “farmstead” flocks – sustained by the habitat and food sources available on private farmland. Since the East Kootenay region has a history of wildlife-agriculture conflicts, the East Kootenay Wild Turkey Association (EKWTA), in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), completed a study this past spring that assessed the effect of Merriam’s wild turkey on the region’s commercial agriculture producers.

The study dispels some rumours and myths that, historically, have tended to perpetuate stereotypes in the hunting and agriculture communities. By providing factual information, the study should help hunters develop a better appreciation of the challenges faced by local agriculture producers. In addition to those benefits, the study also provides wildlife managers and policy makers with factual information on the effects of wild turkey on agriculture as well as the overall attitudes of agriculture producers towards wild turkeys. Conversely, the study also provides agriculture operators with a better understanding of wild turkey biology and the interest that the EKWTA and NWTF have in pro-actively addressing concerns created by wild turkeys.

Some of the study’s key findings include:

1. Wild turkeys are not causing significant wide-spread losses to commercial agriculture producers in the East Kootenays.
2. Rumours and stories that all commercial agriculture producers hate wild turkeys are unfounded.
3. Nearly half of the producers indicate wild turkeys provide some type of beneficial service.
4. Losses and damages caused by wild turkeys are not significantly affecting the producer’s bottom line.
5. Wild turkeys do not pose a risk of disease transfer to domestic livestock.
6. There is a general interest and tolerance among agriculture producers regarding wild turkeys as long as damages do not exceed current levels.
7. 75% of producers reported that allowing hunting on their private land is the main action taken to reduce negative effects caused by wild turkeys.

The EKWTA is based in Cranbrook, BC. It is a non-profit society representing 200+ local members whose interests include wild turkey conservation, general wildlife habitat management and the preservation of our hunting heritage. The EKWTA is currently the only regional chapter of the NWTF in the province. The NWTF is a leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America and is dedicated to conserving the wild turkey, preserving the hunting heritage and introducing people to the outdoors through its outreach programs. In BC, the Merriam’s wild turkey is classed as an alien (introduced) species under the Wildlife Act; however, the EKWTA is working towards the integration of the Merriam’s wild turkey into wildlife management in the East Kootenays by addressing social, ecological and political concerns regarding its presence in the province.

The EKWTA has hosted the annual Hunting Heritage Super Fund fundraiser banquet for the last 11 years and, for the last 9 years, has hosted a youth outdoor fun day, called “JAKES Day”. Since 1985, approximately $31,000 of the NWTF’s BC wild turkey super fund has been invested back into wildlife conservation in this province.

Interesting Economic Facts About Turkey Hunters

Turkey hunters are a special breed, turkey hunters are on the rise, and the most amazing thing of all is turkey hunters are big, big, big spenders. Here are a few facts about the economic contributions of turkey hunters.

1. If spring turkey hunters had their own state, they'd represent the nation's 35th largest state.

2. A spring turkey hunter spends an average of $784.38 on spring turkey hunting each year. (I have spent about $700 already this year.)

3. Spring turkey hunter's dollars provide jobs for 41,323 people who generate almost $200 million in federal income taxes.

4. The total number of jobs supported by spring turkey hunting in the United States is enough to completely eliminate unemployment in the states of Nebraska, New Hampshire or Idaho.

5. The jobs supported by spring turkey hunting are nearly 50 percent larger than the number of employees of U.S. Airways, a Fortune 500 company.

6. The federal income tax revenues generated from spring turkey hunting activities in the United States would pay the salaries and allowances for more than 5,600 U.S. soldiers.

We are not just passionate about this sport, we are obsessed with it. The camouflage, the guns, the spring weather, the gobbling turkeys, the thrill of calling them in, the excitement of the kill, and the good times and memories associated with every hunting experience makes hunting one of the greatest sports in the U.S.

I certainly hope that turkey hunting continues to be a passion and an obsession in the lives of hunters and that it is something that is passed down from generation to generation throughout the years. If you've been hunting already this spring I would love to hear your stories in the comments below!