Looking for something to make your turkey season more challenging? Or maybe your looking for a reason to hunt somewhere other than your own familiar turf. Enter the turkey slams. This article will lay out what it takes to achieve each of the 6 slams recognized by the NWTF as well as a bonus slam that is less recognized.
The 6 Wild Turkey Slams recognized by the NWTF include:
- Grand Slam
- Royal Slam
- World Slam
- Canadian Slam
- Mexican Slam
- U.S. Super Slam
Grand Slam
The simplest and most well known slam among turkey hunters is the Grand Slam. Completing a Grand Slam involves harvesting the four primary U.S. subspecies of wild turkey: the Eastern, Osceola (Florida), Rio Grande, and Merriam’s. While the Grand Slam may be the simplest slam a hunter can complete, it does required planning, research, and travel due to each of sub-species required inhabiting different parts of the United States.
- Eastern: Found primarily in the eastern United States
- Merriam’s: Roaming the rocky mountains and prairielands
- Osceola: Inhabiting the Florida peninsula
- Rio Grande: Dwelling in the arid environments of the Southwest
While completing the Grand Slam can be done over several turkey seasons, some hunters prefer the added challenge of attempting to complete it in a single season. This is commonly referred to as a Single Season Grand Slam.
Royal Slam
Once a hunter has completed his or her Grand Slam they have laid the foundation for completing several of the other turkey hunting slams. By adding one more bird to the Grand Slam, the Gould’s turkey, a hunter completes a Royal Slam. The Gould’s turkey is predominantly found in Mexico and the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
World Slam
Taking it a step further, the World Slam calls for bagging the Ocellated turkey, along with each of the sub-species required to complete the Grand and Royal Slam. The Ocellated Turkey is found only in Mexico and Central America.
Canadian Slam
Hunters aiming for the Canadian Slam will need to harvest the Eastern and Merriam’s subspecies found in Canada.
Mexican Slam
The Mexican Slam is quite an endeavor, requiring hunters to harvest the Gould’s, Ocellated, and Rio Grande turkeys only in Mexico.
U.S. Super Slam
For the truly dedicated, there’s the U.S. Super Slam—harvesting a wild turkey in each of the 49 states that have a huntable turkey population. It’s like going on a turkey-themed road trip across America, and yes, it’s as tough as it sounds. This is the pinnacle of the turkey slams due to the vast amount of planning, research, time, and dedication it takes for a hunter to complete this slam.
Bonus Slam
Washington Slam
The Washington Slam involves successfully hunting the three subspecies of wild turkeys found in the state of Washington: the Eastern, the Merriam’s, and the Rio Grande. It’s a trifecta challenge that beckons hunters to the Pacific Northwest’s diverse landscapes.
Registration of Your Slam
While this step is not necessary, some individuals who have successfully completed a slam wish to make it official by registering their slam with the NWTF. To do this a hunter must harvest and register each of the sub-species of wild turkey required for the slam they are pursuing. Only once a hunter has successfully completed and registered the turkeys required for a slam will it be “book” official. After registration of the slam the hunter receives a pin and certificate for the Slam they completed.
You can register your turkey harvest online or by mail with the NWTF.
Tips for Completing a Slam
- Planning should be completed well before the season starts.
- Make sure you have a thorough understanding of the season dates, laws, and regulation for the area you plan on hunting.
- Research historical harvest data, contact biologists, or state wildlife agencies to determine where you should hunt.
- If hunting public land, be diligent with your online scouting to make sure you have several areas of interest before heading out. If you plan on hunting private land, make sure that you have contacted and gained permission from landowners before the hunt.
- Make sure that you have the proper turkey hunting gear needed for a particular area, as well as the correct hunting licenses, permits, or stamps.
