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Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable..
Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: May 30, 2023 @ 10:46 pm
Neal Herrman and his wife, Colleen, of Barron, pose with three Osceola wild turkeys they harvested on a recent trip to Florida. On the trip, Neal completed his 15th grand slam, which is when a hunter harvests all four subspecies of turkey in the United States. Colleen completed her 10th grand slam. Photo submitted
Neal Herrman and his wife, Colleen, of Barron, pose with three Osceola wild turkeys they harvested on a recent trip to Florida. On the trip, Neal completed his 15th grand slam, which is when a hunter harvests all four subspecies of turkey in the United States. Colleen completed her 10th grand slam. Photo submitted
Barron residents Colleen and Neal Herrman are a dynamic-duo of turkey hunters.
The husband and wife were recently in Florida for the Sunshine State’s turkey season and both punched their tags on tom turkeys. Even more impressive, the beautiful Osceola turkeys the couple harvested allowed both to complete another grand slam – a mind-blowing 15th grand slam for Neal and 10th for Colleen.
To achieve a grand slam, a hunter must harvest and register the four most common subspecies of wild turkey: the Eastern, Rio Grande, Merriam’s and Osceola (Florida).
Colleen and Neal hunted at a friend’s cattle ranch this past weekend (March 18-19) south of Kissimmee, a place they go every spring for two weeks to kick off the new spring turkey season.
“Chasing turkeys is something Colleen and I have done together since 1999. What started as another chance to get in the woods has turned into a way of life for us,” Neal said via text on Monday, March 20. “Colleen and I hunt extremely well together. It is truly a blessing to be married to your favorite hunting partner. We were fortunate enough to complete more grand slams together this spring.”
Hunting turkeys has been a growing passion for both, especially Neal, throughout his life. In 2009, Neal started competing in turkey calling competitions and building his own line of turkey calls, referred to as strikers in the turkey hunting world.
“I’ve won state calling championships in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa; and in 2011, I was picked up by Hooks Custom Calls out of Batesville, Ark. I currently have a line of strikers and two types of aluminum calls that I make for the company that I build in my shop at home,” Neal explained.
Throughout the rest of the spring, the Herrmans will attempt to complete a single season “world slam,” taking one of each subspecies of wild turkey: Eastern, Osceola, Merriams, Rio Grande, Goulds and Ocellated.
“We will be hunting in Wisconsin, Florida, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Chihuahua, Mexico, and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico (separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea),” Neal stated.
Neal has previously completed two world slams, but this will be Colleen’s first attempt.
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