Good 3 yr old

[wattlebuster]

Got in the woods this morning before daylight an this old boy was singing his song. I could tell he had hens by the way he was acting. Then I could hear them and could see hens an some more gobblers but the woods were too thick to get an accurate #. I finally worked around an got on the same ridgetop with them an just started calling to the hens to get them to come in mostly just clucks an purrs. After a while the hens came an dragged this old boy in strutting with them. I let him get introduced to "Achilles" my 12 ga flintlock at about 25 yrds in full strutt. It was a one time introduction. He has a 9 an half inch beard good thick beard with 1 inch sharp spurs an I have lost my little scale but he feels about 19 lbs. Im gonna say he is about a 3 yr old bird. Good luck to all you turkey chasers this spring

 

[Patocazador]

Nice bird. Congrats.

I had a 2-yr. old gobbler in a tree 40 yards behind me. He gobbled at everything for an hour. After he flew down he shut up and went the other way. I saw him walking at 70 yards .. had about a 5" beard.
Maybe tomorrow. :idunno:

 

[Roy]

:thumbsup: Congrats!

 

[robinsroost]

Nicely done! Robin :bow:

 

[FishDFly]

How does one age a turkey?

 

[ny griz]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Way to get er done.Congrats.Tell us a little about your rifle and load.Griz

 

[wattlebuster]

It usually takes about 3 yrs for the spurs to get an inch an then sharp too. By the fourth yr they are starting to curve an take on the term "Hooks"

 

[wattlebuster]

Its a 12 ga smoothbore I built myself. Its got a 32 inch colerain oct to round barrel that Danny Caywood jug choked. Chambers round faced english lock an just a plain maple stock :thumbsup:

 

[PaulN/KS]

Nicely Done Sir! :thumbsup:
:hatsoff:

 

[No Deer]

Nice turkey wattlebuster.

How does one age a turkey?

From the Michigan Turkey Hunting Digest:

Using Spur Length to Age a Turkey
Spur Length (in.) Curvature Sharpness Age of Gobbler
Less than 0.5” None Rounded Less than 1 year
0.5” to 1” Straight Blunt 1 to 2 years
1” to 1.25” Slightly Curved Pointed 2 to 3 years
Over 1.25” Curved Sharp Older than 3 year

 

[agill]

Congratulations! :hatsoff:

 

[robert reed]

How does one age a turkey?

Skin it and hang it in the cooler? :hmm:

 

[BradCayton]

Very nice!!! Congratulations :hatsoff:

 

[FishDFly]

From the Michigan Turkey Hunting Digest:

Using Spur Length to Age a Turkey
Spur Length (in.) Curvature Sharpness Age of Gobbler
Less than 0.5” None Rounded Less than 1 year
0.5” to 1” Straight Blunt 1 to 2 years
1” to 1.25” Slightly Curved Pointed 2 to 3 years
Over 1.25” Curved Sharp Older than 3 year

Thanks, I learned something today, how does one age a turkey at 70 yards???

 

[wattlebuster]

First off I can barley see at 70 yrds. You cant tell the age at that distance an sometimes you cant see the beard good enough either. If they strutt though look for the full round fan. A mature gobblers fan will be nice and smooth round. A young gobbler will have a couple of middle fan feathers higher than the rest

 

[Patocazador]

how does one age a turkey at 70 yards???

He guesses. :hmm:

Older than a jake which has a nubby nothing of a beard and younger than a normal Osceola 3-year-old which usually has a 7"+ beard.

 

[William O.]

Wow, that looks and sounds like a great hunting experience, thank you for sharing. I like your gear and a superb looking smoothbore; congrats!

 

[Skychief]

Congratulations Achilles !!!

You too Wattlebuster. :haha:

I've been itching to hear about one of us taking a nice Tom. Mission accomplished!!!

Thank you for sharing with us, Skychief. :hatsoff:

 

[Tony Logan]

Great job sounds like a fun hunt. That sure turned out to be a nice gun

 

[wattlebuster]

Thanks Tony. Your dad sold me a very nice accurate barrel. It shoots a 690 ball like a rifle out to about 50 yrds and is awesome with shot but the gobblers dont like it :idunno: