First Turkey
 

My father-in-law brought me and his son turkey hunting this weekend just west of Forest Hills.

Saturday morning my brother-in-law shot this nice Tom. I didn't get a shot on anything.

Nice bird

Nice 2 year-old. Even a jake is an accomplishment for a first, but, this is even better. Congrats.

Nice bird!

Nice bird for sure. How can you tell it's a 2 year old?

Congrats. Nice bird.

LTHEF***OL

Spurs...3/4-7/8"...not particularly pointed or hooked.

Just a guess from the pic.

Ah. Couldn't tell spur length from pic

That's why I called it a "guess".

The only way to get a (somewhat) true gauge of a turkey's age is through his spur. The longer and keenner they are...the older a gobbler tends to be. While the beard is probably the most recognizable characteristic, it means nothing as far as the age of the gobbler. A mature gobbler's beard grows an average of 4-5" per year. Stepping on it and wearing it off from dragging the ground is why 4 and 5 year-olds don't have 20" beards.

Yea. The old birds Ive killed in west Texas rarely have over a 10-1/2" beard. Rough country there and dragging the ends of their beards off.

I can imagine. Pine straw will also wear them down.

Spurs measured 3/4"

Just think.....next spring that thing would'a been sportin' 1" spurs...prolly sharp as a Gamakatsu, but, would likely be a lil harder to get off a good shot at him. When they reach their third year...they go from student to teacher. ;)

A 1" spur could definitely do some damage!

3/4" or 1" this year or next year.....
Either way we worked hard for that bird and when he came walking down the trail no way was he getting a free pass.

If you are at the point where you pass up a bird like this then hats off to you!!!

I'm not! Lol

If it's on "posted" land and the time comes when you've killed your "share" of birds....then you'd possibly let 'em walk. You won't know that for sure until the time comes. I didn't carry a gun (only a camera...and my Preston Pittman Black Diamond) the last 4 years that I messed with turkeys. The time came where I enjoyed either watchin' 'em walk or somebody else shootin' em than to shoot myself. But, that was after 25 years and many, many gobblers. Of all the turkeys I've killed.....someone else killing his first is my most memorable moment.

Congrats. That's a nice bird.