One lived on my family property, but was virtually unhuntable. He wouldnt come in to any calls no matter what...and he rarely gobbled. Henned up all year. Its hard to judge weight on a bird, but this cob gobbler had a beard that probably went around 14 inches. And was 3-4 inches thick. Compared to the average 9 inch beard thats about an inch thick...he looked MASSIVE.
Another bird we hunted 4-5 times. He loved to strut out in an open plowed cornfield, which made him also impossible to hunt. We ended up killing on of his subordinates who had a 9 inch beard. He also remained henned up all season. Rumor has it that he was killed towards the end of the season, and came in weighing 23 LBs with a 12 inch beard. He probably scored in the 70's. True monster.
Anybody else have any good stories about monster birds?
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Poster of the GREATEST photo in HNI history, 12/09/09
"My god Siman...............you just made me sick"
we were about to leave one of our spots that has some woods but alot of fields and has public hunting all around it. we got to the truck and had all most all of our gear loaded up and my dads phone rings, his friend called him and told him that there are 3 toms in a mowed crp field on the public land with three hens. knowing it would be impossible to make a move on these birds we just drove by and glassed them for a few. the two toms had nice beards probably 9 or 10 inch and the other tom (was strutting the almost the whole time) when he wasnt strutting we saw his beard was running on the ground! this was the biggest bird ive ever seen
Probably the one I have a full body mount of. 25 lbs 6 oz., 12 1/4" beard with 1 1/2 and 1 5/8 spurs. My first turkey. I truly didn't even realized what I had just killed until I got a few seasons under my belt and figured out that was my bird of a lifetime.
My oldest killed a gobbler in Arkansas that had 1 7/8 inch spurs, which is the longest of any we have killed.
My brother killed a gobbler in Kansas that weighed 26 lbs and some ounces and that was our heaviest bird until my same son killed one the same year that weighed 28 lbs and some ounces. They were both taken at the beginning of season so were still fat from the winter.
Longest beards is 12 3/4 inches. Several that have been 11 inches plus.. The bird I have mounted is a tripled beard. I have also taken several double bearded ones to include a nice one that had a 10 1/2 inch and an 8 1/2 inch beard. He was a no doubter. I knew he had a double beard as he was strutting in because they were so visible.
For one whole seasoon my dad and I hunted this bird that far surpassed all of the others in size, his beard drug the ground, always had had the hens, and was always on the other side of the fence from the public land we were hunting. Had many close encounters, he was always to smart to come into calls, always end up at about 75 yards and hold up.
That very next season I finally had my drivers license, went out by myself because my dad was playing in a golf tournement. Spotted him out in a field around 3 p.m. snuck into about 75 yards then started calling. I was laying on top of a terrace about 25 yards inside of a tree line when the bird step inside the trees I was able to take a shot.
I was so happy I got a bird on my own all I did was call my dad to tell him, and went to show him. I knew he was a good average bird and was heavy, it wasnt until my dad saw him that he remembered the bird from last year. 13" beard 1 7/8" and 2" spurs if he would of been a little heavier he would of made top 20 in kansas. I was able to enter him in a couple contest's and win a couple gift certificates too.
The one that my dad killed last year. Can't remember all the measurements, etc. but it weighed almost 30 pounds. When we described it to folks afterword (when i still remembered the measurements) they said it was probably the biggest taken in that part of Illinois in a while.
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"Shoot him again....his soul is still dancing"
My dad killed a big bird 3 beards
beard 1= 13 inches beard 2=9 inches beard 3=7 inches
the 13 inches was 3.5 inch thick the 9 inch was like 2 inch the other one was real thin one
his spurs were 1.75 left 1.5 right .....he was a 26 pound bird wild!!no corn just bugs or w/e they find
I am tellen ya up in south missouri where he used to live has freaken HUGE!!!Birds..thats where Im hunten this weekend I am so pumped!
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Mossberg 12 GAUGE
3 inch Turkey Mag
Also gotta question a bird standen straight up like they are when they are looken for something you no out stretched neck standen straight up?...if a birds beard is hitten the ground when he is doing this...how big would that be at least?no strut standen straight up..i didnt see this my self but hurd of a bird like this..any help realy curious
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Mossberg 12 GAUGE
3 inch Turkey Mag
What is..the BIGGEST bird you have ever seen?
