quirky feather question

trapper T · 06-24-2003, 11:31 PM

I' ve noticed lately and never paid attention to it before.But are all or most all Toms missing one feather from the secondary tail feathers? My fan has a gap and so do most of the ones I see. Is it just coincedence or is there something to this?

Tree climber · 06-25-2003, 08:00 AM

I have only had a couple that were missing feathers.I have saw birds in photos with several missing.I guess it is because the strut so much and fight.

mauser06 · 06-25-2003, 12:06 PM

mine were all there....i have a beautiful full fan on the wall.....he was quiet a strutter though.....his wings were broke way down......i guess fighting and things like that would take them out...but i dont think theres a reason ALL turkeys loose them like age or anything....just a coincidence id say....probally from fighting and such....

huntnma · 06-25-2003, 04:37 PM

mine are just perfect [:-][:-][:-]

trapper T · 06-25-2003, 10:18 PM

OK, I' ll take it as I' m just seeing things

Thanks guys/gals. Just seemd odd that 90% of the pictures I see and my own bird were missing the same feather. Wierd cowinky dink

turk2di · 06-26-2003, 05:26 PM

Just as chasin girls cause' s one to lose one' s hair, chasin hen' s do the same for Toms. It' s a never ending battle.

trapper T · 06-27-2003, 11:08 PM

Ther' s probably something to your theory too

MOTurkeyTamer · 06-28-2003, 05:00 PM

There was a subordinate tom in the area where I hunt this past spring. I saw him 2 or 3 times before season. He was missing a feather or two in his fan. It wasn' t hard to pick him out from the others in the area. To my knowledge, he wasn' t killed during the spring season.

Spit-n-Drum · 06-30-2003, 06:57 PM

He could have gotten wupped up on by another bird, or possibly if you shot him strutting , you may be the culprit...