So what am I looking for in a "good" Turkey? Honestly, I'll probably take the first legal bird I see, but what's a good turkey? I hear people talk about Toms and Jakes, what's the difference? I'm new to this turkey thing, so make it simple for me. Include pictures if you've got them. I got my first turkey two years ago, and I was told it was a good bird, It was certainly good enough for me. It had a 9" beard, how long can beards get? I don't remember about the spurs, but I have a picture of them posted here. But show me some birds and explain what I should be looking for.
Thanks everyone,
Here's some pictures of my first Turkey.
-Jake
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That's a great bird you have right there. 2 year old. Congrats!!
Jakes are first year toms. Jakes will have a shorter beard, bumps for spurs, and the primary tail feathers will be longer than adjacent feathers
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I'm no expert, but your bird looks like a 2 yr old to me. The spurs look like they are about 1".
A Jake is a 1 yr old bird, they have beards that may be hard to see, or up to 3-4 inches or so. Their spurs are generally .5" or less around here. A Jake's fan will be longer in the center, with the outer tail feathers about 1 - 1.5" shorter than the center.
A 3 yr old bird will have spurs around 1.25" or so. Beards can vary, but a 3 yr old will generally have a thicker beard.
A lot of times you'll see 2 toms come in. One will be looking for the hen and the other will be strutting. The strutter is the dominant bird, but not always the bigger of the two.
IMO, any bird 2 yrs and older is a "good turkey". I don't shoot Jakes any more, but I did shoot a few when I was starting out.
My first Turkey years ago was a Jake, but only shoot Toms now, but the whole experience of Turkey hunting is what turns me on. A good bird varies widely in personal choice, and the particular species. An Eastern, especially around my area are very large birds by weight, but seldom do you get a good set of sharp hooks. They have a tendency to round them off from digging in rocky areas. If you want an awesome set of hooks the Osceolas in Florida are the way to go. Because of the lack of rocky ground, them birds have daggers for hooks, but they run on the small side on weight. The bird you shot looks like a 2 year old, but could be 3. Nice Tom, and I'd take him and be happy.
Is there a such of a thing as a bad turkey, uh no. Any bird that works or is taken by a hunter, and its what the hunter wants is a good bird. Most people believe the older the bird the better, its what ever your happy with. Good Luck this spring.
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UncleNorby covered the age and size pretty well! I think any bird you call and shoot yourself is a good one. I've been lucky enough to take some very large birds, but I've been just as proud of a smaller Toms. Its sometimes is just the hunt that makes them good birds! How much they gobble, if you've been on him several times and finally sealed the deal, or finding a strut zone and waiting out one of those ole tight lipped toms usually makes the bird for me!
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any bird with spurs over 1" is a good one, an 1 3/8's is a trophy (4 yo tom), depending on the pressure on them a 2 yo can be pretty tough to kill.
don't pay much attention to beard length, after the age of 2 it can be anything. on a good year the birds beard will be no longer than his leg length with his foot flat on the ground.
here's my definition of a trophy tom
another
one more
the only thing I regret in my turkey hunting carreer is back in the 80's I became obsessed with killing old gobblers, my hunting would have been alot more fun if I'd stayed after the 2 and 3 yo's, they are alot more exciting.
RR
as far as describing a jake look for a stepped tail if he's strutting, he can't gobble very good if you find a bellowing jake, hunt another area, no big birds there to keep him quiet. normaly in spring there will be a group of jakes or the jakes will be with a 2 yo. big dominant birds will keep them backed off.
another lesson, if your in the woods and you know there is a dominant tom in the area and you see a jake, see if you can get him to gobble with a couple clucks, if he gobbles, the dominant tom that is waiting for the hen to come to him will be more inclined to come to the call, he will not tolerate a jake taking his hen. here I am givin secrets away again.
RR
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Last edited by Ridge Runner; 02-10-2012 at 03:30 PM.
Are the beards something that they grow throughout their entire life? You say they can vary alot... I guess I'm asking does a bird keep its beard it's whole life or do they grow in and out? Like a deer would lose its rack. I really am new at this haha..
Thanks for the input so far everyone.
-Jake
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In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your heart and be silent.- Psalms 4:4
"One accurate shot fired with deliberate precision is worth more than a hundred fired without control." -Major John Foster
In God We Trust
What's a "good" bird
