my first bird was a 2yr old. i think the beard was close to 9 and the spurs were 3/4" each.

my second was bigger. i knew he was a longbeard and sent lead downrange...i think the beard was 10" and the spurs were atleast an inch. i know they were sharp and starting to hook. i left them in borax and mice TOOK them!! i never did find them[:@]

also got a couple fall hens to my name...

i never really set standards...but if you look at my history, i passed many jake birds...then again i passed probably more longbeards than jakes...just due to not liking the shots, or watching them strut and put on the show and never taking a shot. i could honestly killed atleast 1 bird every year of the 9 i been chasin them...but only killed 2 in the spring..only fired 2 shells in the spring.

i'll most likely continue my longbeard only trend..i mean, if i get an exciting awesome hunt from a jake and it feels right i'll most likely take him...but most jakes are suicidale and run to the gun. one opener i had one brush my pant leg...he was an honest couple of inches from the barrel. didnt want the jake...first day or last, he just came RUNNING to the call..never gobbled or nothing...meanwhile theres a big longbeard gobbling and strutting at 40yds i was watchin and enjoyin the show before i touched the trigger...

my most enjoyable and memorable hunts are the ones like that...youll hear me tell stories like that more often than the stories of how i killed birds..