RE: Limbhangers and otherwise large turkeys
Two years ago I bagged the biggest bird of my short turkey hunting career. I hunted him and another bird that could have been his bigger brother. They hung together for two years, but the third year they split apart. I was able to bag the "smaller" of the two. It's funny I almost passed on this bird to try for the bigger one, but took him in full strut at about 8 yards.
When I saw his spurs I could not believe it! I checked him in at the local sporting goods store. He weighed 24 pounds, had an 11" beard, 1 3/8" spur, and 1 5/8" spur. The owners son called his dad to tell him about the big bird, and they informed me that was the first bird they had ever checked in that had a spur longer than 1 1/2". That was the best prize for me to accomplish that feat. They have been in business for over 20 years and are the only sporting goods shop in the area now. They did not believe that this bird had no hens; because there was a bigger bird that had them all.
That bigger bird must have died that winter, and it suited him right to die of old age. He was one tough bird. I have not heard or seen him since then.