when you get a group of toms coming to your call, which one do you guys and gals pick out to shoot? assuming you can't see the spurs. i've read articles about the back tom being the heaviest and will score higher and i've read articles about taking the one they think is the dominant bird. for me, its hard to pass up the one i think is the dominant bird.

Usually the strutter,when he breaks strut!!

Usually the one that looks like has the longest,or thickest beard.

that's what i have always been told.

Well I would like to take the strutter, but sometimes the shot isn't there. If the ones with him look good, and the beards look decent, if one of them is in the open I will/would shoot. Yes spurs and beards are nice, but can't eat them, so if the big guy doesn't give me the shot, will take what God has provided for me! [8D]

I'll take the strutter if a shot is possible.He is usually the dominate bird of the bunch.Of course that doesn't mean he has the longest bird or spurs,just that he is the bully of the bunch.

I will always hold off untill the bird I want produces a shot. Now for the dominate bird , who's to know which of the birds is the real dominate bird. As I have seen in the passed number of years a Strutter relates to a 2 year old bird on the highest level. I have found that the bird that does the least amount of strutting tends to have the larges spurs. This may not be the case with the beard size on the bird in question. The bird that does not strut as a general rule don't need to strut because he is the older bird.

Now with that being said , I am a guy for spurs , but if some other bird that has something that intrests me over the Non strutter , I will take that bird. I always keep a good eye for Multi bearded birds , as out of the number of birds I have taken has really only related to one multi bearded bird.

It is sure a real interest in this sport as to what bird in a group of birds is the dominate bird. I know most believe the strutter is the dominate one , but I have to all ways second guess myself with these birds that seem to walk in with the strutters and don't seem to need to preform for a hens company. Younger birds always want to show what they have in the game of Love , but really who is the best when the spurs start to fly ? ...BT

Actually, whichever one provides the best shot, i will take it. Now, if all of them are a good shot, i will choose the one that looks the biggest, and if one goes to struttin, im takin that one.

my thoughts too....... if I have a chance, the strutter or beard, but first one open, becomes dinner! [8D]

It really doesn't matter. A longbeard is a longbeard. I would rather take the larger one but would be perfectly happy with either. Beard length or spur length is not that important to me. Any two year old plus turkey is a trophy regardless how long his beard is or his spurs are. Don't get me wrong, I like a turkey with a long beard and a beautiful fan, but that's just part of the trophy. I agree with some of you in saying the strutter is not always the larger and more dominant bird.