I always thought that breast plate on a gobbler that looks rubbed was from breeding. But i was watching Waddel's show and he said that a bioligist told him it was from roosting in the trees kinda like holding on with the breast bone. Anybody shhot any fall gobblers with this pattern?

they breed during spring so if the fall birds are rubbed like this im betting on the tree story. never seen a bird like this though. only thing different bout my fall gobbler was the worst fan ive ever seen. it was one of those 1 1/2 year old birds that have short feathers in the middle. hard to explain but it looked nappy. had an 8 invh beard though and about 3/4 spurs.

That's not from breed'n Bill. The Gobbler takes to somewhat of a half strutt position,
breast up and ars down during breed'n. And he aint worried about longevity,
six to nine bobs of the tail and he's a happy camper.
[/align]

Shallow lol,

I would have to wonder how many turkey hunters notice this, or see it and don't even think about it.

This is a light colour skinny long flaking area located on the lower breast close to the middle of the rib cage. Yes this is an area where a bird that is in the roost settles down and balances him or her self by gripping of the feet and resting the heavy body weight on the limb.

I seen this action all the time and got some up close viewing of penned birds while they roost.

This is the reason some Gobblers become beardless, because wet beards now can lay on the branch in an area where body heat can not keep it from freezing to it.

Threads like this are great to learn from.

Agree. I called in a 24 lb Tom for my buddy, but only had a 3" beard. We believe the beard froze to the tree in the roost. The end of the beard looked almost freezer burnt.

That explains my fall bird that had a full fan, good spurs, and a beard that looked like it was half plucked out....

Yea Steve, When I got to thinking about it all the toms i saw breeding did not last to long and really could not rub that breast bone that bad.Not all the longbeards i shoot show this pattern however.