nchawkeye

My first was a gobbler, 9 inch beard, killed in VA in 1979....I called him in with a wingbone turkey call that I had made from a domestic turkey and killed him with a .45 caliber custom made American Longrifle....

My most unique was about 5-6 years ago here in NC, when we had our first modern season in the county that I live in...10 inch main beard, but 2 smaller ones as well...

nchawkeye

Oh yea...standards...I have only killed mature gobblers...But the way this year is going.....I'm about ready to lower them... So far I have called in 2 gobblers for my buddies and have passed on a jake 5 different times.....

drhntr178

My first turkey was a hen in the fall season. In the spring season, my first bird was a 24lb longbeard. Besides not shooting a hens anymore my standards havent changed much. its always been no jakes, period. To me shooting a jake is just like shooting a little spike or forkhorn.

My most unique bird would have to be a 22lb tom w/ 1" spurs that had no beard. I've also shot 2 double bearded toms but since I shot the second one its not very unique anymore.

JNTURK

first bird i shot at was a jake i called in two jakes to my hen set up..the jakes had 6 hens with them but came over to see my one decoy. brother and i shot and i missed and he got his (i was 17 brother was 13)....left there went to another BLM piece of land and called in a jake and didn't miss that time.....

memorable was probably the bearded hen i shot with a 4-10 when i was just starting out huntingfor turkeys at about 40 yrds out...had a 6" beard

SoggyCereal

My first bird was a 22 pound longbeard and they've gotten smaller ever since. I think I'm gonna hold out for a longbeard this season though, just becuase I've seen so many.

Roadkillwarrior

My first bird, and one I will never forget, was a double bearded jake. I shot him on the last day of the season at 23 yards. I wouldnt say that I have changed my standards because I would probably shoot a jake if it gave me a chance, but I have been lucky and killed toms since my first jake because that has been the first thing that came close enough to shoot. Out of the six turkeys I have shot my pesonal best would be a tom I took two springs ago on opening day that had double beards, first beard-11.5" and the second-7" weighed 24lbs, and had 25mm spurrs.

kingofspring

My first bird was a 2 yr old longbeard called in by my father. The first one I called in myself was a 3 or 4 yr old bird. I've since killed3 double-bearded birds, one with4 beards, a cajillionfall hens,a whole bunch of jakes and about 30 longbeards. My standards have more to do with the process than with deciding any particular bird isn't worthy. I take the game to the birds. I will not sit in a pop-up shoot house. I will not hunt over bait, scattered or planted. I tried using a decoy one season, but never felt right about it so those are out too. If a jake comes in struttin and gobblin he's toast, otherwise he gets a pass. I guess my standard is to hunt the way I was taught by the old-timers, and never take a bird in a way I wouldn't want to brag about.

TEmbry

first bird was a jake.

standards have changed since last year i tagged out with two jakes during the spring, i decided to never shoot another jake, unless i was desperate to fill a last minute tag. so far i havent, but because of that i havent killed a gobbler here in KY, all ive had in range are hens and jakes.

most unique would probably be my alabama gobbler from this spring because it was the first mature bird i called in and killed on my own. It was in a different state, had different coloring in the tail feathers than the birds around here, and to top it off my dad was sitting right next to me witnessing the whole thing.

to date, i have killed 5 jakes, 1 fall hen, and 2 gobblers. but like said, im now for only gobblers and maybe an occasional hen in the fall with a bow if the opportunity presents itself.

bloodcrick

My first was a jake, i was thrilled to death, would not have changed a thing. My standards have changed, I try for long beards only now, and have switched from gun hunting them ,to bow hunting them now. My most unique was a bearded hen with an 8 1/4" beard. I also killed a very nice tom several years ago with a slightly different colored the tail fan. it also sported a faded white spot about the size of a tennis ball dead center on the top of the fan.

Branson

My first and only bird was last year. It was a 18.5 lb bird with 10" beard and 15/16" spurs. I was hunting solo and had been after him for a few days. I'll knock down any jake or tom, but sure wouldn't mind a mature bird.