"First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

What was your FIRST bird taken? Have you changed your "standards" since you began turkey hunting?

Also....what's your most "unique" bird taken?

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first bird was a Jake. I have only changed my standards a little. I wouldn't take a Jake opening morning, but if the season started dwindling down, I would gladly fill my tag with a Jake.

The most unique bird I've taken was a 3 bearded Tom. 10.5" - 6.5" - 4.5" beards.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first turkey (or should I say turkies) I ever shot were three hens in one shot during the fall season. I was so excited to get them so close that I picked the closest one and shot...two more fell down behind.

If my first gobbler was to set standards....I don't think I would ever shoot another turkey! My first gobbler was 27 lbs, had two beards (one was 10.25" and the second was 6.5"), and both spurs were 1.625" long. When I took it to the taxidermist, he said he hadn't ever seen a gobbler that big and he has been doing taxidermy for a living since the early 70s. He also took a pic of my mount after he was finished and put it in his portfolio.

I would have to say my most unique one would be my big gobbler with the two beards.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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..

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first bird was a 16.5 lb jake. It was my first time turkey hunting and I worked him for well over an hour and a half. I called him across a road and up a ridge. He came in strutting and I shot him at about 30 yards. He had a 3" beard or something small like that... One of the funnesthunts of my life...

Nothing too unique.
Last year I shot my best. 2 good one's this year so far though...

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first turkey kill was actually two hens in one shot in the fall. My first Tom kill was a 22lb, 61/2 in beard, 1/4 spurs. My standards have changed in this sense...... I wont take a jake unless it it just about time for the season to end, then I will. And my most unique bird was actually a 19lb. 10inch bearded one legged tom. Yes he had one leg, quite commical to watch come through the woods.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first bird wasa hen in the fall. 1st gobbler was a jake. Haven't really raised the bar, I might still shoot a jake, might not. the 1st was the only jake I've got.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

First I think was my biggest... nice tom with a 9.25 inch beard too long ago to remember spurs. weighed around 22-23 lbs. MY 2nd was about the same I think. My standards are if it has a beard it WILL be shot (at). Ive learned that any turkey is a good one. As far as my oddest turkey. Twosprings ago I saw one that was part albino/domestic I dont know which but he was partially white and tan with a STARK black beard. He was absolutely huge and smart never got him. I have shot a bearded hen that was over 5 years old judging by the length of her beard, how wary she was, and how tough she was.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first bird (only gotten 4 since I really got serious about turkey hunting about 6 years ago) was a jake (4" beard). I don't really have a "standard". I would like to get a longbeard, but if a jake presents a good opportunity (later in the season or if I see them several days in a row) I will shoot him). I've had many fun, exciting hunts (many without shooting a bird). My "best" hunt/bird was last spring:

no gobbles (one very far away), set up in a slightly diferent spot but then there were some closer gobbles so I moved tosimilar location as day before, one gobble in the distance and then a bit closer (not really talking to me), then the gobble is right on me and suddenly there are 3 birds dead to my right (3 jakes); got my gun up (I am right handed, so I had to shoot lefty - 1st time for that), last 2 birds backtracked so I got on the lead bird, he gobbled and I shot, my grampa's old Ithaca 16 ga. dropped him in his tracks - double bearded (4" each) and ~15#

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

My first was my biggest - 22 1/4 lbs with 10 1/2" beard and 1 1/4" spurs. Have shot a couple a little over 20 since, but nothing near my first. I am, however, not that picky. I will take the first mature tom I see. If the season is getting short, I have no problem taking a jake.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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...

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.....

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.

RE: "First" bird.....and current "standards"
 

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.