A few years back, I was set up on the edge of a corn stubble creek bottom before daylight. A tom began gobbling about 200 yds. from my position. I called a few times to him and he would gobble back. When he hit the ground, I called to him as needed to keep him interested and after a short time he was out in the field in front of me about 35 yds. or so. He was within my gun's range and would have been history but this old boy had no sign of a beard at all. I have a 1x4 scope on my gun and I turned it to 4 power in hopes of seeing a beard but there was not one. I quit calling, he lost interest and walked away. Anyone else ever encounter anything like this? This is the only adult tom I've ever seen that had no beard at all. What could have happened to him? Possibly been in a fight or maybe a genetic defect?

i suppose it could easily break off in a fight or something like that...or maybe he was born without it...after all it is only a deformed feather...maybe his grew normal lol...im sure its possible though...terrible you finally get one to come in and he doesnt have a beard! that would be my luck..only i dont have a scope and i really cant pick beards out too good yet even after watching 1000s of hunts on tv and tapes..i mean i know one draggin on the ground when i see it and such but sometimes they just blend in and i dont have a scope and 35yds and i know for certain its a male im shooting...you did the right thing though...definently a good sportsman from my view...i think i will start looking just so i dont get in any trouble because my luck that will happen to me when one finally gives me a good shot! good job on your part!

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I have seen a "Beardless bird" myself back in 2001 as well. There must of been 60 birds in this flock I was watching that april morning, and had 8 tom's in the group. As I was scanning with my binoc's I spotted this large tom without any beard what so ever!!

"Spring Season....the Best"!!!

In 1999 i shot a bird that had a 2 inch beard and it was yellow on the end,it had 1 1/4 spurs and weighed 21 lbs.

MTT I've killed a few birds like you and old Turk describe!To my understanding what you all describe here in adult gobblers having short beards is caused by a melanin defiency !A defiency in this substance often causes brittle beards,better known as beard rot,and can turn the entire beard blond or a rust color!It also seems to have a tendency to be hereditary!There are areas across the U.S that have a problem with beard rot,but luckily it seems to have no effect on the overall growth of the bird except effecting the strength and health of a gobblers beard!Take care Bob

Monarch isn't a butterfly it's the King of the Spring!

Many moons ago, I got out late one spring morning and was walking up a logging road to an area where I had put a gobbler to bed the night before. I didn't know what the bird looked like, 'cause I hadn't hunted this area in years, so when I got to within 100 yds. of where I thought the bird was roosted, I gave a couple of soft yelps, and the gobbler sounded off about 25 yds. away in some thick birch saplings. Well, I really messed up, 'cause I didn't have any good cover to set up in, so I just laid flat in the road, and had that gobbler come within 6' of Me. He was one of the heaviest birds I've ever seen, but He didn't have a trace of a beard on his chest! Not even a little opening where a beard had been! He also had the longest spurs I've ever seen on a wild bird! Quite a disappointment!