I saw this article in Turkey & Turkey Hunting written by Lovett E. Williams Jr. He states that out of 1000 eggs layed, only 69 will make it to 1 yr., 34 to 2 yrs., 17 to 3 yrs., and only 9 will make it to the ripe old age of 4 yrs. old. I know the next time I take an old hooked spurred 3 or 4 yr. old bird, I will appreciate it even more knowing that old boy beat some incredible odds to make it to that age. There are just so many different predators out there that target the wild turkey for a meal, from the egg stage to full grown birds, that it is amazing that we have so many birds that we can hunt. A big thanks goes out to the NWTF and the conservation departments everywhere for doing such a great job in maintaining huntable numbers of birds everywhere.

I always look foward to Lovett's biological articles in every issue. That article was a good piece of information.

I knew turkeys had it rough... but when I read that article I couldn't believe it. Great article by Mr. Lovett.

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Read the article too and thought it was very informative. I've always liked his studies on wild turkeys.

I think in that same article he stated the oldest recorded was 10 years old for a wild turkey and 12 years old for a domesticated one.

Whew - A 10 year old wild turkey! That would be like a 100+ of our years! <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle> I'm wondering if the hens live longer than the toms - I guess the secret is to look for that turkey retirement community! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Till I shoot em