What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
02-01-2008, 10:49 PM
#21
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bourbon, MO
Posts: 851
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
[blockquote]quote:
ORIGINAL: Turkey Fife
I have set a Personal Goal of 25 Lbs, with a 12" Beard, Spurs Don't impress me. However, a Bird that big will have probably have 1 1/4" Spurs. I would Mount this bird!
TF
[/blockquote]
That's all fine,but how are you going to tell if that bird is 25 pounds or more? They all look big, especially when they are in strut. A 20 pounder probably looks as big as a 25 pounder when in strut. I for one am not waiting to guess how much he weighs. If he is a longbeard he is in trouble. I don't care if heweighs 16 or 30 pounds.
ORIGINAL: Turkey Fife
I have set a Personal Goal of 25 Lbs, with a 12" Beard, Spurs Don't impress me. However, a Bird that big will have probably have 1 1/4" Spurs. I would Mount this bird!
TF
[/blockquote]
That's all fine,but how are you going to tell if that bird is 25 pounds or more? They all look big, especially when they are in strut. A 20 pounder probably looks as big as a 25 pounder when in strut. I for one am not waiting to guess how much he weighs. If he is a longbeard he is in trouble. I don't care if heweighs 16 or 30 pounds.
My Cousin who is the same age as me, when we were in our Twenty's killed a 25/12 we had to carry that bird a Mile, that's a big bird, I know, I helped carry it back to the truck
Turkey Fife
02-02-2008, 09:14 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
See TF... I'm complete opposite of you..... in my eyes spurs are the only thing that tell a true trophy bird.
On a wide scale of comparison... with nothing but TANGIBLE results... in my opinion a turkey that has spurs of 1 1/2 inches or more is a trophy bird. Beards depend on ice.... weight depends on location and time of year. To a certain extent (espeically on Merriams) spurs do depend on rocks... but I've shot birds with 1.5" spurs and 8" beards that weighed 18 pounds... and 22# birds with 1 1/4" spurs and 11" beards. To me.. a mature tom that has the spurs to prove it make a "trophy".
On an intangable level... there are a few turkeys that come to mind to me that I never connected with, and one that I did. These were smart field birds that I pursued in one case for four springs. They were smart and they played the game well. They gobbled, they responded. It was as if they knew I was after them... but rather than going into hiding... they flaunted that they were still alive. I REALLY felt like I was HUNTING something. The one bird I did get like that (by digging a pit near a ditch in the middle of a field and laying in the sun for 4 hours)... that bird to me was a trophy. The first turkey I killed on my 18th birthday after hunting them alone for 10 years (and that bird was a trophy too.... 1 5/8" spurs, 23#s and 10.5" beard) was a TRUE trophy. Hunting doesn't get any sweeter than that.
On a wide scale of comparison... with nothing but TANGIBLE results... in my opinion a turkey that has spurs of 1 1/2 inches or more is a trophy bird. Beards depend on ice.... weight depends on location and time of year. To a certain extent (espeically on Merriams) spurs do depend on rocks... but I've shot birds with 1.5" spurs and 8" beards that weighed 18 pounds... and 22# birds with 1 1/4" spurs and 11" beards. To me.. a mature tom that has the spurs to prove it make a "trophy".
On an intangable level... there are a few turkeys that come to mind to me that I never connected with, and one that I did. These were smart field birds that I pursued in one case for four springs. They were smart and they played the game well. They gobbled, they responded. It was as if they knew I was after them... but rather than going into hiding... they flaunted that they were still alive. I REALLY felt like I was HUNTING something. The one bird I did get like that (by digging a pit near a ditch in the middle of a field and laying in the sun for 4 hours)... that bird to me was a trophy. The first turkey I killed on my 18th birthday after hunting them alone for 10 years (and that bird was a trophy too.... 1 5/8" spurs, 23#s and 10.5" beard) was a TRUE trophy. Hunting doesn't get any sweeter than that.
02-03-2008, 08:00 AM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: westernPa.
Posts: 2,211
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
ORIGINAL: Bobgobble2
Different strokes for different folks,I've harvested birds that scored better than 70 points on alot more than one occasion but the birds I remember the most are my personal trophy's and alot of em were just not that monsterous,as some have eluded too.Been along time since i called in my first tom and dropped him And I can recollect that moment to the day.Yes it was a jake and I've never had a moment that much happier in the woods even afterharvesting some fine longbeards sincethat awesome spring mornin...Apr,9th,1980....
Different strokes for different folks,I've harvested birds that scored better than 70 points on alot more than one occasion but the birds I remember the most are my personal trophy's and alot of em were just not that monsterous,as some have eluded too.Been along time since i called in my first tom and dropped him And I can recollect that moment to the day.Yes it was a jake and I've never had a moment that much happier in the woods even afterharvesting some fine longbeards sincethat awesome spring mornin...Apr,9th,1980....
02-03-2008, 11:10 AM
#24
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: South Central Missouri
Posts: 3,112
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
Being new to turkey hunting,, any LEGAL bird for you to shoot is going to be a trophy. In many states you can also shoot a hen that has a beard. I got my 1st bearded hen last yr in Ne. along with a good tom. As your turkey hunting progresses in years experience, so will your want to harvest better birds. As you will find out as these years progress, better/bigger birds will not always be an option. In these cases you will either harvest what you can legally, or go home with an empty tag. In no way should you not consider your harvest a trophy because it may be smaller than your previous harvest. Any time you can call your birds in close enough for a shot, you have done a good job.
02-04-2008, 02:18 PM
#25
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: west tenn
Posts: 415
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
11 in or longer beard ,,1 and a half in or longer spurs and 24 lbs or heavier bird,,but this is my standard ive killed over 50 toms ,,so you being new to the sport anything your able to get into gun range,but leave the jakes alone i dont even let the first time kids shoot them,,so get them ,<under 30 yds>untill you get the hang of it,and shootem in the face......good luck,,
02-07-2008, 09:19 AM
#26
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 19,137
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
Well for me the hunt constitutes a trophy as much as weight or beard or spur size. I didn't start turkey hunting until I was in my thirties, but the good thing is I got my son into it at the same time. He wasn't able to hunt yet but we have learned together. The first bird I called in to him meant more to me then anyone I have shot.
02-07-2008, 09:50 AM
#28
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: May 2005
Location: One mile east of West Podunk Tx
Posts: 5,973
RE: What Qualifies as a Trophy Tom?
Last year I called in a bird on my own for the first time. I killed him with my double barrel black powder 12 ga. That bird was a jake and I consider it my greatest trophy up to now. That may change over time but for now that is my GREATEST HUNT EVER!