earnabuck

The weather varied greatly in Wisconsin this year even within a few miles from one place to another. I suppose ice could be the issue with this turkey if its range was mostly woodlands where it had to do a large amount of scratching for acorns. I live in Grant county and all winter I would check cows on our farm and there were 20 turkeys or so under a couple of oaks. They were there everyday because they could get to the ground. If that old tom had work that hard for food it would explain the thin beard and spurs. Also when they stocked turkeys in the late 70s the
dnr introduced a few merriams in to see which would handle the climate better. That was in that area so you may have a turkey with some of those genetics in it.