RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

I know for a fact that the record holding bird in georgia is 32 pounds. The man who hols the record, Rick White Is my neighbor In southwest georgia. That specific bird he killed in Telfair county.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

I think the some of the largest domestic turkey, don't know which breed, can get up to 80lbs, if feed properly.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

i wouldn't doubt it one bit. here in north west missouri the john deere dealer has his bird mounted in the showroom a 29 1/2 pound monster. most of the birds we kill round here average 22-25. plenty of beans and corn and CRP fields to grow big turkey.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

avge mature tom here is around 16.5 to 17.5 lbs im jealous of all of you guys lol

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

That is truly surprising about the sizes that wild turkeys get. Would never have imagined it. Thanks for all the info. The guy my buddy knows that got the one in Georgia that weighed 32 lbs was just harvested so I don't think it has been recorded yet. But I do not know for sure.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

My grandpa shot one that was well over 30 lbs. but of course he took it out back and butchered it. It was the biggest turkey I have EVER seen. The head was about twice the size of most turkeys, it was absolutely unreal. A real bummer that he didnt take it in to get it weighed[>:]. Would have easily made the record books in the weight department.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

My question is the height and wing span of these 30 plus pound birds?

Turkeys require flight to get to roost and avoid predators. In addition there prefernece to run quickly to avoid predation does not suit a big fat bird very well.

I can see if the bird is proportinately bigger (taller and larger wing span etc.) but it doesn't make sense for a true wild bird to get an extra 10 pounds of weight on him? Just goes against his survival instincts I would think.

Given this I assume these birds must be huge in a lot more ways than just thier weight.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

I should add my biggest bird was 25.2lbs. He did stand taller and had a massive tail span and wing fan. In other words he wasn't necessarily "fatter", he was just all round bigger. I can't imagine a bird which was 25% bigger still!