Largest Wild Turkey
 

Got a question. A buddy of mine was telling me about a turkey killed up in Georgia recently that weighed 32lbs with 12 1/2 inch beard. Does Easten Wild Turkeys or any wild turkeys get that big? If so what is the largest turkey have you ever seen or heard about? I think my buddy is over-estimating. Ha

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

I can imagine some of them birds that live around alot of farmland, where there is always plenty to eat could get that big. As for that particular bird I get on the GON site all the time and I have heard nothing about that.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkey...ey_records.php

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

ya they get that big
very rare, but they do

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

most easterns are going to be around 21#to 25# but larger birds are not by any means out of the question and many hit that 25 to 27# mark on private property. But a 32# bird with 12 1/2" beard would sure be a wall hanger if it is true

I myself would question if the scales used are right or isit just another hunting story. In any case it is a great question i will look into more

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

I think the record is 38 lbs from Oregon, so yep...its possible.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

Yes sir, Eastern World Record is a 35.8 lbs monster from IOWA. As mentioned in a post above, check the N.W.T.F records and you'll probably be shocked to see some of the impressive stats from all 4 subspecies of birds.

I live here in west-central IL and "average" Gobbler size is usually 22 to 25 lbs with 28+ lbers being taken in my area every season.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

how do they authenticate the measurements? are there official turkey scoring places? It's not like a whitetail where you can just keep the skull cap

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

Here are the details for Official entry into the N.W.T.F books. There are over currently over 12,000 entries.

http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/slam_directions.html

The most difficult step for many will be the weight receipt from an officially certified scale. You'll also need additional witnesses if measurements exceed certain standards.

RE: Largest Wild Turkey
 

The biggest bird I have ever seen I can only estimate. Considering that I shot the bird that was with him (the big one never got closer than 80 yards) and the bird I killed was 21 and change, I estimate that bird (conservitively) at 26 pounds. And yes, that would have been one of the heaviest turkeys ever killed in my state (VA).

The biggest bird I've ever killed was an eastern, in my native VA, which went 23#s 4ozs.

There have been some birds killed in VA this year that have been giants. I guess the mild winter and good mast crop has kept them fat. My godfather shot a 24# bird the second day of the season. Thats almost unheard of in VA.

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!