Sling

I saw some turkey trivia in a hunting magazine recently and thought it woud be fun to share. I will post some questions here and then post the answers after a couple of days.

Your possible answer choices are:

A) Comb
B) Wattles
C) Dewlap
D) Snood
E) Bristles and Semi-Bristles
F) Dewbill
G) Caruncles

The questions are:
1) Which of the above is a slim apendage that dangles over a gobbler' s bill?

2) Which of the above is the loose skin found under the throat of a gobbler?

3) Which of the above are small-hair like feathers found on a gobbler' s head?

4) Which of the above are the wart-like head and neck ornaments on a gobbler?

5) Which of the above stretch when a gobbler is overheated or strutting?

6) Which of the above change from red to white in color when a gobbler is sexually excited or angry?

7) Which of the above are not found on a hen turkey?


The answers will follow soon.

proturkeycaller

1) F
2) C
3) E
4) B
5) D
6) A
7) D

I think there should be some le-way in this quiz. I was always taught that the dewbill is just another name for the snood. Also, even according to the dictionary, wattles and dewlap both mean " loose skin around the neck of an animal" .

Sling

Proturkeycaller - You were too quick for me. I needed to add one more answer choice.

Also, as you said, multiple answers are possible.

Sling

Here are the answers (according to Lovett E. Williams):

A) Comb
B) Wattles
C) Dewlap
D) Snood
E) Bristles and Semi-Bristles
F) Dewbill
G) Caruncles

The questions were:
1) Which of the above is a slim apendage that dangles over a gobbler' s bill?
Answer = D & F
Snood and dewbill are both names for the same organ. Hens also have snoods, but it is much smaller and does not change size with mood/temperature. The hen' s snood appearently has no function.
In rare cases, a gobbler might loose part of his snood in a fight. The snood will not regrow, but can continue to enlarge while strutting.

2) Which of the above is the loose skin found under the throat of a gobbler?
Answer = C
The dewlap is found under the throat of a gobbler. Hens also have a dewlap.

3) Which of the above are small hair-like feathers found on a gobbler' s head?
Answer = E
Both hens and gobblers have small hair-like feathers on their head called bristles. The purpose of the bristles may be for tactile function, but it is not really known.
Turkeys also have tiny feathers covering their ear openings - probably to keep out trash and insects.

4) Which of the above are the wart-like head and neck ornaments on a gobbler?
Answer = G
Caruncles are the fleshy bumps and ridges on the turkeys head and neck. The largest caruncles are on the bottom of the turkey' s bare throat. Domestic turkeys tend to have very large caruncles and more head skin than wild turkeys in general.

5) Which of the above stretch when a gobbler is overheated or strutting?
Answer = C, D, and F
The snood (or dewbill), becomes flaccid and stretches when a gobbler starts strutting. The dewlap also becomes lax and more conspicuous. The skin of the head, neck and dewlap help cool a turkey by exposing more surface area and blood to cooler air. Contrary to popular opinion, caruncles do not inflate during strutting, although some do seem bulbous.

6) Which of the above change from red to white in color when a gobbler is sexually excited or angry?
Answer = G
Caruncles change color with the gobbler' s mood. Colors change from red to white as blood is shunted to and away from the caruncles. Hens also have smaller, blue gray caruncles that do not change color.

7) Which of the above are not found on a hen turkey?
Answer = A & B
Hens do not have a comb (neither do gobblers). Turkeys do not really have wattles either. A wattle is fleshy ear-like flaps on both sides of the heads of domestic chickens, pheasants, and a few other birds. When most turkey hunters talk about caruncles, they use the term wattles instead (for whatever reason).

Now that' s more info about a turkey' s head than you probably needed to know.

proturkeycaller

Nooooo... CARUNCLES!

Son of a... LOL

Hey, what mag did that come from? I have been behind on my reading lately. I' m afraid I have a stack of Turkey Call, Turkey & Turkey Hunting, and Field & Stream I need to catch up on.

PABeardBuster

1) D
2) C
3) A
4) G
5) D
6) B
7) E & F

Good post! Makes you think!

PBB

PABeardBuster

Stupid me! [X(] I didn' t even notice you had the answers posted. Next time you should post them under a different post heading.

PBB

Sling

Proturkeycaller - That stuff is in the Spring 2003 T&TH mag in the " Test Your Turkey IQ" section.

Sorry PABeardBuster. Good idea about using a different thread for the answers next time.