So with the NWTF scoring if you have a 70 pt typical turkey who would that compare to a whitetail deer.
i dont even know where to begin would a 170 whitetail be a close comparison as far as rarity of the animal i guess.

That's a pretty big bird and yes is like shooting a booner IMO. I would have to add a caveat saying that the length of the spurs is the real trophy, which is also the variable in the equation that quickly ramps the score. A fat one and a bird with multiple beards is not as uncommon as a bird with lengthy spurs (i.e. 1.25" +).

I love turkey hunting. It has probably become my # 1 favorite type of hunting, but, no turkey can compare to a 170 inch buck, at least not in my opinion. I know many hunters consider a trophy turkey one with long spurs, over an inch. I could care less. I'm just as happy killing a 2yr.old with 3/4 spurs as I am a 3 or 4 yr old with over 1 inch spurs. If you ask me which would you rather take, a 25 pound turkey with 1 1/2 inch spurs and a 12 inch beard, or a 170 class buck, I'll take the buck without hesitation. If you ask me which do you enjoy hunting more, deer or turkeys, I'll say turkeys, but with a little hesitation. Just my opinion.

I know LOTS of people who have shot 70 pt. gobblers, including some who have shot several..

I don't personally know ANYBODY who has ever shot shot a 170 whitetail...Biggest one I've ever seen taken netted 168, and I've been hunting them since the mid 1960s....

The Booner whitetail is a much more rare trophy, at least where I have hunted...

The reason I ask is last season I took a bird went over 72 and this season I took a bird that went over 70 seems extremely rare to me almost every one I have hunted with ahs taken a bird in the 60s but only one other person has shot a 70. I agree i would choose a booner whitetail over a turkey anyday just wanted to know how to compare the two. Thanks guys.

Well take a look at the Contest Results data.....

7 birds have been recorded at 70 or above from 120 taken so far by 195 people hunting.

That is a 6%!

Any bird over 60 is a good bird and 70 well.......

JW

I also believe most folks don't take accurate measurements and that fudges scores to 70+. I've found that many birds I've been told that were 70+ actually fell short when it came time to officially score the bird. Just look at all the folks on the forums that claim they have taken birds with 1 1/2" spurs..... yea right.... BS !!!

Comparing them to deer, score wise, I'd say a 70 pt turk would be comparable to a 150-160 class buck in these parts.

bs,....oh really? here are spurs as compared to a 3" 12ga shell

this bird totalled over 78 points

Not to mention, the Kansas record typical stands at 88 4/8 points, their scoring is a bit different than the NWTF,..he doeesnt even make the Kansas top 20 list.

the Kansas nontypical record is 158 6/8,...both birds came from Frankiln County

80 is really the magic number for a single bearded turkey in my opinion. 80 for a turkey to me is the equivalent of 170 in a typical whitetail.


My father killed a bird on the opening day of the VA season this year that will place in the top 10 in our state (assuming I can force him into submiting the bird). It scored 81.675 NWTF.

I have killed 33 birds in my life.... and only one even came within knocking distance of 80 (if that even). It scored 76.375. I shot one other bird that had 1 1/2" hooks, but didn't have the beard or mass to make it into the 70s amazingly.

81.675 would be the #1 typical for VA, NWTF....he really should enter the bird.