Beard Rot?
 

Shot a mature gobbler today...21.8 lbs 1 inch spurs and a 1 1/4 beard. Is this beard rot? Beard looked like it was singed directly off. Ill try to post a picture..... Pretty disappointing when you see them spurs and weight, then roll the gobbler over and see a stubby beard.

it may have froze off during the winter months.. i have seen gobblers in the winter with there entire beard encased in ice and it just breaks off eventually.. this may have caused what you have

Almost looks like u shot the beard off. it looks like a clean straight cut. Almost like a bow shot, but i hav seen shotgun BBs do it to.

I dont think I could have shot the beard off... It looks clean...like kinfe cut. If I shot it off you would think the remaining strands of beard would be somewhat different lengths.