Why turkey?
03-27-2013, 07:34 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Australia
Posts: 34
Why turkey?
Hi,
I've always wondered this as we have no birds in aus that we consider trophy animals so I'm keen to just see what the fuss is.
I think that they are definately cool looking birds but what is a "trophy bird"? is it their weight, length of tail feathers, beard etc.?
I'd love to smack one over one day and have it mounted just because they're so darn impressive but I wouldnt know what the difference between a good tom and an average one is if that makes sense?
SB
I've always wondered this as we have no birds in aus that we consider trophy animals so I'm keen to just see what the fuss is.
I think that they are definately cool looking birds but what is a "trophy bird"? is it their weight, length of tail feathers, beard etc.?
I'd love to smack one over one day and have it mounted just because they're so darn impressive but I wouldnt know what the difference between a good tom and an average one is if that makes sense?
SB
03-27-2013, 07:46 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Ny
Posts: 298
Any tom that you can coax to within shooting range is a trophy. Everyones idea of what a trophy is will probably differ. Good beard good spurs and a nice full fan do it for me. The only bird that i have a fan mount of was my first. 24# bird with 1 1/2 spurs and a double beard. One beard was 10 1/2, the other 9 3/4. Still a trophy to this day!
03-27-2013, 07:51 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 404
If a Turkey could smell you they would be as close to impossible to hunt as you could get.Their hearing and Eye Sight is unbelievable.
Hunting the Gobble,come looking for the Lady calling,Gobble,Strut,Gobble.Just out of range,bugs are biting but you can't move,sweat running in your eyes.He looks,Strut,looks.Every nerve in your Body is begging this Bird to move.Finally he Struts within 30 yards,you wait until he comes out of Strut.You Cluck with your Mouth Call,he comes out of Strut,your Bead is on his Neck,squezze the Trigger,you don't notice the kick of the Gun,the Bird is Flopping.Then all is still,nerves have been released,you have beat the King of Spring.
big rockpile
Hunting the Gobble,come looking for the Lady calling,Gobble,Strut,Gobble.Just out of range,bugs are biting but you can't move,sweat running in your eyes.He looks,Strut,looks.Every nerve in your Body is begging this Bird to move.Finally he Struts within 30 yards,you wait until he comes out of Strut.You Cluck with your Mouth Call,he comes out of Strut,your Bead is on his Neck,squezze the Trigger,you don't notice the kick of the Gun,the Bird is Flopping.Then all is still,nerves have been released,you have beat the King of Spring.
big rockpile
03-28-2013, 01:59 AM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 270
I agree that any mature Tom is a trophy in my book.
There is an official way that they use a combination of
Weight, spur length, and beard length combined to
Determine the trophy status.
However, for me it's much more about how difficult
The bird was to call in. Turkey hunting can be
Addictive and on the good days when the goggles
Are hot there isn't much that's more fun.
Hope you get to experience it some day.
There is an official way that they use a combination of
Weight, spur length, and beard length combined to
Determine the trophy status.
However, for me it's much more about how difficult
The bird was to call in. Turkey hunting can be
Addictive and on the good days when the goggles
Are hot there isn't much that's more fun.
Hope you get to experience it some day.
03-28-2013, 04:39 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 1,035
For me, the appeal has nothing to do with a tom being a "trophy" or not. I love to eat turkey... they are big, beautiful birds and there is a hunting season for them. Add to that the fact that they are one of the more difficult birds to hunt, and the prospect of bagging one becomes pretty appealing.
03-28-2013, 05:17 AM
#8
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 47
They are considered a "tough" bird. Need to be at pretty close range and get as many pellets in the head/neck as possible. I personally haven't shot many other birds so I don't have alot to compare them to. I once shot two ducks with one shell that were flying down a creek bed with a 20ga with #6's at about 50yds. I really don't think turkeys would have flinched if they were hit with that.
The other reason they are considered "tough" is that they often are still flopping and flapping for quite some time after being shot. I've had birds get up and fly after being shot (although this is rare).
The other reason they are considered "tough" is that they often are still flopping and flapping for quite some time after being shot. I've had birds get up and fly after being shot (although this is rare).
03-28-2013, 08:30 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 1,071
If a Turkey could smell you they would be as close to impossible to hunt as you could get.Their hearing and Eye Sight is unbelievable.
Hunting the Gobble,come looking for the Lady calling,Gobble,Strut,Gobble.Just out of range,bugs are biting but you can't move,sweat running in your eyes.He looks,Strut,looks.Every nerve in your Body is begging this Bird to move.Finally he Struts within 30 yards,you wait until he comes out of Strut.You Cluck with your Mouth Call,he comes out of Strut,your Bead is on his Neck,squezze the Trigger,you don't notice the kick of the Gun,the Bird is Flopping.Then all is still,nerves have been released,you have beat the King of Spring.
big rockpile
Hunting the Gobble,come looking for the Lady calling,Gobble,Strut,Gobble.Just out of range,bugs are biting but you can't move,sweat running in your eyes.He looks,Strut,looks.Every nerve in your Body is begging this Bird to move.Finally he Struts within 30 yards,you wait until he comes out of Strut.You Cluck with your Mouth Call,he comes out of Strut,your Bead is on his Neck,squezze the Trigger,you don't notice the kick of the Gun,the Bird is Flopping.Then all is still,nerves have been released,you have beat the King of Spring.
big rockpile
03-28-2013, 09:25 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 360
Like some others have said, the birds are completely unpredictable and hard to "play the odds" with. They have extremely good survival instincts further adding to the difficulty of killing one. Then there is the challenge of calling them in, and the satisfaction of knowing you fooled them. To top it all off, they are extremely tasty!
As for beard and spurs, I equate the beard as antler points and the spurs as antler mass on a deer. However, the beard is the only thing I look for before I shoot to determine whether it is a mature bird or not (longer than 6"). The spurs are an added bonus when the bird is recovered. Generally a 10" beard or better and 1" or better spurs indicate a 3yr old bird. It's not too common to find one older. I would say 75% of birds killed are 2yr olds. However, there have been 3yr olds with 9" beards and no spurs, so notice I said "generally" above.
The NWTF scores birds in the following way:
1st spur length X 10 =
2nd spur length X 10 =
Weight X 1 =
Total Beard(s) length X 2=
* Add all of them up for the score.
As for beard and spurs, I equate the beard as antler points and the spurs as antler mass on a deer. However, the beard is the only thing I look for before I shoot to determine whether it is a mature bird or not (longer than 6"). The spurs are an added bonus when the bird is recovered. Generally a 10" beard or better and 1" or better spurs indicate a 3yr old bird. It's not too common to find one older. I would say 75% of birds killed are 2yr olds. However, there have been 3yr olds with 9" beards and no spurs, so notice I said "generally" above.
The NWTF scores birds in the following way:
1st spur length X 10 =
2nd spur length X 10 =
Weight X 1 =
Total Beard(s) length X 2=
* Add all of them up for the score.