You make the Call !
 

If you shot a Gobbler with a very small beard (1/2)inch long. Would you still call it a 1/2 inch beard ? ;) Now I need to know this (opinions please)...BT

RE: You make the Call !
 

Ain't gonna ask why you'd need to know that;) , but why don't you measure it in MM and make it sound better?

RE: You make the Call !
 

Yes it is still a beard, but I would just refer to the bird as a jake, I mean tom, gobbler, longbeard, and other mature bird nicknames or references don't apply, it is simply a Jake and it had a beard, even if it is very short.

RE: You make the Call !
 

Sure, I'd called it a ½" beard. Like CM said, I'd refer to it as a jake.

RE: You make the Call !
 

Wouldn't be too quick to call it a jake. Jake's are immature---as indicated by their fan shapes, nothing to do with the size of their beard...

I guess as long as it could be measured, I would just measure it to the longest strand.

I would be a little worried though if there was a warden around and the regs stated "a bearded bird"...

1/2 inch is pretty hard to see at 30+ yards ;)

RE: You make the Call !
 

Since the law in Ohio is that you can only shood a bearded turkey you are dang sure I would say it had a beard not matter how long is was.

RE: You make the Call !
 

The Jake I killed last week had a full "circular" shaped fan of a tom but had a 3.5" beard and knobs for spurs. I agree that a 1/2 " beard is also very small and in reality it would be impossible to see, which here in michigan the bird would not be legal, but nontheless it is still a beard.

I also agree that sometimes beard length has nothing to do with maturity. I called in and harvested what I thought was a Nice tom, it really was although it had a 5" beard. Its spurs were just over an inch, and had a full fan, but it's beard was barely longer than that of a jake. The beard was unusual, the strands came out normal but right at the end they were a reddish hue and kinky and brittle as if it was burned.

RE: You make the Call !
 

AJ,
Depends on the body (weight), etc. , spurs and other physical features of the bird. I've killed 20 lb birds with beards worn off, for what ever reason.
Example: Is a bird with a 1/2 in. beard, weighs 19 lbs, 1 1/2 in. spurs a jake, I doubt it, wouldn't you agree?

dog1

RE: You make the Call !
 

Carp,

Then by definition you killed a Tom with short spurs & beard ;). The bird was probably an early hatch and was just going on 2 years old...but nonetheless, if his fan was full he was a tom...

I killed a tom a few years ago with a 11.5 inch beard and 9/16 spurs... Diversely, one of my brother's coworkers back in NY shot a jake with an 8 inch beard...

Because of the variability of beard growth and spur length, the fan is used to decipher between "jake" and "tom"...once a tom has a full fan, he does not regress into the jake fan shape.

Sounds like you may have a bit of brittle beard or ice-snap frozen beards. You're in MI...I would see that occassionally in NY.

Talk to BT, I'm sure he sees quite a few broken beards up there in Canuck land...

RE: You make the Call !
 

I would say it is a beard but I dont think I'd be able to see it before I got to it. Therefore I probably wouldn't shoot since here in Iowa the law states "visible beard"

RE: You make the Call !
 

OK BT,

So what gives...what is this info for anyway...enquiring minds want to know [&:]

RE: You make the Call !
 

OK,OK ,OK Guys ,, I just needed the question answered before I posted, but I see everyones enthisizing on this 1/2in beard here ;)

My self and jalvja hunted togeather today and we got setup up on a few Gobblers. It was very Cold and windy but seem to work the woodsmanship we had togeather. As the birds came aross a field towards us , we discuseded how we were going to do this action, well I new in the back of my mind , that Jim was shooting first, so we worked the birds in as close as we could.

I'm not one for the 1-2-3 count , so if jim wanted to do that I was going to agree, and then not shot at all, untill he did ;)

Well these birds made it into 10 yards, Jim kept saying wait , wait , wait untill he could get the birds all in the clear for a shot , and then he said OK! , and he shot :D, down went his bird.

The other two jumped and one flew away and the other landed just passed the setup and out away 30 yards. I jumped out away from the tree and swang and placed the scope on the bird as he was on a fast walk away from us and let go. Down! went the bird. I ran over and stood on the head, as I looked down I noticed a little odd front end on this bird. As we took a closer look , the bird had 3 beards, The First Multi Bearded Bird I have been involved with. We did great today..

Jalvja's bird,
17.9 Lb
9 in BD
3/4 Spurs

Adrian's Bird,
17.6 Lb
1st BD .5 in
2nd BD 4.5 in
3rd BD 9 1/2 in
3/4 Spurs

Pic's a little hard to see but here is the front end on mine, The smallest beard is near the index finger...



Party Pic !

RE: You make the Call !
 

Nice double!!

Maybe you're suffering from recoil shock though, because I can't see that third beard...;)but the other 2 are nice :D!!!

Again, congrats to both...

RE: You make the Call !
 

Man i wish i could get 1 bird let alone 2 , great work ....

RE: You make the Call !
 

Nice bird Gents, BT ya had me worried about your question there for a minute, I could see me taking a bird with a 1/2 inch beard but not you;)

RE: You make the Call !
 

Theres something wrong with the 2nd pic, I didn't see the hunters, just 4 turkeys:D [8D]

Just kidding guys, glad you had a fun and successful hunt;)

RE: You make the Call !
 

awsome birds congrats Jal & Adrian

RE: You make the Call !
 

BT and JAl Congrats!! Nice birds guys. I started your way BT but got to NY and realised I didn't have your adress:D

RE: You make the Call !
 

A couple of great birds guys,congrats!!

RE: You make the Call !
 

Nice birds. Congrats.

RE: You make the Call !
 

Adrian,
Yes I would and yes I did.

One bird I shot was a mature Tom - that basically had no beard! Just had a know where the beard should have been. He came in with a few hens and a jake or two and was the strutter! hIS FAN WAS symetrical - so when I had the chance I shot him. To my surprise he had a knob - a skin appendage where the beard shold have been. Oh and he also had bumps for spurs - nothing like a Jake - just bumps where the spurs should have been. But his fan showed no signs of being a Jake and he wieghed 21 lbs.

To me this was not a Jake based on his tail fan only. I had no other data to go by.

Oh one Jake was a strutter or at least he tried. His fan clearly showed it was a Jake.


JW

RE: You make the Call !
 

And
congrats on da birds - Ua der hey!

JW