I say yote or bobcat. The beard will pull right off and most poachers would have taken it with them. Did it appear the breast had but cut out or eaten out?

Well it was a coyote found the beard in peices and most of the tail feathers.Took the spurs. I'll take some photos to show you guys.

Went back up with my son and one of his buddies.

i say poacher cause not every1 collects spurs and beards........oo didnt see you found out what it was

Here's the spurs 1 1/4 inches.

The best I can tell on what's left of the beard from the roots to the end of the longest strand I found 11 inches.

Hope Wiley Coyote enjoyed his meal.[:@][:'(]

I have seen coyotes many times ignore adult turkeys. I have pictures and video of this. In all instances the turkeys never flew and the the coyote barley acknowledged the fact that the turkeys were even there and this was only 30 to 40 yards away. Not to say that a coyote won't kill an adult turkey. Lets face the facts, you all know how keen a turkeys eyesite is, not to mention turkeys can fly and coyotes can't. Coyotes are always hungry so this bird would have been about cleaned up (excepet for feathers and legs) and coyotes LOVE the guts. Its not often coyotes kill adult turkeys

mlo3135127, I'm really starting to wonder if I didn't interupt the feeding. I had my dog with me and he really starting acting weird as we approached hair on his back was standing up.


The meat that was left on the legs, neck and breast hadn't even gotten that look meat gets when exposed to the air. It had that look when I went back with my son and his buddy.

Something killed the bird we don't have Bobcats in my area.

Off topic, but that pic of that big tom and coyote is a sweet picture!!

Hello Charlie P ,, I think it was a poacher do to the fact the guts where still there. If it is a poacher I hope you catch him!!!

First, I'll say that I would probably have done what you did in taking those items with me, but you really better check the laws in your state concerning finding dead wildlife. I'd hate to see a guy get busted for something like this when a phone call would have cleared it right up. During or before turkey season wouldn't be a good time to be found with a beard or spurs in the pickup without a tag to go with them.

I'd guess it was a predator of some sort...coyote or cat probably. I've found a couple myself and at least once there was no breast meat left like you described.