So I'm in the turkey hunting contest again this year and I had the pleasure of harvesting the first bird I could hang from a tree limb (1.5" spurs). To me the spurs are like antlers on a deer, they're the first thing I look at when I approach a shot turkey. I get crazy excited about spurs regardless if it's my bird or one someone else killed. Obviously a nice beard and full fan are important to me, and the weight of the bird is something to talk about, but they are all secondary to the spurs for me. Any other spur lovers out there?
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Beard 1st for me.... then spurs
Weight is last
Definitely a spur guy myself. The first bird I killed this year had 1 5/8" spurs. I had never truly broken the 1 1/2" mark, so I was pretty ecstatic. I also enjoy the little surprise I get when I flip him over to check out the spurs. Unlike with deer, the "hardware" is all a surprise after you pull the trigger, and to me this is a definite positive about turkey hunting.
Want a quality hunt first and foremost, but after I pull the trigger and actually hit him, I look at his spurs 1st, best are 1 9/16", I believe they show age of the Tom.
Breast guy. They taste so good. Then beard then spurs.
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The hunt is my reward / trophy after that whatever else he's sporting is icing on the cake... weight, spurs and beard... I just like those special memory hunts...
I'm a spurs guy as well!
Yep i LOVE a big set of hook's! Spurs guy myself also!
Spurs here, too.
So, don't look at my contest entry.....
:TooFunny:
Spurs
Spurs are cool, but I am a beard guy.
Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club
Spurs over hooks for me. I'm used to our mountain beards wearing down their spurs and to get one with over 1" is truly a trophy to me.
GUILTY! :drool:
As others have pointed out, the trophy is in the hunt. Within reason, spurs are a great indicator of a bird's age and we all like to think that killing an older gobbler is somehow better than killing a younger one. With that being said, I am more of a beard man myself...and here is why...
In all but the rarest of cases where someone might have the good fortune of being able to actually SEE a gobbler's spurs before pulling the trigger, I suspect the great majority of gobblers are killed without the hunter having a clue as to what kind of spurs a bird has before walking up to it.
Regarding the analogy of the comparison to antlers or horns on a big game animal, it would be valid if a hunter could not see a buck or bull's antlers and basically had to walk up to the downed animal to see what kind of rack it had. That is essentially the circumstance that exists with turkeys and spurs.
Beards, on the other hand, can be evaluated right then and there on the bird without the "box of chocolates" surprise factor that accompanies the guesswork of assuming the size of a gobbler's spurs. Now, don't get me wrong, I like finding long, hooked, and sharp spurs when I approach a downed gobbler as much as the next guy...but I have made the assumption that the bird I just shot was an old granddaddy gobbler only to walk up and find he was a young'un too many times to make the claim that I can tell the difference when they are "on the hoof". ;D
I like spurs and beards. But I'm in the same boat as DJ, I'm used to mountain birds too. I kill a good many with chipped or broken spurs. But it's more about the hunt to me. I like big hooks but will take a 2 yr old any day of the week.
I like beards AND spurs, however, 1-1/2" spurs or better are from a trophy gobbler. I've had many limb hangers due to the fact that I started turkey hunting in Florida, and Osceolas are famous for long, hooked spurs. I've gotten 2 gobblers that had 1-1/2" twin spurs. One was a Florida Registry Osceola, and the other was a Michigan stud Eastern.
Count me in as a spur guy.
We don't usually get really long spurs in the Northeast, but I did have one awesome bird with double beard and spurs over 1.5" that was amazing. I wanted to get it remounted and sent the beard and spurs off and never heard back from the guy so on a quest to get a new set of long spurs. The picture and memory will have to do for now.
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I guess spurs. See a lot of 10 and 11" beards but seldom any 1 1/2" spurs. Since I assisted in calling in a 1 1/2" spurred monster this year I may be biased. Lol.
My favorite thing about turkeys is the breast first, any other aesthetics afterwards
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I'm in it for the overall experience of the hunt, but when you pick one up and see some hooks on him it makes it that much better. Kinda like killing a banded greenhead.
Check the avatar, 2" bird from several year back. I love spurs and beards, but I really just like watching them die, no matter who is pulling the trigger.
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I'm more interested in weight of a turkey than anything. A 23+ pound longbeard in these parts will have great spurs, beard, and more than a couple birthdays. I agree with Gobble Nut about the hunt being the trophy. I don't turn my nose up at suicidal 2 year olds, but a crafty old timer is usually earned.
Jim
My trophy is the meat first. Then hunt, then spurs. I have many over an inch but only one with a 1 1/2" spur. The other side was broken off. It did have 2 beards though.
Spurs are definitely a major component of a trophy Tom. I hunt rocky-ridge Eastern's that rarely have long, sharp spurs. With that said, I enjoy Long, thick paintbrush type beards. We do get some nice beards in my areas......
Some long sharp spurs for me!
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It's always fun to run up on a downed gobbler and see how long his spurs are
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Had an opportunity to walk up on nice spurs today. Both 1 5/16".
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Congrats MG, that was a great scoring Tom.
Beard guy here then spurs.
Quote from: Meleagris gallopavo on May 09, 2024, 08:09:01 PM(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240510/f25e04f6266521aac91dd078a03fb6c7.jpg)
Had an opportunity to walk up on nice spurs today. Both 1 5/16".
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Wow, that's an upgrade for sure! Nice job, congrats!
I personally like the Celtics :you_rock: