Killed a nice 20 lb + Gobbler at 1:30 Saturday the 13th. 10 1/2 beard, nice and thick. But the rascal had no spurs! Not a sign, not a bump, nothing. When I cleaned him, he only had one testicle. Any body else ever experience this?
Nope. Personally I have heard of small bumps on some big gobblers, but never about not even a trace of some. Definitely weird IMO.
I killed a mature gobbler this year that had no spurs. My Goulds I killed only had 1 spur. Sometimes it can be genetics other times they can get broke off. Congrats on a nice gobbler anyway. He needed killin.
TRKYHTR
My first merriam had no spurs, and we killed 2 of them that year without spurs. We've killed around 4 in that same area without spurs, so maybe it is genetic. No bumps, wounds or anything. Looked like hen legs.
Can't say I've ever gone so far as to look for turkey testicles though.
Can't say I've ever gone so far as to look for turkey testicles though.
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Shot one a few years ago. 10 in beard,full fan,weighed about 17 pounds and had little bumps for spurs.Ain't never seen a turkeys tools or even know where to look. ???
Quote from: chcltlabz on April 15, 2013, 08:36:14 AMCan't say I've ever gone so far as to look for turkey testicles though.
C'mon Brent! That's not the first thing you look at when you're standing over one??? :z-guntootsmiley:
I've never killed one without spurs, but I have one on trail cam now without them. He he has a thick beard, full fan, but no bumps or anything. This pics are clear and you can see he has nothing there.
I killed one last year without spurs. First I had ever seen or heard of as well until this thread. My bird came in without another tom. My friend killed the other bird. They both had 10" ropes. His bird had 1' spurs and mine had what looked more like a mosquito bite than spurs. Very odd for a Rio.
The first bird I killed had a 9.5" beard, a full fan and nothing but bumps for spurs. All the other ones I've shot since had at least something.
seems to be fairly common
I've killed a a handful over the years that had no sign of a spur but good beards.
I have killed one with no spurs and called one for a neighbor with no spurs. The legs were slick. Both longbeards and both on WMA in SC.
I've seen maybe 10+- over the years, slick legs, no trace of a spur or a spur scale...
mudhen
Killed one without spurs and a few that had bumps but were mature and one with 1 spur but missing the other. All from the same area
Id like to shoot one with no spurs that would be pretty cool to see. Never saw a gobbler with no spurs . Does anyone have a pic of one they could post up easily if not don't worry about it.
Quote from: guesswho on April 15, 2013, 12:54:30 PM
I've killed a a handful over the years that had no sign of a spur but good beards.
This. Ive seen 3 myself including the first one I ever killed. Saw 2 birds and heard of a 3rd killed on one ridge during different years that had no spurs. Id say deffinately genetics on those 3.
I've killed one with one smooth leg and a hook on the other. Other have had malformed or uncommonly short spurs. Most often, though, the spurs on older birds around here are broken or worn from all the rocks. I'm not big on measurements, etc., but its annoying to put in the time to get an old bird and find he won't hang off a limb.
Anyone know what causes the bird to have no spurs? I didn't realize is was as common as it is. I mean I know old birds in rocky areas will wear them down from walking or knock them off fighting, but I'm talking a bird that never grows any spurs. It a genetic thing???
Maybe Dr. Lovett Williams can bring some insight to this matter...I've never seen or heard of one without spurs.
This turkey had about an 11" beard but no spurs. Saw a few from that area that had either one spur or no spurs.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/Nospur1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/Nospur1.jpg.html)
Thats pretty odd thanks for the post
I killed one last Friday with a 10 inch beard and slick legs. The bird had a good gobble and full fan. It must be something in the genetics.
I have shot a few like that -I killed a gobbler that was 11 pounds 7.5 inch beard and no spurs what so ever , it had gobbler plumage and all ? I think I shot the " Rosie O'Donnell " hen actually now that I think of it .... :wave:
seen some that had one spur 1 5/8 and the other pointing down , , others with one spur , killed plenty with them snapped partially or completely busted out - seen some with two spurs on one leg etc....