Just realized today that anything with a beard longer than 6 inchs and spurs longer than 7/16th inch is considered a good bird, or at least you will get told it is a good bird. Much different from deer where it needs at least 8 points and some mass, or weight to be considered a good deer by veteran hunter standards. However if a kid shoots anything, its a good deer.
A good turkey for me would need a 10" plus beard, 7/8ths plus spurs and be over 23 lbs( easterns toms) but my first year of hunting and probably last year, if it gobbled it was a good bird. Actually last year the one with 1 inch spurs was my good bird. But then again, they were all good birds.
Anybody else feel this way, that they are all good birds?
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
Yup, I always figure if he is 2 years old, he has lived 2 long
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
:agreed:
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
I want to kill all turkeys 2 yrs old and above. If a jake struts and gobbles my trigger finger gets very itchy!!!!
Quote from: shootumindaface on March 09, 2011, 11:04:14 PM
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
Yup, I always figure if he is 2 years old, he has lived 2 long
x3
I had piece of property a few years back that I killed a lot of birds off of that had 1 1/4" + spurs on them but a big beard was 10". Average was 9 1/2". Most of the birds weighed between 18 and 19 1/2 pounds. Not huge beards or heavy weights but all great birds due to age. The worst bird I ever killed was a good one and most were great.
Good Manners
Religious
Nice Family
Life Goals
Good Looks
Funny
:agreed:
A good gobbler ( never a bird ) too me is a gobbler you call off the roost in the timber and work to call him up to the gun,one with a good hanging beard with spurs better than 1".Shooting a gobbler off of a chufa or clover patch isn't quite the same.
Quote from: gatrapper on March 09, 2011, 11:29:32 PM
Good Manners
Religious
Nice Family
Life Goals
Good Looks
Funny
:TooFunny: HA
I'll be honest, full fan he's toast. If a jake is really asking for it... I just like turkey hunting, the shot is just the bonus.
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
X 2 :)
mudhen
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
Aint dat da troof!
to qualify it must be of the male species and be within 40 yards of the barrel if my son is pulling the trigger, for me anything over a jake will do :z-guntootsmiley:
If it was a fun and memorable hunt, it is a good bird. I don't take jakes
the group of guys I hunt with have a turkey competition for fun and we base it off the scoring system. 60 is a good score but it usually tAkes a high 60's unless a multi bead bird gets taken. But it's all in fun its just fun to get out and hunt with the guys
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
Couldn't have said it any better.
Over 20 lbs., 1" spurs, 10" beard. Anything less is a Nice bird. Not setting standards for my self, just what came to mind.
Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.
Quote from: chatterbox on March 10, 2011, 06:09:46 AM
Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.
x2
In my experience, any bird is a good bird, espeacaily ones with full fans.
Quote from: chatterbox on March 10, 2011, 06:09:46 AM
Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.
That's the truth. :agreed:
Quote from: shootumindaface on March 09, 2011, 11:04:14 PM
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
Yup, I always figure if he is 2 years old, he has lived 2 long
+1 I'm a happy man with with a full fan! Mature bird let him have it!
Gobble, BOOM Good bird. :z-guntootsmiley:
any bird that has a full fan that the good Lord has allowed me to harvest... to me that's a good bird
Quote from: chatterbox on March 10, 2011, 06:09:46 AM
Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.
agreed
Quote from: chatterbox on March 10, 2011, 06:09:46 AM
Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.
:z-winnersmiley:
I base it solely on what I believe their age to be. Jake fan is an unacceptable bird, 2 year old is an acceptable bird, 3 year old is a good bird, any bird that I have good reason to believe is over 3 years old is an outstanding bird. I use this because age in an indication of how wary a bird is. He can't control his genetics to have thick or multiple beards. He can't control his environment to be heavy weight. But he can control his ability to survive preditors and hunters. Therefore the older the bird, the greater your accomplishment.
Quote from: OldMarine on March 09, 2011, 11:42:38 PM
A good gobbler ( never a bird ) too me is a gobbler you call off the roost in the timber and work to call him up to the gun,one with a good hanging beard with spurs better than 1".Shooting a gobbler off of a chufa or clover patch isn't quite the same.
X2.........I like the sound of a gobble in the woods.
Quote from: harvester on March 10, 2011, 07:26:47 AM
Quote from: chatterbox on March 10, 2011, 06:09:46 AM
Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.
x2
x1000
dont get me wrong- If i walkup and see spurs that are an inch + in length and a good paint brush beard then Ill be that much more excited BUT anything older than a Jake is a good bird to me and I promise I enjoyed the experience!
The reason I got out of deer hunting is because our hunting club got too concerned with picking out "the right buck" to shoot and it almost became more like shopping than hunting when you start getting so selective....It just put too much emphasis on the "trophy" aspect and not enough on the "enjoy the hunt" aspect IMO.
I won't shoot a jake but anything older is toast. I dont really consider a 2 year old a good bird trophy wise but often they are the most exciting to call in I like all age classes for different reasons.
This year a good bird to me is one that gobbles every 2 steps and struts in to 20 yds, dances around my hen decoy, sticks his neck up for 10 seconds and my son puts the boom on him. It will be his choice if he is a jake or not, we will decide before we go. Otherwise, any full fan bird for me
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
I don't know how you could say it any better than that!!!! I am happy with a two year old any day of the week!!! Older birds are just a bonus! :z-winnersmiley:
A Bad Gobbler to me would be that one that tormented and teased you all season and never had a shot.
A good Gobbler would be a hunt that you will always remember when you see him on the wall in the mancave.
if its has a beard. if it gobbles and strutts and makes my heart beat real fast! im going to roll him out!
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
I agree. I don't agree at all with body weight playing a factor in making it a good bird. A heavy bird in the Fl. panhandle will weigh 20 lbs.
were i hunt if it scores over 65 i consider it a good bird
over 80 and its a full mounter
Quote from: link=topic=3816.msg45808#msg45808 date=1299753802
Turkey hunting isn't about the beard or spurs. It's about turkey hunting. Any bird that gives you the rush is a good bird.
This.
Anything with a full fan is a good bird. I don't knock a fella for killing a jake either, they fry up nice.
Taking a kid Saturday and Sunday, I really don't care what he shoots as long as it aint a hen.
I had a whole flock of toms come up on me in Texas once and I couldn't see their beards due to the tall grass. I was only about 30yds from the property line and they were about 10yds on my side. I waited and waited looking for a beard and they finally got spooky and started walking away twds the private property. I finally saw a beard about 7" long on one and had a clear shot, so let him have it. The others took off across a field on the private land and all had ropes hanging down. I thought dang, I must have shot lil' brother, oh well, at least I got one. Then I walk over and see the little 7" beard, flip him over and he had 1-3/8" hooks :) I was pretty proud of ole lil' brother on the way back to the truck :D
Reloader
I will shoot any full fan gobbler with an obvious beard that I see. However, to stick with what I believe is the true intent of the question, what makes a bird that I think is above your average 2 year old?
To answer that, to me, a good bird weighs 19 lb's or more (I mostly hunt down south), has at least a 10" beard, and has 1-1/8" spurs or better (most of my birds have been Osceolas, and they grow longer spurs faster). To me that's a good bird. Not exceptional, but not average either. Good bird for the areas I normally hunt.
Full fan with a visible beard = a ride to town :icon_thumright:
One 20 yards in front of me with a broken pellet filled neck flopping on the ground = quality bird in my book
Turkeys are like sex, they are all good, just some are a little better than others.
Quote from: mudhen on March 10, 2011, 12:09:26 AM
Quote from: Flydown on March 09, 2011, 11:02:58 PM
A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.
X 2 :)
mudhen
X 3 :groupwave:
I hunt heavily hunted public land and sometimes a nice jake is worth all the effore. :z-guntootsmiley:
All are good...some are better
To me anything with a full fan is a shooter. A really good bird has 1-1/4" + hooks.
If he gobbles to my yelper, then he qualifies to die!
A good bird once one is on the ground is 1 1/4" spurs, 9.5" beard, and 20+ pounds.
I have killed 25 or 30 and I have never killed one larger than 1 3/8", 11", and 23 pounds. Just to give you some angle on what I have to judge from.
Daman
Quote from: SinGin on March 10, 2011, 03:09:23 PM
Turkeys are like sex, they are all good, just some are a little better than others.
And there ya have it!!! :icon_thumright:
Quote from: barry on March 10, 2011, 04:22:31 PM
All are good...some are better
Exactally :icon_thumright:
Any bird that excites you would be considered a good bird!! To me the weight doesn't matter! I killed a bird years back with a 12 in beard and 1 1/2 spurs and didn't weigh but 16 lbs. It was toward the end of season and he had worked his weight off!!
Doug
Quote from: barry on March 10, 2011, 04:22:31 PM
All are good...some are better
Amen to that! :icon_thumright: :cowboy:
Quote from: SinGin on March 10, 2011, 03:09:23 PM
Turkeys are like sex, they are all good, just some are a little better than others.
:z-winnersmiley:
Any 2 year old or older tom is a good bird in my book, once you get up to 1 1/4" or better spurs you are getting toward a great bird (at least here in NY).
A beard can break off, and weight is highly variable depending on region, how late in the season it is, and how much of a fighter the bird is. If you get a bird with some serious hooks though you know it's an older one, and that's what I really like.