This is the third weekend of spring turkey here in Florida. I have been seeing some jakes, they are little bad boys, gobbling and strutting like grown men. Seen the two I saw today at least 3 times (one has a unique shaped beard, always with his buddy-they were with 2 other jakes earlier in the season). This is private land.
Anyhow, I got a really reall good look at them today (like 6 yards strutting good look) and I would swear that their beards were longer than 2 weeks ago. Was it just my imagination trying to tell me to shoot one? No way a beard could grow in 2 weeks is there? (like an inch!). I think maybe they were more ruffled up the last few times and it just appeared like their beards were slightly longer. I saw them at 15 yards opening weekend, so I got a good look both times. Am I getting jake fever?
might be like putting horns on a doe lol
A turkey can grow a bear 5" a year. 52 weeks in a year so that is roughly 10 weeks per inch. So they can grow 1/5" in 2 weeks. So to answer your question, no it shouldn't be an inch longer from just 2 weeks ago. That being said a gobblers beard should be longer at the end of a season.
Joe
Someone has the fever lol
Either the breast feathers were laid differently exposing more of the beard or he was holding his beard out rigid on his chest.
Let them go,They will be more fun next year as two year olds.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh I have. Passed on one again this morning. I was just curious about the beard growth rate, if it was that fast in spring. Figured it was positional and not a real length increase.