This is a first for me and I have been hunting turkeys since 1975. I saw 3 beardless jakes at a distance of about 20 feet. I had gone to a bird gobbling and on the way bumped a bird off in the direction of the gobbling bird. The gobbling bird stopped immediately. I moved in the direction where the bird was gobbling and after about a half hour of so I called. Maybe 15 minutes later the jakes walked right by me and I could clearly see they had no beards.
Could be from a really late hatch. I see Jakes from time to time around here that doesn't have any visible beard. But have let to see a dead mature bird with no beard. I have seen poults range from the size of a quail to about 1/2-3/4's grown on the same day.
Quote from: guesswho on April 21, 2015, 12:59:00 PM
Could be from a really late hatch. I see Jakes from time to time around here that doesn't have any visible beard. But have let to see a dead mature bird with no beard. I have seen poults range from the size of a quail to about 1/2-3/4's grown on the same day.
I concur with the late hatch statement.