So this is the second morning hunting this bird. Yesterday he came off the roost and went to a field where he got with hens. This morning I got out of the truck at 6:15 and he gobbled in the same place as yesterday. He was on a big oak ridge that led to the field and rolled off real slow down to a creek. I made it up to the ridge expecting him to already be in the field. He gobbled and he was still on the ridge maybe 300 yards away. I set up and hit my glass call and he gobbled right away. I purred a little and yelped again, he gobbled a bout 200 yards away headed my way. He must have gobbled 75 times from that point until he got to about 50 yards. This was the point that he hung up just out of site behind a cedar lap. He strutted and gobbled for 15 mins!! I could tell he was starting to loose interest so I cut and yelped with my mouth call and he broke and started to the right. He was very cautious. He finally walked into a opening at 44 yards and i let a load of LB #6 fly!
Here's the odd part! He had no beard!? I plucked all the feathers out and he never had grown one?? Anyone ever heard of this??
Congrats! Don't most states require a visible beard in order to harvest the bird?
Congrats on the mature gobbler! Beard or no beard that's a fine one. I've never killed one with no sign of a beard, killed a couple with beard rot and very short beards though. Fortunately for us, Mississippi requires it must be an adult gobbler or gobbler with a 6" minimum beard.
Congrats!
Congrats!
Great bird!!!
Congrats :firefighter:
Congrats on a nice one
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congrats
I killed one sunday with no beard. But he had the nub of a beard with a callous over the nub.
Quote from: Timmer on April 19, 2018, 09:46:36 AM
Don't most states require a visible beard in order to harvest the bird?
Yes but I would assume that's a rule only 1% of natural resource police would enforce endless you shot a hen.
Nice hooks, Congrats
Nice job! Beards are over rated anyway. I'll take a great pair of hooks over a beard any day. I shot a great gobbling/ strutting bird one day only to find no beard. Glad there was no wardens ,as my state requires you see a beard. I was taken by this mature bird strutting and he had a full fan. That was 30 years ago. After that I learned to look more closely. As a matter of fact I always try to see Spurs and beard if possible. Not always easy to do when your shaking like a leaf in a gale.
Quote from: Gobble! on April 20, 2018, 05:27:36 AM
Quote from: Timmer on April 19, 2018, 09:46:36 AM
Don't most states require a visible beard in order to harvest the bird?
Yes but I would assume that's a rule only 1% of natural resource police would enforce endless you shot a hen.
First congratulations to the op. Now , I will assure you that here in ms , he would get a ticket. Our game wardens and highway patrolmen are not known to give breaks. Not all but the majority. I have had a few birds get away from me because I could not see a beard , only to catch a glimpse of it when they were leaving. Our regs say visible beard , and I follow the rules.
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on April 20, 2018, 07:09:07 AM
Quote from: Gobble! on April 20, 2018, 05:27:36 AM
Quote from: Timmer on April 19, 2018, 09:46:36 AM
Don't most states require a visible beard in order to harvest the bird?
Yes but I would assume that's a rule only 1% of natural resource police would enforce endless you shot a hen.
First congratulations to the op. Now , I will assure you that here in ms , he would get a ticket. Our game wardens and highway patrolmen are not known to give breaks. Not all but the majority. I have had a few birds get away from me because I could not see a beard , only to catch a glimpse of it when they were leaving. Our regs say visible beard , and I follow the rules.
No, actually our regs do not say visible beard.
http://www.eregulations.com/mississippi/guide/turkey-hunting-seasons-bag-limits/ ... "One (1) adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6-inch or longer beard per day, 3 per Spring season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice (any age) per day, 3 per spring season"
It's obviously an adult bird due to the spurs so there would be no call for a citation according to the wording of our regs.
To answer the OP's question, no, I've never saw one that was completely beardless. Congrats on a fine one!
I stand corrected. I just took it that you needed to identify a beard to tell that it was at least 6 inch's. I look for a beard because of that. My assumption was you need to see a beard in order to make sure it's at least 6". I know a full fan indicates a mature bird. I guess I just focus on beards too much lol.That bird the op killed has some fine hooks. Again congrats op.
Congratulations. This thread caused me to reread the NC regulations. It says male or bearded turkey only.
WILD TURKEY
WILD TURKEY SEASONS
Daily limit 1; Possession and season limit 2, only one of which may
be taken during the youth season
Youth Season (male or bearded turkey only): Apr. 7 – 13, 2018
Turkey hunting by youth during this season is allowed statewide,
but some game lands will require a permit (see Game Lands
section). Only youth can hunt during this season and only
one weapon is allowed per youth hunter. Each youth must have
a Big Game Harvest Report Card and report harvests according
to instructions in this Digest. License-exempt youth should
report their harvest using a Big Game Harvest Report Card
for License-Exempt Hunters.
Statewide Spring Season (male or bearded turkey only)
Apr. 14 – May 12, 2018
Note: For information on permit hunts for select Game Lands,
refer to the Game Lands section.
Restrictions It is unlawful to:
l Use dogs during the spring wild turkey season.
l Use any type of handgun or rifle to hunt wild turkey.
l Take wild turkeys from an area in which bait has been placed.
(An area is considered baited until 10 days after the bait has
been consumed or otherwise removed.)
l Possess live wild turkeys or live birds that are indistinguishable
from wild turkeys.
Straight out of the NC Wildlife regulations book. I was a little concerned so I went back and read them to make sure.
Quote from: turkaholic on April 20, 2018, 05:57:28 AM
I'll take a great pair of hooks over a beard any day.
Absolutely!!! :happy0064:
:icon_thumright:
Quote from: Gobble! on April 20, 2018, 05:27:36 AM
Quote from: Timmer on April 19, 2018, 09:46:36 AM
Don't most states require a visible beard in order to harvest the bird?
Yes but I would assume that's a rule only 1% of natural resource police would enforce endless you shot a hen.
I'm thinking Illinois says something about male turkeys or bearded hen in the spring. I'd have to look to be sure. Regardless, I'd have shot that bird too.
Illinois is a male turkey or hen with a visible beard, a beardless gobbler is legal...it's just for mistakes made on a bearded hen which is funny hens are obvious beard or not.
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I haven't killed one without any sign of a beard and would have done so just like you. Congrats.
Several states I have hunted state male turkey or turkey with visible beard
and congrats on a fine bird!
Congratulations
Pennsylvania says bearded turkey only.