Last year I posted a picture of a massive tom I had shot, but with only a short, discolored-tipped beard. You all informed me it was a case of beard rot.
Well, another year... another freak show.
Was lucky enough to shoot a nice tom yesterday afternoon. Over 20 lbs., 10" beard, but had a funky spur situation. The one is exactly 1" long. The second, as you can see from the picture, is just some kind of scared nub. Is this an injury scar? A disease/fungus situation? Whatever it is, it looks and feels like it happened some time ago. Anyway, maybe somebody here knows. Thanks in advance!
Broken off. I have killed 3 or 4 that way.
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Ha, I killed one that took care of both of those conditions by himself. Stubby little discolored beard, and spurs (or spur) like that, except he didn't even have a nub. Looked like it just never grew on that leg.
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Congrats, interesting...
It's really not that usually for one to get broke off...
Imagine my surprise when I shot a longbeard a few years ago that had no spurs at all. And I mean nothing. Not even a missing scale on the back on his legs. He just never grew them.
it happens. Shot one in louisianna last year. 23lbs, 10.5" paintbrush. he had one 1/2" spur, and a little button appearing on the other leg where a spur was regrowing. Prior to that I didn't know they could even regrow spurs but it was obvious to me at that point that they can.
Quote from: Number17 on April 21, 2020, 10:34:17 PM
Imagine my surprise when I shot a longbeard a few years ago that had no spurs at all. And I mean nothing. Not even a missing scale on the back on his legs. He just never grew them.
I was talking with an Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife biologist today about my bird's spur situation. He informed me that where he used to hunt in SW Oregon (I think it was?), it was somewhat common for a tom to not have any spurs. Like bare hen's legs he said. Which sounds like what you saw. Weird, isn't it?
Yeah I killed a long beard one time and when I checked his spurs I spoke out loud "you got Jake spurs!" I was shocked. They were little nubs.
Killed one over the weekend that had a 1 7/16" spur and a 3/4" spur. 3/4" spur had taken some major damage unfortunately.
First long beard I ever killed had no spurs. Not even as much as a bump on either leg. Looked just like a hen's leg.
Killed one this year with one inch a quarter spur the other leg was clean he never grew one