If you have never scored a bird before, make sure you know how before your season starts.
There are 3 things that you will need in order to score your bird: a scale, a tape measure and a digital camera.
There are 3 things that are measured for scoring a bird: Weight, beard length and both spur lengths.
Weight: Weigh him and take a photo of the results. Many scales will show the weight in pounds and ounces. You will need to convert the ounces to portion of a pound. Here's how. Take the number of ounces and multiply that number by .0625. Example: Your turkey weighs in at 17 lbs. 11.5 ounces --> 11.5 x .0625 = .71875 --> Weight for scoring this bird is 17.71875 lbs.
Beard length: Lay one end of the tape measure at the middle of the spot where the beard joins the skin, hold the tape measure tight to the beard, stretch it out and read the length of the longest strand. Take a photograph of the longest strand on the tape measure. Most tape measures read in increments of 1/16th of an inch. You will need to convert the fraction of an inch reading into a decimal form. Here's how: Take the number of hash marks and multiply by .0625. Example: Your beard measures 10-7/16" long --> 7/16 --> 7 x .0625 = .4375. Beard length for scoring is 10.4375". BTW, if you take a multiple bearded bird, photograph the beard to show it is clearly a multiple, then measure each cluster the same way you would a single beard, and add the lengths together for a total length.
Spur lengths: Lay the end of the tape measure at the base of the outside curve of the spur where it joins the leg and pull the tape measure along that outside curve. Take a photograph. Repeat for the other spur. Scoring is the same way as for the beard. Keep the two spur scores separate. Example: Both spurs measure 15/16" --> 15 x .0625 = Rt Spur - .9375" & Lt Spur - .9375".
Final Tally: Weight has no multiplier. Beard score is X2. Spur score is x10. Example: Weight - 17.71875, Beard score is 10.4375 x 2 = 20.875, Spur scores are .9375 x 10 = 9.375 (rt spur) + 9.375 (lt spur) = 18.75. Add these up: 17.71875 + 20.875 + 18.75 = 57.34375. This is the score for your gobbler. Write these scores on a piece of paper with your name, team name and date of kill. Take a photograph of the paper and the bird together. Post the photos in the Kill Folder.
Score every bird that you take and post it on the Kill Folder. We will use the highest scoring bird from 10 separate team members. This contest can be won by very narrow margins, so it's very important that you enter every bird, even a Jake, as this ultimately could be the difference between winning and whatever that other thing is called. There will also be a folder for the stories behind each bird. I, for one, never get tired of seeing dead birds, and hearing the stories about how they were outwitted, especially from my Roaring 20's brothers!
Have a safe and successful season hunting this magnificent opponent. We're getting close!
FullChoke
