Strange end to my NC spring season

[RS]

Filled my 2nd tag yesterday, but in a way I would have never thought.  Saw a gobbler in a winter wheat field Sat. evening.  Couldn't get him to come in and something about the way he was acting didn't appear quite right.  Yesterday morning I went back to the same field and basically ended up walking right up on him.  After I killed him I saw that he had growths/tumors all over his head and was apparently blind in his right eye.  Also, he looked to be emaciated and probably only weighed 12 pounds max

[zelmo1]

Have that checked out bro, I wouldn't eat it

[Marc]

I would not eat that bird either...  It would probably be safe if cooked correctly, but I would not take the risk.

I might consider bringing in the bird (or at least the head) to the local DFG and see if they are interested in examining it...

Looks like you did that bird a favor, and it likely did not have long to live...  And the life it had left was likely one of suffering... 

[RS]

Got a call back from the NC regional biologist about the gobbler I killed yesterday. He stated that it sounded like either avian pox or LPDV. An analysis of the carcass would have been needed to determine which of the two it was. Either way he said it is not expected to be dangerous to humans. Evidently there's currently nothing that can be done about it. However, it isn't know to be detrimental to the over population.

[daddyduke]

Congrats! I guess? Wonder if he could have been shot early from too far?