Anybody's elses first bird, there best bird

[Muzzy61]

I started turkey hunting a little later than most, but have been hard at it for a little over twenty years.
My first bird, which is the bird that hooked me on the great sport is still my best or should I say biggest bird.
I went with a buddy who called once at daybreak, and a gobbler flew down 15 yard out and front of me and just that fast it was over. The bird was 24 lbs, 11 inch beard and 1 5/8th"  spurs.
I've killed a lot of birds since, with a lot more entertaining hunts. But still 20 years later haven't killed one any bigger.
Anybody else's first bird is still there biggest bird?

[budtripp]

Not me, my first bird was a jake.  It was  big jake though, 5.5" beard and 16 lbs

[bamahunter]

I'm in the same boat! First bird took 3 yrs to kill and was a huge bird by AL standards, it weighed 21.5lbs, 10.5in beard, and 1.25 spurs... my biggest turkey in 21 yrs of turkey hunting by weight and spur size. For some reason, the mountainous/hilly areas I hunt don't produce long spurred turkeys and most weigh average of 17-18.5 lbs even for 3+yr old toms.

[Mike Honcho]

My 10 year old grandson Taite took his first tom last weekend, a Rio.  It only weighed 20 lbs but had a 10 1/4" beard and 1 1/2" and 1 5/8" hooks.

He'll shoot a heavier bird in future but I think it will be a while if ever,  that the takes one with bigger spurs.

This tom was OLD...we think he might be a bird we called Paintbrush who we hunted for 2-3 years on this property and then we didn't see him last year...he was much heavier back then and definitely the BOSS  GOBBLER ...I'm sure in old age toms lose weight.  He saw a couple of his two year old buddies get smoked and I think he wised up...he'd always hang back from calling and decoys etc.

[WildTigerTrout]

My first was a decent bird but not my best. He was 18 pounds, 8 inch beard and 7/8" spurs. My best all-around bird was 20.6 pounds, 9.75 inch beard and 1 .250 inch spurs. I killed one that weighed 23 pounds but his beard was short( we had a rough winter that year and froze part of it off). I killed another with 11 1/2" beard but he only weighed 16 pounds. For me it seems rare to find one with all three (weight, beard and spurs) above average. I have managed to bag a few good ones though. I killed one two years ago that weighed 21 pounds, 10 inch beard and 1.125 inch spurs. Believe it or not the most challenging bird I killed 3 years ago and he turned out to be a two year old. He weighed 19.75 pounds,a 9 inch beard and 3/4" spurs. I worked him for 2 hours and 10 minutes, changed calls twice and moved on him three times. When I walked up to him I expected to see the biggest, baddest gobbler in the woods. Not disappointed but surprised.

[greentag]

my first was my best,ive killed a lot since but none have weighed more or had a bigger beard or spurs.it had  1 and a half inch spurs and 11 inch beard and was just a few ounces shy of 24 pounds, I love collecting there spurs and still cant seem to break the 1.5 inch mark..not only was it my best but it also was what made me so addicted to this wonderful sport..i love walking up to them and looking at their spurs for the first time and getting my hands on em...

[zelmo1]

Not me, my first bird was a jake.  It was  big jake though, 5.5" beard and 16 lbs

My first bird also, only 5" beard and 16.5