Missing Spur

[mcw3734]

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!

[Happy]

Broken off. I have killed 3 or 4 that way.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[TravisB]

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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tom007]

Congrats, interesting...

[Greg Massey]

It's really not that usually for one to get broke off...

[Number17]

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.

[dzsmith]

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.

[mcw3734]

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?

[singlestrand]

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.

[Gobble!]

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.

[cwb04]

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. 

[Yoteduster]

Killed one this year with one inch a quarter spur the other leg was clean he never grew one