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12'' beards

Started by treein dixie, December 26, 2020, 09:12:08 PM

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CntrlPAlongbeard

You are going to find him endlessly fascinating, occasionally easy, regularly difficult, and frequently impossible, but never dull. -Col. Tom Kelly

Number17

The longest single Eastern beard on record is 22.5" killed in Texas.
My personal best is 11.25". It just looks silly long every time I dig it out of the pile of 9-10" beards.
#Gun
#Shells
#couple calls

TonyTurk

My son, at the age of 15 in 2018, killed a Tom with a legit 12 inch beard. 

It's the only 12" bearded bird I have ever seen.  I'm 54 and have killed a few birds.  My longest beard ever was 10.5". 

I may never see another 12" beard.  They are that rare.

Here turkey turkey turkey

I got a pic of a 12" beard from a turkey I killed years ago. Can someone post a pic if I send it to their email?
To disarm the people...Is the most effectual way to enslave them."
- George Mason, referencing advice given to the British Parliament by Pennsylvania governor Sir William Keith, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adooption of the Federal Constitution, June 14, 1788

Here turkey turkey turkey

#64
Here is the pic. That is a 12" PINK ruler, ha.
To disarm the people...Is the most effectual way to enslave them."
- George Mason, referencing advice given to the British Parliament by Pennsylvania governor Sir William Keith, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adooption of the Federal Constitution, June 14, 1788

catman529

My first longbeard was a 2 year old bird with a 12.5" beard. Dude from Arkansas hunting across the field from me shot an older bird with better spurs. We got pics of our birds, that was a fun morning. He walked in after I was already set up, but it worked out for both of us.


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chipper

In 29 years I've never killed a 12" beard, 11.5" is the best I've done, good many 9.5 to 11 inch beards though, I've got a pile of 1 1/8 to 1 1/4" Spurs, only 2 that are really long 1 is 1 7/16" and 1 that is 1 1/2" that was killed last year with a friend when we doubled, his bird was a double beard with 1 1/4" Spurs  and a 10" and 6" beard ,mine was a 10.5" beard and both birds weighed over 23lb, I've killed 1 bird in all my years that was 25lbs in Van Leer, Tn several years ago and 4 or 5 that were 24 or better, several in the 23 lb range but the biggest majority were 17- 20 lb, if I ever kill one that weighs 25lb, 1 1/2" Spurs and a 12" beard, I will quit hunting them and call for other people, I have sworn this to my children and my dear wife . I've only ever killed one double beard and he was 8.5 and 3 " also.

tazmaniac

I've killed one bird with a beard over 12in in 32 years.  Seen another I think would have broken 12in, but couldn't kill him.

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g8rvet

12" beards are like over an 8 point buck and a legal 8 pound redfish.  Others get them, I don't.  I have several over 11.5 and I have caught a bunch of 7.75 pound reds, I just can't seem to get over that hump
Psalms 118v24: This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Haypatch

Same here ... lots of 10 to 11 but still trying to break the 12" mark!

stinkpickle

As far as I can remember, I've only had two that hit the 12" mark.  And both were taken in the last three years.

jordanz7935

Up here in upstate NY, anything over 10" is rare. My best is like 10.5" beard and won the local contest that year.  I truly beleive the winters and deep snow are the reason that 10" beards and 1 1/4" spurs are true trophy birds up here. True 1 1/2" do exist here but are super rare from what ive seen. Southern birds seem to always have longer sharper spurs from what ive seen. It seems like 2 yr old gobblers usually have better beards up here.  Longbeard full fan i dont discriminate, 2yr old birds have made my day more than once.

notsure

In SE MN, 25 pound birds are not rare. Common? No, but I've shot two 25 pound-plus turkeys since I started hunting MN in 2004.  Heck, one of them was probably a 2 year old, given his stubby little 5/8" spurs. But I've never killed nor seen a true 12" beard.

THattaway

I also see variations with fan width (24" to 27") and wing length on older long spurred birds. Some turkeys are just built larger, some smaller. That and feeding habits imo dictate growth and wear on spurs and beards alike. I ain't a biologist but I've killed a few and seen a few more killed.
"Turkeys ain't nothing but big quail son."-Dad

"The truth is that no one really gives a dam how many turkeys you kill."-T

"No self respecting turkey hunter would pay $5 for a call that makes a good sound when he can buy a custom call for $80 and get the same sound."-NWiles

Foss5469

I've been around a lot of downed birds and have yet to see one a legit 12". I'd love to get that chance some day.