1.5" spurs?

[turkeyfool]

Hi guys,

Have had a rough season but connected with a bird in the Northeast, state not be named . I really just started turkey hunting hard 5 years ago. So I've killed a few birds, but not as many as others on here so I'm not sure how this stacks up against the averages. But the bird I shot was probably 25 pounds, beard was okay at just shy of 9". The spurs are measuring right at 1 1/2" on the money. My question-do you find that it's a rarity to get to 1.5"? Or would you say 1 5/8" and beyond is really a big differentiator as far as what you'd consider big spurs?

[guesswho]

1 1/2" + is a rate bird.   Most 1 1/2 inchers I see or hear about don't quite hit that mark.   Congrats on a way above average gobbler.

[barry]

I've been doing this for 45 years and never put a tag a bird with 1 1/2'' spurs
1 7/16'' is my best

[Dtrkyman]

Maybe common in an Osceaola?  But 1.5 spurs are no joke.  I have killed my share(Easterns) but they are few and far between!

[tbowers]

Its a odd thing to even measure given it has nothing to do with the age of the bird. That said, there really isnt anything that gauges the age of the bird aside from tail fan/wing barring for Jakes!  THP method of overall bird length is kinda fun. I'm going to start measuring beak length or maybe foot circumference.

[turkeyfool]

Maybe I should've gotten him mounted haha i'm not a mount guy. I will be proudly displaying those spurs on the double-fan shelf MK M Gobl made for me (he's on the forum). When you measure, do you go from the base of the spur along the outside of the spur with a paper tape so you can wrap it with the curve of the spur? or flat-line on a tape? it breaks 1 1/2" either way

[guesswho]

Outside curve. 

And spur length does have something to do with age.   You can't pin point their age but you can eliminate jakes, two year olds and probably three year olds from the equation if you have a 1 1/2" spur.  I'd say the majority of 1 1/2" spurred turkeys are 4 years of age minimum.  I'm sure they're are a few exceptions

[Kylongspur88]

Around here 1.5 inch spurs on a eastern ky turkey are a rarity. That's an awesome bird you killed! Enjoy the meat and the memory.

[JeffC]

Congrats on a true "limb hanger". post up some pictures and a little story.

[Turkeybutt]

25 lb bird with a 9" beard is no joke! Add to that 1.5" spurs and you got yourself a really good bird.
Congrats!

[tbowers]

Outside curve. 

And spur length does have something to do with age.   You can't pin point their age but you can eliminate jakes, two year olds and probably three year olds from the equation if you have a 1 1/2" spur.  I'd say the majority of 1 1/2" spurred turkeys are 4 years of age minimum.  I'm sure they're are a few exceptions

This is incorrect per turkey biologist like CHamberlin that have seen way more turkeys then me. No/Short spurs doesnt even mean its for sure a jake, the Drurys just shot one with full fan/full beard and it had little jake bumps for spurs.  Spur length has zero correlation to age even though folks really want it to!

[bigriverbum]

Outside curve. 

And spur length does have something to do with age.   You can't pin point their age but you can eliminate jakes, two year olds and probably three year olds from the equation if you have a 1 1/2" spur.  I'd say the majority of 1 1/2" spurred turkeys are 4 years of age minimum.  I'm sure they're are a few exceptions

This is incorrect per turkey biologist like CHamberlin that have seen way more turkeys then me. No/Short spurs doesnt even mean its for sure a jake, the Drurys just shot one with full fan/full beard and it had little jake bumps for spurs.  Spur length has zero correlation to age even though folks really want it to!

dude, you're trying too hard

nobody in this thread mentioned anything about age until you did.

big spurs are cool mementos to remember hunts by

now tell us how pressured "your" birds are

[btodd00]

1 1/2" is supposedly a lot more common on osceolas but none of them I have killed have had that. The only 1 1/2" I have gotten was on a north Florida eastern, actually one of shortest beards ive gotten on a mature bird

[ChesterCopperpot]

I've got a buddy killed more than most, probably in the 250 neighborhood, and he's got maybe a dozen or so have broken 1.5". He doesn't have any greater than 1-5/8". Most the biggest spurred birds he killed was sandy soil ag country. Some places they just beat them up and round them off while other places tend to produce some bigger spurs, but all that to say, 1.5" and up is some gaffs!


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[tazmaniac]

You may kill 4yo+ birds with nubs or short spurs, but you sure as heck aren't going to kill a jake, a 2yo, or a 3yo with 1.5in spurs.

1.25 to 1.5in spurs were common back in the mid 90s on my farms (very few turkey hunters back then).  Now 1.5in spurs are quite rare.  I've only killed 2 with over 1.5in spurs in the past 6 years.  But most folks claiming to have 1.5in spurs are really stretching the tape.

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