Gobbler Oddities

[decoykrvr]

I've killed a variety of gobblers w/ physical oddities over the years, ie. a solid black totally melanistic 2 yr. old gobbler, a boss gobbler w/ 15/8" spurs and no beard, a gobbler w/ an 11" beard and no spurs (not even spur buds), a gobbling jake w/ a 101/2" beard (jake fan and spurs), a gobbler w/ two spurs on one leg 11/4" and 1/2", a one-eyed gobbler- the bad eye was healed over,a gobbler w/ a 16" beard and birds w/ multiple beards etc.  What odd birds have others harvested?

[OLE RASPY]

I have been hunting turkeys for 15 years and never killed a odd one i dont guess.They all been pretty normal.

[Hognutz]

I shot a bird that had a 9''+ beard, and absolutely no spurs. There wasn't even a mark where the spurs were supposed to be. Must have been a lover, not a fighter. 

[deerhunt1988]

 I have taken one with no spurs and one with no spur on one leg and a nub on the other.

[turkey_slayer]

One that had no spurs, a pencil 6 inch beard but weighed 20 lbs 3 oz    Another that had gangrene so bad you couldnt even stand to be around him he stunk so bad.  Both legs and breast were as green as grass and he had puncture marks all over him from getting his butt whooped.  He still came in like he was the king and never acted hurt.

[njdevilsb]

I don't think it's too odd, but I killed one that had a 2 inch beard from beard rot or from the ice from the hard winters we have.  It looked like it had been cut off clean with scissors.

[rem 300]

Killed a bird with double spurs on both legs they both were 1 1/8" on one leg and on the other one was      1 3/16" and the other was about 5/8" he had a 10 3/4" beard and weighed 23 lbs

[renegade19]

I shot a bird that had a 9''+ beard, and absolutely no spurs. There wasn't even a mark where the spurs were supposed to be. Must have been a lover, not a fighter. 

Pretty much the same story.  Put my buddy on his first bird, nice beard, big adult gobbler,  absolutely no spurs.  I heard of another bird from that same ridge who had the same problem.  Wonder if it's genetics?

[TANK]

Mine have all been pretty normal. Killed one or two that only had one spur. My Granda killed one in the late 60's that had a broken wing. It was a old enjury that had healed up. The turkey was a 4 year old. Sounds like B.S. but the way he roosted he would walk up leaning trees because he couldn't fly. When Grandpa cleaned him he had a load of 4's healed up on his left side.............

[redarrow]

I shot a bird that had a 9''+ beard, and absolutely no spurs. There wasn't even a mark where the spurs were supposed to be. Must have been a lover, not a fighter. 

Pretty much the same story.  Put my buddy on his first bird, nice beard, big adult gobbler,  absolutely no spurs.  I heard of another bird from that same ridge who had the same problem.  Wonder if it's genetics?

Me too. 10 1/2 in. beard . Little bitty nubs for spurs and weighed about 13-14 lbs. Scrawny .

[alloutdoors]

Called this one in for my cousin's son.

[VAHUNTER]

Called this one in for my cousin's son.

that is very unusual. kinda funny too 
wander if they had froze off??

[turkey_slayer]

Called this one in for my cousin's son.

I bet he couldnt do the scratch......scratch scratch routine

[woodchip]

I've killed two different gobblers, one with a 9" bird and the other with a 10" beard and neither had any spurs.  Not even the black nubs, and both had full tail fans.  The only other odd one had 7/8" spurs that were odd colored.  Close to the actual leg they were black, the middle part was a caramel color and the rest out to the tip was black again.  Kinda like they were striped.

[whitelightning]

I killed one a couple of years ago that had avian pox.  It had knobs all over its head that were black and crusty and the scales on his legs were white and peeling off.  Old boy stunk so bad I could barely stand to clean it.  Once I got the meat away from the bird though it smelled fine and tasted fine.