Weighing a turkey

[Yooper]

If you field dress a turkey and then weigh it when you get home, how much did the turkey weigh in the field?  Is there a formula to determine this?

[BOFF]

It weighs as much as you want. 


Seriously though, I'm not sure if there is a formula, or approximation like deer or not.

God Bless,
David B.

[snapper1982]

why even guess. if you want to know the weight just carry a scale in your vest.

[Hognutz]

Did you get a bird, Larry? PM me with the details..

[budtripp]

I just carry a fish scale in the backseat of my truck. Never really felt the need to field dress a bird so not sure how much the guts weigh.

[Turkeyman]

Two to two and a half pounds depending on the size of the gobbler.

[Swamprunner]

Turkeys are about two things:
1) the experience

2) the spurs

Leave the scales to the biggest losers

[gotcha]

Worst thing you can do is weigh one unless you are just plain curious.Most 20# birds weigh between 17 and 18# once on the scale.Unless you got one of those midwest giants pushing the 30# mark,guess the weight,tell a good story and keep a great memory.I am to the point I dont even like to weigh fish,and I take people fishing for a living.Once weighed they stop growing.

[catdaddy]

Worst thing you can do is weigh one unless you are just plain curious.Most 20# birds weigh between 17 and 18# once on the scale.Unless you got one of those midwest giants pushing the 30# mark,guess the weight,tell a good story and keep a great memory.I am to the point I dont even like to weigh fish,and I take people fishing for a living.Once weighed they stop growing.

I could not agree more. I never weighted a turkey in my life until two years ago when I was on a team. I dont even measure the beard and spurs unless they are very obviously exceptional.

[mnturkey]

I weigh the bird for my hunting jouranl and the Turkey contest.  I also weigh the bird after it is plucked and dressed so I know how long to cook him.

[learn2hide]

it's not a bad management tool to have record of the weights, beards, and spurs...just don't know that it means much.  I've killed a few 25lb birds but my oldest, smartest, and best bird weighed under 20 and he still had a 12 inch beard and nearly 1 1/2" spurs, we hunted him 8 days, only gobbled once, I finally figured him out and intercepted him bringing his ladies back to the river bluff...it was a good day :-)  The experience was worth 30lbs and 14" beard LOL

[gobblergls]

Why would you want to weigh a bird?  It deprives them of the benefit of gaining weight after death. 

[BOFF]

You guys crack me up. Glad I'm wearing knee boots. It's getting deep here.

Wader are often required. 


God Bless,
David B.

[mudhen]

We weigh them whenever possible.

No reason not to.  We measure beards, spurs, etc.

I figger since I kilt him for no real good reason, the least I can do it take his stats.....

mudhen

[budtripp]

We weigh them whenever possible.

No reason not to.  We measure beards, spurs, etc.

I figger since I kilt him for no real good reason, the least I can do it take his stats.....

mudhen

Exactly, it doesn't really make a difference what he weighs, but Its good to know and it satisfies my curiosity