Qualifications for a good bird.

[njdevilsb]

A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.

Couldn't have said it any better.  

[Muskie03]

Over 20 lbs., 1" spurs, 10" beard. Anything less is a Nice bird. Not setting standards for my self, just what came to mind.

[chatterbox]

Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.

[harvester]

Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.

x2

[unclerick]

In my experience, any bird is a good bird, espeacaily ones with full fans.

[jshively]

Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.

That's the truth.

[neal]

A good bird to me is a dead bird with a full fan. I have killed a lot of good birds and I have killed better birds but I have never killed a bad bird.

Yup, I always figure if he is 2 years old, he has lived 2 long

+1 I'm a happy man with with a full fan! Mature bird let him have it!

[TnHunter]

Gobble,  BOOM  Good bird.

[dodger]

any bird that has a full fan that the good Lord has allowed me to harvest... to me that's a good bird

[turkey slayer]

Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.

agreed

[PANYHunter]

Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.

[Skeeterbait]

I base it solely on what I believe their age to be.  Jake fan is an unacceptable bird, 2 year old is an acceptable bird, 3 year old is a good bird, any bird that I have good reason to believe is over 3 years old is an outstanding bird.  I use this because age in an indication of how wary a bird is.  He can't control his genetics to have thick or multiple beards.  He can't control his environment to be heavy weight.  But he can control his ability to survive preditors and hunters.  Therefore the older the bird, the greater your accomplishment.  

[hoyt]

A good gobbler ( never a bird ) too me is a gobbler you call off the roost in the timber and work  to call him up to the gun,one with a good hanging beard with spurs better than 1".Shooting a gobbler off of a chufa or clover patch isn't quite the same.

X2.........I like the sound of a gobble in the woods.

[redleg06]

Full fan is my only standard. I'll see the beard and spurs when I pick him up.

x2

x1000

dont get me wrong- If i walkup and see spurs that are an inch + in length and a good paint brush beard then Ill be that much more excited BUT anything older than a Jake is a good bird to me and I promise I enjoyed the experience!

The reason I got out of deer hunting is because our hunting club got too concerned with picking out "the right buck" to shoot and it almost became more like shopping than hunting when you start getting so selective....It just put too much emphasis on the "trophy" aspect and not enough on the "enjoy the hunt" aspect IMO.

[swampy]

I won't shoot a jake but anything older is toast. I dont really consider a 2 year old a good bird trophy wise but often they are the most exciting to call in I like all age classes for different reasons.