Turkey down/Spur Question

[uk.turkey.hunter]

So this past Saturday I was able to harvest a gobbler. I was so excited. I shot him at about 30 yards. He was faced directly away from me but I shot the top of his back and tore up his head (actually did a front flip). When I got to the bird the first thing I saw was his beard. It was about 8 to 10 inches which isn't bad for an Eastern Turkey here in the state of Kentucky. Then I looked for his spurs and didn't see any. I looked at them closely and to my suprise didn't even have nubs or anything on either leg. So I then looked at his head to make sure that I shot a gobbler. He had a big ole head and at this point, I'm possivitve that shot a gobbler. But I've got a couple of questions which are, has anyone else seen this before? How in the world do you age a bird like this?

[guesswho]

Seen it several times.   If he has Amber colored tips on his beard he's more than likely a 2 year old.  If the tips are black, his age is nothing more than a guess.   Any pictures of him?

[POk3s]

I shot a two year old merriams last year with no spurs. Definitely a surprise!

[BigSlam51]

Never heard that before. I didn't know you could age a bird by his beard.

Seen it several times.   If he has Amber colored tips on his beard he's more than likely a 2 year old.  If the tips are black, his age is nothing more than a guess.   Any pictures of him?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[HookedonHooks]

I killed a big MO Tom last year with nubs that didn't go past his skin. You could kid tell where the spurs were supposed to be but they just never grew in it looked like. Also heard of guys that've killed complete no spurred gobblers similar to what you're describing.

Like double beards and such I'm sure they're just a genetic thing.

[uk.turkey.hunter]

I do have pics of him on my phone. I'm trying to upload them now. But that's crazy that you mentioned Amber as his beard for the first inch is black then turns brown or amber then black again and then amber with black mixed in it.

I'll try to post the pics as soon as they go through from my phone to email.

[Sir-diealot]

Never heard that before. I didn't know you could age a bird by his beard.

Seen it several times.   If he has Amber colored tips on his beard he's more than likely a 2 year old.  If the tips are black, his age is nothing more than a guess.   Any pictures of him?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Lovett E. Williams, Jr. talks about it in his book "The Book of the Wild Turkey" Lotta neat stuff in that book.

[uk.turkey.hunter]

Here it is without any spurs.

[Dr Juice]

Congrats. A trophy none the less.

[guesswho]

Never heard that before. I didn't know you could age a bird by his beard.

Seen it several times.   If he has Amber colored tips on his beard he's more than likely a 2 year old.  If the tips are black, his age is nothing more than a guess.   Any pictures of him?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

They have Amber tips until the beard gets long enough to drag the ground while feeding.  Once the ground wears away the Amber tips it becomes a guessing game.  There are exceptions like beard rot in older birds that will give off colored tips, but that's usually pretty obvious.

[guesswho]

Here it is without any spurs.

Do you have pictures of his head and beard?

[uk.turkey.hunter]

Just got it downloaded to the computer but here it is. I really like the colors in the beard like that. I personally haven't seen that in a Tom before.

Definitely a turkey that I'm super happy about. To me it's a very unique bird. I'm going to hang his beard an legs on a painted white board with a date above it as a way to remember it by. Will always have a story about this bird. lol

[SD_smith]

My buddy shot a Merriams in North Dakota this year and it had no spurs. 9 inch beard and weighted 28 lbs.

[guesswho]

Thanks for the pictures.  Looks like you shot a bearded hen, at least a he/she. 

[MK M GOBL]

I'd do a display with the beard and legs, fan, wings and all. A unique bird for sure, yes it happens and I have killed one, wish I would have kept them....

MK M GOBL