Turkey down/Spur Question

[guesswho]

So I've sent pictures and information to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to see what they have to say about it. We shall see.

I'd be interested in their reply.

[cwb04]

First long-beard I ever shot here in MS had an 8 1/2" beard and not even bumps on his legs.  Called one up for a friend in TX this year - same thing.  Not even a bump.  His bird had a 10 1/2" beard.

Yours in definitely unique with the color of that beard.

I've seen a couple hermaphrodite ducks. I actually have one mounted.  Never heard of a hermaphrodite turkey, but who knows.   

[uk.turkey.hunter]

So this is the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife reply:

Based on your picture I would "guess" you have a bearded female turkey (unless it was gobbling).  I say this due to the complete lack of spurs (not even bumps) and due to the breast color of the feathers.  On females the breast feathers have buffy tips, males have black tips on the breast feathers.


That is just my guess.  Males can be missing spurs, although this is rare.  Females can have beards, also rare.  And to make it even more confusing you could have a bird with male and female genes/hormones that are equally expressed.

[HookedonHooks]

Very interesting stuff for sure.

Enlarged caruncles is correlated to a sign of testosterone in a turkey, the larger the "neck balls" are, the more testosterone they have.

Seems to be a hen that definitely had male genes and hormones.

[uk.turkey.hunter]

Very interesting stuff for sure.

Enlarged caruncles is correlated to a sign of testosterone in a turkey, the larger the "neck balls" are, the more testosterone they have.

Seems to be a hen that definitely had male genes and hormones.

I know! This is just so crazy. I wish I had it mounted now! This is just such a unique bird.

[Clydetaylor1]

I asked a wildlife biologist in NC. At a wildlife meeting. He said it was not that rare.

[guesswho]

I asked a wildlife biologist in NC. At a wildlife meeting. He said it was not that rare.

He may have been talking about bearded hens, which isn't that rare.   This bird may be a step above that. 

[appalachianstruttstopper]

That's a Caitlyn Jenner

Bruce Henner.

[LaLongbeard]

I shot a Gobbler in 2016 with a normal beard and fan not a hint  of a spur on either  leg no bump nothing. Haven't seen anymore so hopefully he didn't spread the defect.

[JLH]

I shot one last year like that....decent beard, not real thick....but no spurs whatsoever...not even a bump.

He spent 10 mins trying to have sexy time with my hen decoy before i shot him....dont think his gender was in question.

[Gooserbat]

I killed one Monday that only had one spur and the one it had was loose like it wasn't attached to the bone. 

[dejake]

Nice beard for a hen.

[Clydetaylor1]

I asked a wildlife biologist in NC. At a wildlife meeting. He said it was not that rare.

He may have been talking about bearded hens, which isn't that rare.   This bird may be a step above that.

I'm talking about a Tom with no spurs. This Tom was boss of the group. He was fighting and strutting.

[zelmo1]

Looks like a bearded hen bro

[guesswho]

I'm talking about a Tom with no spurs. This Tom was boss of the group. He was fighting and strutting.

Got it.   I'm sure he's knows more than I do, but based on my past experience I would consider a totally spurless gobbler a bit of an oddity.  I've only seen a handful in over 50 years including what myself, friends and family have killed.