My late (end of!) season turkey spurs.

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
So, after showing some things to some actual knowledgeable turkey hunters (I am still a very novice), I decided to do some comparisons. It has been mentioned on here about how tough turkey hunting can be late in the season, and it has been rebutted by it's possibly the best time of the season to hunt turkeys.

I want to be neutral. Although, my spurs tell a different story.

Keep in mind that 10 or so year ago, I'd never turkey hunted. Joined a lease that had turkeys, and after a season or 2 saw so many, figured I'd try it. Got so frustrated I drove up one morning and barged in on what can truly be called an NC turkey hunting professional, begged him to take me, and he did, and the results are in the archives.

So, in 2016, LAST DAY, I realize the night before, at the clubhouse, I forgot my bag of camo........No problem, I hunted a ground blind in my work clothes, and a gobbler fell INTO MY LAP around 6:20 am! Good Spurs!

2017....LAST DAY, I set up in my own ground blind, hunted so long (like 8:30 am) I take OFF most of my camo, when a hen appears in front of my ground blind, with 3 hens in tow, and finally the dominant Tom, which I take. Over an 11 inch beard! Good Spurs!

2018. Last week of turkey season. I strike out in the morning, eat sammiches, take a nap, then set up for an afternoon hunt and wouldn't you know it, a turkey walks in front of my gun more or less.

Only when I had him in hand, did I know this (2018) bird was a goodun, even though he only had a 10 inch beard. But not until I got home and compared his spurs to my previous lsat week Tom's did I say......aloud.....O....M....G...!!!!!

On the club scales, he's 4 pounds heavier than the 7 other birds taken at our lease.

His spurs literally dwarf those spurs of mine of birds I considered turkeys of a lifetime! I don't know if it's age, genetics, whatever. I'll go to sleep every night from now on knowing, probably never again........will a bird I get beat this.

And I'm ok with that. But how does one age a bird? Again, beard was only 10 inches.
 

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jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
That bird was eating from somebody's corn pile tainted with steroids?
 

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
Great googly moogly! I think spurs are the biggest indicator of age but it has a lot to do with genetics. I think the first two are at least 3 year olds. The last monster is at least a 4 year old. And I think I'm being very conservative. 4, 4, and 5 wouldn't be stretching it.

I've killed a lot of birds on one farm and rarely do the spurs go over 1". Lots are nice and sharp and I think they are 3 year olds. Rounded 3/4" -1" I think are 2 year old. No 100% way to know for sure but you have killed some mature birds.
 

Pimpscoe

Eight Pointer
Did you save his fan? Only ask b/c what I consider to be my best Tom, has a fan that is wider and longer than all others I have killed. He had the longest spurs to date, longest and thickest beard, weighed the most, and had more fat around his breast than any other bird I have taken. I would say based on weight, and spurs alone, your Tom this season was a 4+ bird. Probably 5+. Honestly anything beyond 2 yr old is a guess.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Beard length is least consistent way to guess age and its all really guessing game a Jake and 2 year old are fairly easy to judge beyond that its just guessing. You have killed a dandy of a older bird though. You can get lot variations in birds ones in Rocky mtn areas can keep spurs worn. Weights can fluctuate with food source like good cicada hatch can really fatten up birds as well as ag areas. Genetics to play role Missouri birds are consistently heavier and for some reason tend have longer beards than many other states.
 

grim reaper

Ten Pointer
All great birds, those spurs tend to shrink a little as they dry like a deer rack so don't be discouraged when u go check in a cpl months
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
NCSTATE8GUY,
have you learned nothing about turkey hunters? You age them as you kill them. Your guess is as accurate as anyone else's.
We have had folks post here that they could age them by their gobbles. LOL
So you killem you age them. Folks may snicker if you age a 1/2 blunt as a 4 year old but after that you're good. and may be accurate.

I love that display of your spurs. I believe though you may be selling yourself a tad short.
Consult the MWTF web page for spur length measuring method. you get to use a flexible tape along the curvature of the spur to gain valuable fractions on the spur length.

You have great sets of spurs for your first ones. Really nice color on that one set.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Doesn't surprise me at all that bird 5 year old had inch spurs turkey aging is guessing game were not pulling jawbones. Have fun and when you get some impressive numbers enjoy them.
 

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Do not believe spur length means it a old tom, but with that being said, long spurs are not usually found on toms with a fan not fully filled out, like a jake. Most birds I have killed that had spurs over an inch to inch and quarter are older birds, have good beards ( 9 to 11") weigh 18 plus and are harder to hunt and kill. Only got one that I killed with really long spurs ( 1 9/16 and 1 5/8) and weighed like 21 lb. and dominate bird in area for awhile. NCST8GUY you got a goodum in them spurs and must have some good hunting land, better hold on to it and cherish it dearly.
 

cuppednlocked

Ten Pointer
OP,

You should put a flexible tape on them to see what they really measure. They may be 1.5" tall, but length will be a little better than that. Pictures tell the story. I am always skeptical of some measurements when it comes to spur length.

In my book, a good set of spurs trumps the other statistics.
 

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
OP,

You should put a flexible tape on them to see what they really measure. They may be 1.5" tall, but length will be a little better than that. Pictures tell the story. I am always skeptical of some measurements when it comes to spur length.

In my book, a good set of spurs trumps the other statistics.


I did just that. But our tape at the clubhouse is a lil worn on the Imperial side. So I got 42 and 44 millimeters lol. That's gonna look funny in the trophy log book at our clubhouse in 2038.
 
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