bshaf
Well-known member
Here are some pictures of the turkeys my dad and I shot during the 2011 PA Spring season. We shot these birds two days apart. Bird stats are as measured and submitted to NWTF.
Dad called his bird in 4 different times the same morning, he would come in, walk away, come in, walk away, each time he walked away, dad moved a little closer. Finially closed the deal on the last go round. He had no idea the bird was a multiple bearded beast... I had toyed with this bird for 2 weeks the previous season but could never make it happen. Here are the his Birds stats, this bird in the pictures is the bird mounted on the limb. The main beard on my dads bird is incredible, it has a total of 5, you can make out each individual beard in the photo. the one nearest the main beard is the smallest, measuring around 5.5 inches. Truly an amazing bird.
Number of Beards: 5
Longest Beard: 11.1250"
Beard Total: 39.4375"
Longest Spur: 1.3125"
Other Spur: 1.2500"
Weight: 18.9375 lbs.
My bird and another long beard comletely surprised me. I had seen these birds in birds in a field earlier and set up in a nearby woodlot with a hen decoy and called very sparingly every once in awhile. I would have probably spooked these brids if I hadnt heard a spitndrum to my left, as I slowly turned I saw a longbeard staring right at me in half strut, and while thinking about how I was going to turn on him, I heard the spitndrum again to my left but I couldnt see the other bird which was doing spitting.... from hunting and watching spring birds, I knew the bird strutting and spitting was probably the larger and dominant bird... so I waited and waited... Seemed like forever but realistically it was probably 5 minutes before I saw the bird which was strutting and spitting... Each time the other bird spit, the bird I could see would get more excited, his waddle would get longer and his half strut flirted with a full strut but he never went to full strut. Finially the other bird appeared and I had these two birds within 25 and 30 yards. The bird in full strut turned around and the other bird stepped behind a tree, swung my gun onto the strutter, he never broke strutt. I generally don't like to shoot birds in strut but wasn't going to wait any longer. My bird is the one mounted on the base. John Czernikowski of Seven Mountains Taxidermy mounted both of these birds and did an excellent job, especially on my bird because it was missing a ton of feathers from being shot in strut. My bird is awesome but when next to the 5 bearded monster...... its like holding an 8 lbs bass in one hand and 12 in the other. Enjoy the Pics.
Number of Beards: 4
Longest Beard: 10.0000"
Beard Total: 31.7500"
Longest Spur: 1.1250"
Other Spur: 1.0625"
Weight: 20.0000 lbs.
Dad called his bird in 4 different times the same morning, he would come in, walk away, come in, walk away, each time he walked away, dad moved a little closer. Finially closed the deal on the last go round. He had no idea the bird was a multiple bearded beast... I had toyed with this bird for 2 weeks the previous season but could never make it happen. Here are the his Birds stats, this bird in the pictures is the bird mounted on the limb. The main beard on my dads bird is incredible, it has a total of 5, you can make out each individual beard in the photo. the one nearest the main beard is the smallest, measuring around 5.5 inches. Truly an amazing bird.
Number of Beards: 5
Longest Beard: 11.1250"
Beard Total: 39.4375"
Longest Spur: 1.3125"
Other Spur: 1.2500"
Weight: 18.9375 lbs.
My bird and another long beard comletely surprised me. I had seen these birds in birds in a field earlier and set up in a nearby woodlot with a hen decoy and called very sparingly every once in awhile. I would have probably spooked these brids if I hadnt heard a spitndrum to my left, as I slowly turned I saw a longbeard staring right at me in half strut, and while thinking about how I was going to turn on him, I heard the spitndrum again to my left but I couldnt see the other bird which was doing spitting.... from hunting and watching spring birds, I knew the bird strutting and spitting was probably the larger and dominant bird... so I waited and waited... Seemed like forever but realistically it was probably 5 minutes before I saw the bird which was strutting and spitting... Each time the other bird spit, the bird I could see would get more excited, his waddle would get longer and his half strut flirted with a full strut but he never went to full strut. Finially the other bird appeared and I had these two birds within 25 and 30 yards. The bird in full strut turned around and the other bird stepped behind a tree, swung my gun onto the strutter, he never broke strutt. I generally don't like to shoot birds in strut but wasn't going to wait any longer. My bird is the one mounted on the base. John Czernikowski of Seven Mountains Taxidermy mounted both of these birds and did an excellent job, especially on my bird because it was missing a ton of feathers from being shot in strut. My bird is awesome but when next to the 5 bearded monster...... its like holding an 8 lbs bass in one hand and 12 in the other. Enjoy the Pics.
Number of Beards: 4
Longest Beard: 10.0000"
Beard Total: 31.7500"
Longest Spur: 1.1250"
Other Spur: 1.0625"
Weight: 20.0000 lbs.
