Turkey Hunting Question

[Buck98]

I’ve only killed a couple turkeys in my life, so I don’t know much about the ethics or ”rules”. I‘ve been watching turkeys on my cameras, and the toms I’m seeing appear to be young and have short beards (4”+/- beards). Do y‘all pass on short beards like young bucks or just shoot whatever tom comes in to the call?

Shoot what makes you happy. Don’t worry what others think. Same goes for deer hunting.

 

[retrieverman]

Shoot what makes you happy. Don’t worry what others think. Same goes for deer hunting.

I always do, but being a trophy deer hunter, I wanted to see if that was a thing in turkey hunting.

 

[OkieJoe72]

Four years ago, I shot a bearded hen. That was a first for me.

Edited to add: I didn’t realize it was a hen when I shot it.

 

[skyhawk1]

Just remember the older they are the tougher they are.
I took a shot once up by Arnet and somehow killed 6 young ones with one shot. That was some good eating

 

[2busy]

I don't know about now but the knuckle heads down here would kill every thing they could get away with.

 

[hunter966]

I’ve shot jakes toms and a bearded hen and have taken a hen or two in the fall with my bow.

I like to shoot the biggest long beard I have a chance for. Like some of the other guys have said, if they have some big spurs on them, well that’s a really good bonus. Longest spurs I’ve ever had on a tome were 1 1/2” and way sharp.

I’ve been lucky several times and taken a few toms with multiple beards, to me that’s a bigger thrill than the spurs. I shot one that had 3 beards, but an older fella I know shot one over in Mangum that had 9 separate beards.

 

[retrieverman]

I’ve shot jakes toms and a bearded hen and have taken a hen or two in the fall with my bow.

I like to shoot the biggest long beard I have a chance for. Like some of the other guys have said, if they have some big spurs on them, well that’s a really good bonus. Longest spurs I’ve ever had on a tome were 1 1/2” and way sharp.

I’ve been lucky several times and taken a few toms with multiple beards, to me that’s a bigger thrill than the spurs. I shot one that had 3 beards, but an older fella I know shot one over in Mangum that had 9 separate beards.

Multiple beards must be a more common thing in your part of the state, because when my youngest son lived in Hinton and hunted around there, he killed a tom with 3 beards. I think his buddy’s had 2.

 

[dennishoddy]

I've killed a ton of long beards. Always liked to play with the jakes but let them live.
Won a National Turkey contest several years ago with a big Rio that sported multiple beards.
There is a scoring system just like the B&C system for deer.
The hand made and painted trophy was absolutely amazing. If I think of it, I'll post a pic tomorrow in this thread.
Don't turkey hunt anymore. We have a flock of 30 or so that hang out in our yard most of the year and roost in a sycamore tree on one side. Kind of like pets now and I'm not so mad at them anymore to hunt them.

 

[saddlebum]

I usually shoot the one that's made out of turkey.......dang they taste good

 

[hunter966]

I've killed a ton of long beards. Always liked to play with the jakes but let them live.
Won a National Turkey contest several years ago with a big Rio that sported multiple beards.
There is a scoring system just like the B&C system for deer.
The hand made and painted trophy was absolutely amazing. If I think of it, I'll post a pic tomorrow in this thread.
Don't turkey hunt anymore. We have a flock of 30 or so that hang out in our yard most of the year and roost in a sycamore tree on one side. Kind of like pets now and I'm not so mad at them anymore to hunt them.

Heck yes, post a pic of your trophy. Congrats too!