huntinsonovagun Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 My buddy got another bird this weekend. He said it was a 7 1/2" REALLY THICK beard, full fan, but had short spurs....just nubs. It was a rio (slightly smaller than easterns) and he said it weighed in around 15 lbs. I'm thinking it is a tom, considering the beard and tail, but he swears it's a jake. I have heard of toms having little and even NO spurs I think....am I right? Anyway, what do think it was?....1 year old or 2 year old, and why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAbowhunter4life Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? I would be willing to bet it was a tom. I say this because 2 years ago I shot a bird that was between 2 and 2.5 years old with a 6 1/2" beard, had a full fan, weighed 17 lb. and had little nubs for spurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borch Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? The fan is your best indicator. Mature toms might have nubs or no spurs at all. Beards can really vary as well. I's guess it was a 2 year old bird by your description. Borch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? Full fan......... 7 1/2" beard......... not a jake. Rios are notorious for having boogered up spurs. A lot of Rios live in rocky terrain that will keep the hooks ground down or broken off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? [ QUOTE ] Full fan......... 7 1/2" beard......... not a jake. Rios are notorious for having boogered up spurs. A lot of Rios live in rocky terrain that will keep the hooks ground down or broken off. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah strut is right! I just learned this last week on one of the turkey hunting shows I seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiteRunner Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? A friend just shot a Turkey the other day. They heard a Good Gobble, set up on it, called in a flock of Jakes, then they chased them off to try and get the bigger one. One came in, went into strut, nice long gobble, "Full Fan", So they took the shot... Turns out to be a Jake, little spurs, 3"-4" beard, but acted like he was Boss Tom. First I've seen with a full fan, It was his 2nd turkey ever so he was still REAL HAPPY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VtBowhunter Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? Sounds like a 2 year old tom to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckNrut Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? Never seen a turkey with a rack like that before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KSNimrod Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? Full fan, decent beard... I'd call it a Tom. Fan's my favorite part to mount anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamoGuy Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? sounds like a 2 year old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? The fan and beard are your only true indicators. Both the weight and the spurs are indicative of a Jake. But a jake always has a hump in the middle of his tail and a beard of 7 1/2" is much longer than the average 3" or 4" jake beard. Also it's sounds like this might be a bearded hen. 7 1/2" is about average for that phenomena and the weight sounds right. One of the heaviest Turkeys I ever saw was an eastern that weighed 22lbs with a 9" beard and ankles as slick as a rockette It was definately a tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? I've killed toms that have no spurs, some have 1 spur & none on the other leg. Just freaks of nature. I've also killed a tom that had 1" spurs, a full fan-----gobbling his head off---struttin to beat the band & not a beard to be seen !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbeard Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? That ain't fair. I've let some birds walk this year that I couldn't see the beard, then only to hear them gobble like big boys. I was wondering just the same thing, the other day, might be a tom with no beard. Smart ole tom just mighta spent the winter peckin' at that beard just sos he be safe. He better walk fast next time cuz if I see spurs, he's gonna get a ride home and won't have to walk no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Bubbles Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? thats a tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ketchum Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Re: Is it a tom or a jake?? These toms with full fan and good spurs and no beard, could be a bird that was trapped and moved by the wildlife agency. I've been told, In my area when they move birds they cut the beards off. To be legal to shoot it has to have a visible beard in my state. So they cut the beards off to give them a better chance of survival the first year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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