what's a good spur length on a turkey?



Allen

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Quite a few years ago I took my good friend's dad out turkey hunting with me in the badlands. I ended up killing a 26-28 lb tom, and my ex took one of about the same size. My friend's dad asked if he could take the foot with him back to NC. I was like "wtf, but of course" because I didn't know I was supposed to give a crap about the spurs. I can only imagine what TSA thought when he pulled them out of his pocket at the airport screening. He kept those ND (Merriam) turkey feet in his desk drawer for his remaining years to show his fellow North Carolinians what kind of birds we have out here. He got a huge kick out of our "jump out of the truck and run them down or sneak on them in a pile of straw bales" hunting style.

I hunt them for the challenge and because I LOVE eating wild turkey. I never knew there was such a thing as a "trophy" turkey until several years later.

RIP Phil, you were one of a kind.
 

Maddog

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4-7-2018 Lori and Kayden hunt (3) bearded hen.JPG
Here is a picture I took last spring. A gobbler along with a bearded hen.
 
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Allen

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I don't have one. But what has worked really well a couple of times is to put skinned breasts in an oven bag with whatever seasoning/marinade you prefer and bake them. They tend to not dry out that way and cooking them slowly will let them not be as tough as they can otherwise turn out.

They are also great when smoked!
 


shorthairman

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guy- go to honest-food.net, click on wild game, find upland birds. If you like fried food make the wiener schnitzel, fast and easy, and very good (I used oil by the way because I did not have any fat or clarified butter...wife and kids still loved it). Then make carnitas with the thighs and drumsticks (this takes some time simmering until tender. I start it in the morning on saturday and watch football until its ready, or if your wife is nice she will watch it while you take the dogs out for a quick hunt!) There are also some other great recipes on there as well, but those are the two I tried with turkey.
 

shorthairman

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^^ Sounds like turkey hunting in ND is similar to NE! The first time I talked to a couple land owners and asked to hunt turkeys, both of them said I could only hunt if I took home 10...sure makes it nice if you have a brother, dad, nephew, neighbor, etc. that like to hunt.
 

Retired Educator

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Size? For me any turkey with a beard over 10 inches and thick plus spurs longer than an inch is bigger than average and a trophy. Strutting turkeys can wear some length off their beard depending on the type of ground they strut in. Gravely, vs grass for example. I've also seen spurs that looked wore down.

Like all hunting, the trophy is also in the hunt. I find it way more fun to call a turkey into the call aa opposed to jumping out of a vehicle and shooting one standing off the trail.
 


Kickemup

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For me when it comes to turkey hunting. I have the philosophy of if it’s got a beard it’s getting shot. Don’t madder how big it is.
 

guywhofishes

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Size? For me any turkey with a beard over 10 inches and thick plus spurs longer than an inch is bigger than average and a trophy. Strutting turkeys can wear some length off their beard depending on the type of ground they strut in. Gravely, vs grass for example. I've also seen spurs that looked wore down.

Like all hunting, the trophy is also in the hunt. I find it way more fun to call a turkey into the call aa opposed to jumping out of a vehicle and shooting one standing off the trail.

I've bagged three or four calling them in the spring and I concur - about as much fun as a sportsman can have.
 

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