punched tag 2 this a.m. all finished
southwind
5/14/09 10:33am
Looks like I will have to start fishing heavy because hunting is over till fall.
It has been over a month since I tagged my first bird this year and with excessive rains and helping others fill their tags I didn't know if I would get a chance.
I went to one of my favorite public spots this a.m. getting there early. I climbed out of the truck at 4:45 a.m. and I already hear this Tom giving it heck. I got set up and could tell he was on the other side of the river and figured I would go ahead and sit it out to see what happened.
This bird was a real loud mouth and gobbled non-stop for over an hour on the roost. Finally I heard another gobble but it was right there with him and then another and this time it was closer and on my side of the river.
I hear the tom across the river fly down with his girls and he continues with his chorus. It is past legal shooting hour and can now see about four hens in a dead tree right in front of my set up. I hear another bird fly down and it is close but not one of the hens in the dead tree. I peek out around a small tree in front of me and there he is all strutted up and lookin good for the girls.
That display was his last as I settled the sights on him and cut one loose. Down for the count and tagged out.
Not a real big bird at 18 lbs, just a 2 year old, almost an inch on spurs but the poor lad had beard rot. Had not seen a bird with beard rot in some years but sure enough a nice thick beard but only about 6" long with that real buff coloration on the tip indicating beard rot.
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It has been over a month since I tagged my first bird this year and with excessive rains and helping others fill their tags I didn't know if I would get a chance.
I went to one of my favorite public spots this a.m. getting there early. I climbed out of the truck at 4:45 a.m. and I already hear this Tom giving it heck. I got set up and could tell he was on the other side of the river and figured I would go ahead and sit it out to see what happened.
This bird was a real loud mouth and gobbled non-stop for over an hour on the roost. Finally I heard another gobble but it was right there with him and then another and this time it was closer and on my side of the river.
I hear the tom across the river fly down with his girls and he continues with his chorus. It is past legal shooting hour and can now see about four hens in a dead tree right in front of my set up. I hear another bird fly down and it is close but not one of the hens in the dead tree. I peek out around a small tree in front of me and there he is all strutted up and lookin good for the girls.
That display was his last as I settled the sights on him and cut one loose. Down for the count and tagged out.
Not a real big bird at 18 lbs, just a 2 year old, almost an inch on spurs but the poor lad had beard rot. Had not seen a bird with beard rot in some years but sure enough a nice thick beard but only about 6" long with that real buff coloration on the tip indicating beard rot.
5,359
Yea, I've never heard of beard rot either...but then again, I have never hunted gobblers before either.
Can ya shed a little light on the subject?
The other part of this story is that upon cleaning the bird I found he had already been shot and had gangrene in both legs. In addition to my #5 copper plated pellets I found some #6 plain lead in the legs. I don't believe he would have made it and it also explains why he was a little under weight from other tom's we have been taking in this area.
I trashed the legs and thighs but kept the breast as they appear fine. I am however going to make a few calls as to if I should even keep the breast.
One way or the other I am very happy I put this bird down.
Huh.. learn something new every day.. Never heard of beard rot.. interesting
My solace is that I put a bird down that in all other aspects was doing his "turkey thing" but was slowly suffering and on his way out. So, the disappointment of loosing the meat is balanced by knowing the bird needed put down. Plus I had a great season of turkey hunting and one other very nice double bearded tom to boot.