Gobbler Nation

I was read'n SpurHntr's post on here from back in June where him and his buddy killed a couple of NICE Wisconsin gobblers, one had 1.5" spurs and the other was 1.75". My question is what is the best spurs you ever killed?

Ive not kept track of most of my spurs, especially since hinting mostly Merriam's now. Best spurs I've taken came off a lightweight tom in IL. My brother and I doubled on a pair of toms that came in with several hens in a drizzling rain. The whole lot marched in like they'd been waiting on us all morning. Both birds were strutting. My brother shot the bird that appeared to be the dominant bird. His was heavier but mine had longer spurs. Seems like his were 1 3/8 or 1 7/16 (been a while). Mine had one really sharp 1 5/8" spur and one that had the point chipped off and was closer to 1 4/8" or 1 9/16".

I consider myself fortunate if a bird around here has a 1" spur.

hobbes wrote: ↑November 21st, 2017, 11:54 am Ive not kept track of most of my spurs, especially since hinting mostly Merriam's now. Best spurs I've taken came off a lightweight tom in IL. My brother and I doubled on a pair of toms that came in with several hens in a drizzling rain. The whole lot marched in like they'd been waiting on us all morning. Both birds were strutting. My brother shot the bird that appeared to be the dominant bird. His was heavier but mine had longer spurs. Seems like his were 1 3/8 or 1 7/16 (been a while). Mine had one really sharp 1 5/8" spur and one that had the point chipped off and was closer to 1 4/8" or 1 9/16".

I consider myself fortunate if a bird around here has a 1" spur.

I have hunted Missouri every spring for about the last 20 years and have taken a bunch of birds out there and I think it would be safe to say that the birds that I have killed out there with over 1" spurs I could probably count on one hand. I have taken 5 birds in MO that had multiple beards (2 triple bearded and 3 double bearded) but good spurs just seem hard to come by out there, for me anyway.

My longest spurs were on one of my largest birds. Plus he had a really long beard as well.
His spurs were 1 3/8" and 1 1/4". He weighted 21 lbs. 11 oz. with 11 1/2" beard. I took him
On April 15 2017.

1 inch and the other was 15/16 inch, these Merriams don't seem to get a real long spur, none that I have ever seen anyway

1 3/4" twice. A Osceola and a Eastern.

Hard to say, since I don't measure anything. I'll say it's always the ones on the one I'm hunting at the time.

Got a hand full 1 5/8 seems to be my threshold...

ICDEDTURKES wrote: ↑November 21st, 2017, 3:34 pm Got a hand full 1 5/8 seems to be my threshold...

I'm hear'n ya, my cutoff must be 1.5" as I just can't seem to get past that.

My best was 1.5" on both spurs and my first hand loaded TSS bird so that made it even better.

1.325”

I've posted this before on here I've killed an been apart of a number of 1.25 birds they always seem to have wide Spurs. 1.5 plus always seem skinny Spurs. Honestly think it's genetic makeup. Honestly think them birds at 1.25 are every bit as old as the 1.5+ my 2 pennies.

We can debate deer genetics for days, why not turkey.

The bird in my avatar is my biggest at 1.75" and 1.5" .

1 bird with 1.5", 1 bird with 1-7/16", couple with 1-3/8", couple 1.25"

My longest spurred bird came from SE Kansas with 1 9/16 spurs. A couple of my buddies have taken birds from the same area with 1.5 or better spurs. I’ve also taken a few birds with 1 3/8 spurs in N MS and KY.


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Longest spurs I've ever seen on a bird I killed was 1-7/16" off a Texas rio.

hookedspur wrote: ↑November 22nd, 2017, 3:09 am The bird in my avatar is my biggest at 1.75" and 1.5" .

Dems nice, I use to say if I ever killed one with 1.5" spurs I would get it mounted. I killed my 7th bird this spring with 1.5" spurs and have yet to get one mounted, but I swear if I ever kill one with 2" spurs I WILL get it mounted, probably.........maybe.

Easy - 2008, Hardee County Fl, Osceola, 1.625 & 1.50 spurs, 11.875" beard. This bird currently stands at #119 on the Florida Turkey Registry. Just in the right place at the right time. This bird came to a full strut decoy, shied away twice, slipped back within range and got popped.

BTW - adding pics now a pain in the butt

joey46 wrote: ↑November 22nd, 2017, 11:13 am Easy - 2008, Hardee County Fl, Osceola, 1.625 & 1.50 spurs, 11.875" beard. This bird currently stands at #119 on the Florida Turkey Registry. Just in the right place at the right time. This bird came to a full strut decoy, shied away twice, slipped back within range and got popped. Probably add a picture soon.

I just can't seem to get over that 1.5" hump and you are exactly right it's just luck 99% of the time when you do kill one with really nice spurs because you don't know what kind of spurs is on them when you squeeze the trigger. back in 1992 (I think) me and a buddy of mine was out before season filming birds and we were driving out a gravel road headed back home when I looked down in the woods and there was a longbeard walking about 20 yards over the bank so I grabbed the camcorder and started filming him, my buddy wanted to drive out the road and call him up and I said "NO....I am going to hunt that bird" when we got back home we stuck the tape in the VCR and you could clearly see the spurs on that bird, I killed him Friday the first week of season and his spurs were 1.5", hooked and sharp. I was very fortunate that year as I killed five birds and they all had 1.25" spurs or better but most of the time it's just the luck of the draw.

ICDEDTURKES wrote: ↑November 21st, 2017, 3:34 pm Got a hand full 1 5/8 seems to be my threshold...

I’m with you. That too seems to be my ceiling and only then by pushing the cuticle and measuring generously. And, those were either sick or hard of hearing. I know that because they came to my calling.

1.75" is best matching set I have. Have numerous 1.5" where one of the sides were broke off

1.5" can't get over that hump!!!

1 7/16". I can't get to that 1.5" hump!

Just a smidget over 1 1/2" . Public land gobbler as well.