Smoke-Phase Turkey

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rudygranaghan
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Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by rudygranaghan »

Hello all-

I have been meaning to find out more about this for quite a while now. I bagged this turkey the Saturday after Thanksgiving back in 2007 in Throckmorton County, TX- right off the Brazos River.

Being a much younger and less educated hunter at the time, I knew nothing about this bird. In fact I was learning about bearded hens from a close family friend that I grew up hunting with and at the time thought it was just a bearded hen and that they were all weird colors. We dropped off a whitetail buck at the processor and a man told me I should get my turkey mounted after he saw it. So I did just that.

A few months ago I decided to do a little more research and came across an article from a Minnesota newspaper called the Star Tribune. I had heard the phrase "smoke-phase" once but this article was the most info I had seen on these type of birds at the time. After emailing with the author of the article he mentioned the term "leucistic" turkeys as well. I sent him photos of my mount but didn't every get any real confirmation as to what my turkey was. Below is a link to pictures on my Google Drive as well as the article reference above.

Anyone have some feedback for me?

http://www.startribune.com/smoke-phase- ... 115339759/

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sOHp2 ... 35BITK354x
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OLE RASPY
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by OLE RASPY »

That bird sure is different. Pretty bird. I like it. Congrats on a fine trophy. And welcome to the site.
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OLE RASPY
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by OLE RASPY »

Another ? That gobblers Head was pink when you killed it. Never seen that.
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redarrow
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by redarrow »

Thats one butt ugly turkey . Looks like Icededturkes taxidermy work.
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Hoobilly
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by Hoobilly »

redarrow wrote: December 9th, 2017, 8:47 pm Thats one butt ugly turkey . Looks like Icededturkes taxidermy work.
:lol: :lol: :lol:


Welcome to GobblerNation Rudy!

I hope to kill a smoke phase one day and get it mounted. I have seen a few around here in northern Indiana

but never when I have a gun or bow while hunting them.

sure is special :thumbleft:
Don't start none, won't be none!

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soiltester
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by soiltester »

Of all I've seen, I've not seen one like that yet :shock:
Welcome and good luck on your search :thumbup:
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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Grumpy
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by Grumpy »

I don't know if I would shoot a hen but would have no problem killing a smoked Tom and having it done in a full mount. I have seen a few white pheasants in my hunting but they were all hens, the biologist here said he has never seen a white rooster pheasant either. There is a few pictures of smoked phase Tom turkeys on the internet and the look pretty cool in the strut mode.
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soiltester
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by soiltester »

Hey Grump,
I went after a white rooster that a buddy saw a few times, along a main highway in central Michigan ... but I sure was reluctant to "hunt" along the highway, after I got permission from one of my farmer clients, that didn't let anyone hunt there, to hunt along that busy road with my Chessie!! :banghead:
Earlier years than that, another friend was all excited chasin' one in his pick-up in a wheat stubble clover seeded that was grown, and he ran over it and green grass stained it :LMAO:
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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Grumpy
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by Grumpy »

Too bad he ran over it, I think they would make a real sharp mount, all I have ever seen here is the white hens and been a lot of years since that too.
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
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rudygranaghan
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by rudygranaghan »

OLE RASPY wrote: December 9th, 2017, 7:29 pm Another ? That gobblers Head was pink when you killed it. Never seen that.
The head definitely was not as pink as it is on the mount- it was a very very pale pink with much more of a white tint.

I would have to search hard to find a picture from the day I bagged it.
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soiltester
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by soiltester »

rudygranaghan wrote: December 11th, 2017, 10:29 am
OLE RASPY wrote: December 9th, 2017, 7:29 pm Another ? That gobblers Head was pink when you killed it. Never seen that.
The head definitely was not as pink as it is on the mount- it was a very very pale pink with much more of a white tint.

I would have to search hard to find a picture from the day I bagged it.
That would be interesting to see!! :thumbup:
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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ncturkey
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Re: Smoke-Phase Turkey

Post by ncturkey »

Here is a picture of Smokey Grey Phase Bearded Hen I took back in 2005 for reference. The head was pink,grey and light blue. I have a close up of the head somewhere I will search for it. I may have to scan the photo. I do not think I have any digital photos of it.
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