beardless tom

[G-Man]

Well after being spotted by a few hens with the tom I wanted. I moved to a different area and called in a beard less adult tom. Full fan no visible beard...ugh... was 20-. 40yrds for an hour couldn't find a beard on it no matter how hard i looked.. was hoping it was just wet and stuck to its chest..but no deal. .... guess he'll be target one come fall. I thought maybe he just snapped it off in the snow/ice this winter but there is no sign he ever has one at all..spurs are visable so 3/4 plus i would guess...

[Pygmy]

Hehehehe.. Dirty trick on HIS part...Clever devil probably clipped it off with his scissors on April 30th..

Turkey beards are somewhat fragile..They can get caught in a tree crotch and pulled off, or many other scenarios..

He ain't legal without..His lucky day and cudos to you for being an ethical hunter.

[Terry]

He probably had a tiny beard or stub which would have made him legal, but better safe than sorry.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Have only seen one male turkey, beardless. That was in the fall season.

 

Question, If the beard were to get pulled off or shot off, will it grow back next season?

[G-Man]

If it broke off it will grow back. If tore off it prolly won't'. This bird didn't even have a twisted feather where bird should be. (That was with 8 power bino's)I just don't think it has one.i

[phade]

I wonder how ECOs would deal with it?

 

I honestly would think they'd let it slide, or at least most. Seems like a hard one to pursue from a legal POV - sure it may not have one now, but it could have easily been shot off. It looks like a duck, walks like a duck. Sure, the beard is the determinor, but I don't know how many ECOs would not see the spirit of the law in this situation. Arguably the hunter may have helped out the "herd" by removing such an animal from the environment (similar to say an albino deer).

 

Obviously you did the right thing.

Edited May 2, 2014 by phade