Turkey Decline in SM Tn

[deerchaser007]

Spur size doesn't amount to a hill of beans with dominance. Just like deer antler size doesn't determine dominant. It falls to whichever can dish out the ***** whooping

And which one has the greater strike? The one with a baseball bat or the one with a switch?

It actually does have little to do with spurs, cause likely 70% of dominance is established without a fight in late fall. Most of us that got to hunt in late 90's and early 2000's got to see this. The fighting usually only takes place by the senior toms and the toms that are coming into dominance.
The turn I have seen the past 10 years is more younger males ganging up on the senior Tom of the group, and since the senior toms are severely outnumbered, they get less of the breeding. My observation though.

I see them (and hens) fight regularly during the fall. The older bird may not be as fit to fight as the younger, several factors could play no matter the spurs size. Just like any other animal Body weight, stamina, physical shape, and attitude has more to do with it than a set of spurs, or antlers, or fists, ect...[/quote]


Rockhound, when you get time, read the link I posted above. Some of the most interesting research I ever seen on dominance and family genes and how it can affect social behavior and fertilized eggs. It's a great read, very informative I thought.

 

[Woodsman10]

I wasn't meaning spur size, I was talking about age.
Sharp, curved, longer spurs are older gobblers.

I think you all misunderstood me.

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[Andy S.]

Sharp, curved, longer spurs are older gobblers.

Generally speaking, this is the case. With that said, there have been numerous documented known age turkeys 5+ years old that had 1" spurs, thus many would age at 3 or thereabouts. In short, length, shape and size of spurs is not an absolute indication of age, although a good indication most of the time.

 

[Woodsman10]

Sharp, curved, longer spurs are older gobblers.

Generally speaking, this is the case. With that said, there have been numerous documented known age turkeys 5+ years old that had 1" spurs, thus many would age at 3 or thereabouts. In short, length, shape and size of spurs is not an absolute indication of age, although a good indication most of the time.

I would say more than generally speaking.

If the spurs are pointed and curved, he is 3 plus. If they are short and blunt, he is two. Unless they have been chipped or broken, which a few of the gobblers I kill have.

No science behind this, but here is my aging method and I will always live by this, if nothing else just for fun:

Jake-nubs a half inch or less, without a full fan.
2 year old- full fan with 3/4 inch plus or minus spurs that are not curved yet and no sharp point.
3 year old- around one inch spurs, pointed and a little curved
4 year old- 1-1/4" or more that are sharp and curved.
5 year plus- 1-1/2" or greater with very curved and sharp.

Obviously if they are broke, you cannot tell.

I've killed only one in Tennessee with 1-7/16" spurs, and one with 1-1/4" spurs. Most are around 3/4" - 1-1/8", two or three year old gobblers.

I don't believe weight or beard length have much to do with aging, although jakes have stubby 4" beards and usually weigh about 15lbs.

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[Roost 1]

Sharp, curved, longer spurs are older gobblers.

Generally speaking, this is the case. With that said, there have been numerous documented known age turkeys 5+ years old that had 1" spurs, thus many would age at 3 or thereabouts. In short, length, shape and size of spurs is not an absolute indication of age, although a good indication most of the time.

About like aging deer by using teeth.....

 

[Andy S.]

About like aging deer by using teeth.....

Exactly, the older they are (deer and turkeys), the less accurate both techniques are.

 

[megalomaniac]

My pet toms in the backyard just turned 2.... both have spurs that are an inch right now. OFC, that may be due to the fact that they live a confined life and don't have to travel through underbrush that may cause wear and tear on them. Spurs are like fingernails, they can definetly break one off, and it will regrow over time.