Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: Sundance on January 27, 2010, 10:07:36 AM
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thanks
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your speculation is my speculation too.
:dunno:
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Well, you're probably talking about 2 or 3 different sub-species in your post. All of my 5 or 6 Rios and Merriams taken in Washington have had fat, short spurs. Likely two year olds. I was also wondering why I hadn't seen very many birds with 1.5+ inch spurs.
Anyone have any pics of Washington gobblers with big spurs?
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How about these hooks. 1 1/4" killed in Spokane Co.
(http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p245/rocker_dude77/IMG_1477.jpg)
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Hey Spokaneslayer is that a Rio or a Miriam? I don't know if that makes a difference or not.
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Merriam by county of kill.
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I know the rio's inhabit gmu's 133 and 136, that is the reason I asked. I have also noticed the rio's having more pronounced spurs on the older birds. I don't know if that is a reason or not. :dunno:
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I don't know. This one was killed in GMU 130. Might be a hybrid. I know the spurs were sharp. One got caught in my cargo pocket.
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Here's the link to the NWTF State Chapter turkey records:
http://nwtf.ipower.com/turkey_registration.html
Scroll down ... I think you'll find that the state record spur lengths for the various subspecies is fairly impressive. I know my 1st bird this year had 1 inch spur .... buddy a couple years back had 1-1/4 spurs and another buddy's 1-1/2".
Age, diet, rocky terrian, genetics, etc. will all play into it.
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I shot a central WA Merriam that had 1" and 1 1/8" spurs. They weren't sharp though, and likely a 5 year old. My dad shot a Rio in the blues that has 1 1/4" spurs, hooked and sharp. Both pictures are predigital, so I don't have them. And the spurs are at his house, not the same town I live in. But the steep, rocky ground would be me guess too.
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I have killed easterns on west side with big sharp spurs. The rocky terrain is my guess on east side birds.
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Some of the longest spurs come from the Oscellated turkey in Guatemala..
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Dang yelp, that's a fine looking turkey. Those spurs look dangerous
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:yike:
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If I was to make a guess, I would not think that soil composition is responsible for sharp spurs in eastern Washington. I think it takes longer to develop the sharp pointed spurs. I look at the birds I have shot and the spur length and sharpness seems to respond to age. The shorter spurs do not look worn. The best spurs I have gotten on a bird were 1 1/4 on one side and 1 5/16 on the other. This was a very old bird as judged by size and beard. They don't seem to me to develop the pointed spurs until 1 inch long, genetics?