Transport after the kill

[yelp]

If the head is pretty mangled which most are..I will take plastic grocery sack and wrap head in it to keep it from contaminating anything. 

Consuming your quarry before you head home..may present issues to Game Wardens.  You would have beard, fan, spurs/legs with tag attached as proof of harvest.
 
The eating a bird in camp is an interesting issue.  You show up at a game check with the wishbone with a beard attached? Pictures of the mashed potatoes and corn? LOL

[bow4elk]

The eating a bird in camp is an interesting issue.  You show up at a game check with the wishbone with a beard attached? Pictures of the mashed potatoes and corn? LOL

...and sucking the grease off your fingers...

[sneakyjake]

Just asking, but why do people leave the legs and beard on the turkey if it is not required by law.  The head is proof of sex.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Because the legal bird is defined as having a "visible beard"

[TrkyBob53]

After a very upsetting stop at the miles creston game check a few years ago, I have given this topic a lot of thought.  I was told at that time that you must leave the featherd head attached to the bird.  You have to look in the bird pamphlet to get that info.  But as was said, a legal bird is one with a visible beard. I hate leaving the bloody head on.  If it takes a visible beard to make it legal, then that should be was is left for proof. It was a very valuable lesson learned.  In my case I did know better, just never gave it a thought to leave the head.  Also, if you dont bring ALL the edible parts of the bird home, it is considered wasting of game.  Trust me on that one.  Stupidity on ones part can be costly.

[sneakyjake]

So, to clarify, it is a legal bird if it has a beard.  It probably also has spurs and gobbler's noggin.  The transport rule says to leave the head on.  Not the beard, not the legs.  We have a few stories of people getting tickets for just this.  Have we cleared this up yet? Not trying to be a jerk about this, it shouldn't be difficult, and we shouldn't even have to have this discussion.  Obviously they don't want to clarify it in the turkey regs.

[Tom Tamer]

  If these enforcement guys are interpretting how the law reads then you shouldn't have to leave the head on......Gobbler heads aren't feathered
  yet again if they force the beard to be left on, a legal turkey does not have to have a beard, The rul states: Gobblers or bearded turkeys


Clear as mud


 

[TrkyBob53]

One of the problems as I see it is that you must look at two different hunting pamphlets to figure out how to transport a turkey.  Since it must have a tag, use the big game pamphlet.  Its a bird so use the bird pamphlet.  Yup. Clear as mud.

[sneakyjake]

tru dat

[yelp]

One of the problems as I see it is that you must look at two different hunting pamphlets to figure out how to transport a turkey.  Since it must have a tag, use the big game pamphlet.  Its a bird so use the bird pamphlet.  Yup. Clear as mud.

 I know that game wardens will sometimes use any means to write a citation. I know the main reason for the rule was probably for waterfowl not wild turkey, but because of the generalization of "bird" it gets lumped in.  Waterfowl hunters have specific limits only so many pintails, scaup, canvasback, etc..which is why the feathered heads are necessary.  If you had a choice as far as transportation for Wild Turkeys..What would the requirement be.besides a notched tag.. that a beard and or spur be left attached..During either sex fall seasons..it probably is a mute issues..Breast feathers can be used to identify sex in adult birds, some young birds jakes may have buffed edges to breast feathers..any thoughts?

[ratherhunt]

This is a really helpful thread, I was not sure what to do to be legal now I know, this is a great site Thanks

[TrkyBob53]

I would think that for the spring season, a beard and leag and foot attched would do.  Would make for a cleaner cooler.  Neve gave much thought for the fall season, as it is not my cup of tea.  Other than that I dont have any good ideas.  Others dont need the same misfortune as me.

[Tom Tamer]

One of the problems as I see it is that you must look at two different hunting pamphlets to figure out how to transport a turkey.  Since it must have a tag, use the big game pamphlet.  Its a bird so use the bird pamphlet.  Yup. Clear as mud.

 I know that game wardens will sometimes use any means to write a citation. I know the main reason for the rule was probably for waterfowl not wild turkey, but because of the generalization of "bird" it gets lumped in.  Waterfowl hunters have specific limits only so many pintails, scaup, canvasback, etc..which is why the feathered heads are necessary.  If you had a choice as far as transportation for Wild Turkeys..What would the requirement be.besides a notched tag.. that a beard and or spur be left attached..During either sex fall seasons..it probably is a mute issues..Breast feathers can be used to identify sex in adult birds, some young birds jakes may have buffed edges to breast feathers..any thoughts?

Sounds pretty logical too me.......