Klickitat Has "Transvestite" Gobblers!

[lokidog]

You should be happy with his "ability" to call both ways... that way he can get the toms in that ignore everyone else's feminine calling.  Did it have any jewelry pierced through it's snood?   

[Jerbear]

I thunk I have hunted them long enough, and killed enough of them to know the difference.  I didn't really think any thing would come in.  Once He started coming in, I put on my gloves and face mask.  Now this bird was hot and he made no hesitation about coming in.  The whole thing was over in  less than 5 minutes.  Dave just had time to put his mirror up from putting his face camo on.  I wasn't aware Revlon made camo make up.  Live and learn

[Wacenturion]

Thanks for that PDF Dale, that is helpful.  Seems the easiest thing to look for is the snood.  Guess I should be looking closer for that. 

3 years ago passed on a strutting, what I would have sworn was a tom, he was standing right next to another tom and appeared to be identical, shape, fan, color, but no beard.  It was me and a hunting buddy in the blind and he had first shot, would have been cool to double, but we only shot the one with a beard.  Guess I will look closer next time for a "snood".  Thanks guys.

Just consider yourself an ethical turkey hunter....or ethical hunter for that matter.  Hunting is so much more than harvesting as your decision illustrates.  Give yourself a big pat on the back....you earned it.   

[GoldTip]

I'm just glad I read this posting, I will have to start paying more attention to thing like the snood and not just focusing on seeing the beard.  Good to know.

[bearpaw]

We kill 3 or 4 birds most seasons with no visible beard. I have been told that turkeys can get beard mites which chew off the beard, don't know if that is true, but on these birds we would find a short, beard maybe a half inch long hidden under breast feathers. Looked as if it was either chewed off or burnt off. 

But look at the difference in the head on that pdf I posted, once you become familiar with that overall difference in looks, the head is all you really need to see. But as Wacenturion eluded, don't shoot unless you are sure.

[JKEEN33]

I'm just glad I read this posting, I will have to start paying more attention to thing like the snood and not just focusing on seeing the beard.  Good to know.

Coloring is the giveaway for me. Toms and hens are different colors. Once you have seen enough of them it is easy to tell the difference.

[BOWHUNTER45]

   Plus birds get beard rot which occurs when the weather is to cold and they loose them .... or for whatever other reason ....

[Jerbear]

When we picked the feathers, we found a small beard.  The base of the beard was large, but also full of mites.  The whole bird had mites.  He was healthy, but no visible beard.  I did not know mites could do that.  Thanks for the info.

[wannabhntr]

Congrats and good job. I thougjt the regs stated only birds with visible beards. I didnt realize it also said gobblers. I am awate of how to tell toms and hens apart, but like I said, I thoight the regs read differently. Have passed numerous jakrs with no visible beard.

[turkeydancer]

FYI - The regs now also say you have to leave the head attached for transport ... don't cut it off until you get home.

[lokidog]

FYI - The regs now also say you have to leave the head attached for transport ... don't cut it off until you get home.

What if you shoot it's head off?   

[turkeydancer]

Duct Tape and Superglue ... 

[lokidog]

Duct Tape and Superglue ... 

They got mad at me last time I did that with antlers....      

[turkeydancer]

   Staples ??

[one more]

Congratulations David,
That is a beautiful bird.

Both sexes have a snod, the hen's is 1/2 - 1", with tiny feathers sticking out and it points kind of up.  But the tom's is longer, fleshy, pendulous and red when he's excited.  I've seen a hen with a white head, so don't go by that.   Toms have red caruncles, those lumpy things hanging down from his neck in front over his feathers.  Hens don't have anything like that.
Diane