Pretty good Turkey Article

[baldopepper]

Saw this article in Field and Stream and I have to say I agree with it. 

[Seatown5]

I couldnt agree more.  I always thought the scoring system was so stupid with turkeys.  Yeah its cool to get a big beard and spurs, but nothing like a big rack.  I have just recently started telling my buddies that you should measure how good a turkey is by the hunt.... how many times did he gobble, how long was he in strut and so on.  Those are the things you take away from turkey hunting years later, THAT is what you will remember.  Not that his spurs were 13/16 inches long and he had an 8 7/8 inch beard!

[ruben waddell]

Or a Double bearded jake with 7/8 and 3/4 inch beards right yelp. 

[yelp]

I couldnt agree more.  I always thought the scoring system was so stupid with turkeys.  Yeah its cool to get a big beard and spurs, but nothing like a big rack.  I have just recently started telling my buddies that you should measure how good a turkey is by the hunt.... how many times did he gobble, how long was he in strut and so on.  Those are the things you take away from turkey hunting years later, THAT is what you will remember.  Not that his spurs were 13/16 inches long and he had an 8 7/8 inch beard!

I agree and kind of disagree.  But I see your point.

IMO  The hunt is what I live for not the harvest.  But when you are holding a heavy turkey with a double beard and it measures over 17" and spurs over an inch..all you think about is three things.  First the Hunt, second where to get it mounted and THird what does he score.  I shoot jakes or toms as long as they play the rules I set.  Turkey hunting at its best is like a difficult game of chess.

[yelp]

Or a Double bearded jake with 7/8 and 3/4 inch beards right yelp.

Thats a shot!

[ruben waddell]

I agree the hunt is a game of chess.
The trophy is what you get out of the hunt.  The memories you have of the hunts and the people you experience it with.  There is nothing better then sharing a hunt with a good buddy and celebrating the harvest at the end. with a couple turkey shots.
So you have a shot with me to celebrate.
It was a good year this year.  I'm glad to have shared it with you and the crew.