Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: yelp on January 28, 2009, 08:34:13 AM

Title: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: yelp on January 28, 2009, 08:34:13 AM: How many of you have shot a tom/hen with multiple beards...lets see them..

To my name I have shot the following...

1998 Merriam - 2 beards - 15.375 inches total length - Ferry
1997 Rio Grande - 3 beards - 17.5 inches total length - Lincoln
2000 Rio Grande - 2 beards - 17.25 inches total length - Lincoln
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: Gobble on January 28, 2009, 08:46:16 AM: My brother shot a 5 beard Non-typ this past spring near Spokane, its at the Taxi now and we will weigh and record the beard lengths when the taxi thaws it out, it will definately be in the top 5 for Wa.
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: Turkeyman on January 28, 2009, 08:54:47 AM: 1994 Merriam- 2 beards- 16.5 inches- Klick
2001 Rio- 2 beards- 17 inches- Columbia
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: yelp on January 28, 2009, 09:34:27 AM: Nice birds guys....wow. Gobble that 5 bearded bird must have been easy to track...all of them sweeping marks on the ground..lol :chuckle:
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on January 28, 2009, 10:48:38 AM: 1991 - Merriam's - double 8" beards
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: Intruder on January 28, 2009, 12:26:50 PM: I shot a triple beard back in like 02. Weird thing about it, all the beards were literally broken off at about 1". Just 3 little nubs. The ends were discolored almost like his beards had gotten something caustic on em and just fell off. Based on spurs he looked to be a 3 year old... one us just a gnats ass under an inch the other was almost 1 1/8".

Anyone ever heard of anything like that before?
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: yelp on January 28, 2009, 01:15:08 PM: Actually two thing happen with turkey beards. One thing is many of our turkeys in winter will build up ice balls on the beards from dragging them in the snow. Sometimes they will break off from the weight or when the turkey steps on it.

The other reason is that beards contain melanin and some turkeys that have a melanin deficiency you can see by a grey band (color) on the beard and at that point the beard will become weakened and will break. The look is that of a stubby cigar bristled ends maybe a burnt orange color also. Some scientists say their maybe some fungal infections that cause this too.

I have seen this a lot in Washington. The ice ball scenario can pull the beard right out.
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: strutnrut1984 on January 28, 2009, 02:13:43 PM: ive killed 2 with multiple beards in pennsylvania, 1995 5 beards from 3to101/2 inches. and in 2000 2 beards 10 and 4 inches
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: OneHorn on January 28, 2009, 02:18:11 PM: fishunt247's first bird had 3 beards. I think he was about 9 years old when he killed it
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: yelp on January 28, 2009, 04:30:59 PM: wow right on guys...
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: strutnrut1984 on January 28, 2009, 06:19:03 PM: i got one in 92 that has a blonde beard will try and get a pic of it . its on my beard board 9 1/2 in
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: fishunt247 on January 28, 2009, 07:40:26 PM: Actually I was 10, so in 1997. Merriam, 3 beards, 19 1/2" of beard length. It was a 2 year old. No digital pics, sorry.
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: Wacenturion on January 28, 2009, 07:58:24 PM: Nice birds everyone! ;)
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: Turkeyman on January 29, 2009, 03:07:42 AM: Nice birds Strutnrut
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: Intruder on January 29, 2009, 08:48:09 AM: Quote from: yelp on January 28, 2009, 01:15:08 PM
The other reason is that beards contain melanin and some turkeys that have a melanin deficiency you can see by a grey band (color) on the beard and at that point the beard will become weakened and will break. The look is that of a stubby cigar bristled ends maybe a burnt orange color also. Some scientists say their maybe some fungal infections that cause this too.

These beards had that discoloration (orange) that you mentioned. It was weird that whatever it was, it happened in the same spot on all 3. Just my luck :bash:
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: yelp on January 29, 2009, 09:52:08 PM: That stinks...well hopefully it won't happen again. The beard part not the getting a triple bearded gobbler part. That is still the coolest thing to walk up and realize there is more than one. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Multiple beards....Non-typicals Tom/Hen
Post by: strutnrut1984 on January 30, 2009, 08:52:05 PM: i think the melanistic beards are cool.i had never seen one before i killed mine. just another rarity like a multi beard. they all make cool trophies