Finally found a bearded bird

[maineute]

Shot this today, 15 pound 1/2" spurs, 5 inch beard, not the biggest I have ever shot but I will take it.[

[bullelk]

Congratulations! They are all trophies in some way!

[onpoint]

Congrats! When u work hard for 'em their all gooduns!

[Cut N Run]

Congratulations. I guarantee it will eat good. How many tags do you have left?

Jim

[maineute]

Thanks all, I have 1 left and I have until the 2nd of June to get it. Going to be hard to get time to hunt, alot going on right now.

[Cut N Run]

Keep after 'em and good luck the rest of the way.

Jim

[maineute]

Jake or Tom? My friend were discussing this bird today and we were trying to decide if this is a Jake or a young Tom, all of the jakes I have shot had 3 inch beards with no spurs, so what is your opinion? Why?

[ylpnfol]

your bird is a jake/young tom.....note that the center [ looks like 7 ] feathers are longer than the outer feathers on the tail fan, he hasnt yet molted the outer feathers, which will come back in as long as the center feathers, which will make for the rounded fan of an adult gobbler.....i killed a jake this year that had 1/4 " button spurs which is average i guess for jakes in the spring, it depends on when the bird was born the previous spring as to how long the beard/spurs would be [ how old he is ] 15 lbs is pretty heavy, so he was probably born early last year, i have killed jakes in the fall w/ no spurs.....hope this helps

[TurkeyJohn]

Great job and congrats!!

Any legal bird is a good bird in my book, jake, young tom or old boss gobbler, makes no difference this late in the season, beats tag soup,

TJ

[kygobbler]

Congrats on your bird. Like David said your bird is a super jake.