12'' beards

[TonyTurk]

My son, at the age of 15 in 2018, killed a Tom with a legit 12 inch beard. 

It's the only 12" bearded bird I have ever seen.  I'm 54 and have killed a few birds.  My longest beard ever was 10.5". 

I may never see another 12" beard.  They are that rare.

[Here turkey turkey turkey]

I got a pic of a 12" beard from a turkey I killed years ago. Can someone post a pic if I send it to their email?

[Here turkey turkey turkey]

Here is the pic. That is a 12" PINK ruler, ha.

[catman529]

My first longbeard was a 2 year old bird with a 12.5" beard. Dude from Arkansas hunting across the field from me shot an older bird with better spurs. We got pics of our birds, that was a fun morning. He walked in after I was already set up, but it worked out for both of us.


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[chipper]

In 29 years I've never killed a 12" beard, 11.5" is the best I've done, good many 9.5 to 11 inch beards though, I've got a pile of 1 1/8 to 1 1/4" Spurs, only 2 that are really long 1 is 1 7/16" and 1 that is 1 1/2" that was killed last year with a friend when we doubled, his bird was a double beard with 1 1/4" Spurs  and a 10" and 6" beard ,mine was a 10.5" beard and both birds weighed over 23lb, I've killed 1 bird in all my years that was 25lbs in Van Leer, Tn several years ago and 4 or 5 that were 24 or better, several in the 23 lb range but the biggest majority were 17- 20 lb, if I ever kill one that weighs 25lb, 1 1/2" Spurs and a 12" beard, I will quit hunting them and call for other people, I have sworn this to my children and my dear wife . I've only ever killed one double beard and he was 8.5 and 3 " also.

[tazmaniac]

I've killed one bird with a beard over 12in in 32 years.  Seen another I think would have broken 12in, but couldn't kill him.

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[g8rvet]

12" beards are like over an 8 point buck and a legal 8 pound redfish.  Others get them, I don't.  I have several over 11.5 and I have caught a bunch of 7.75 pound reds, I just can't seem to get over that hump

[Haypatch]

Same here ... lots of 10 to 11 but still trying to break the 12" mark!

[stinkpickle]

As far as I can remember, I've only had two that hit the 12" mark.  And both were taken in the last three years.

[jordanz7935]

Up here in upstate NY, anything over 10" is rare. My best is like 10.5" beard and won the local contest that year.  I truly beleive the winters and deep snow are the reason that 10" beards and 1 1/4" spurs are true trophy birds up here. True 1 1/2" do exist here but are super rare from what ive seen. Southern birds seem to always have longer sharper spurs from what ive seen. It seems like 2 yr old gobblers usually have better beards up here.  Longbeard full fan i dont discriminate, 2yr old birds have made my day more than once.

[notsure]

In SE MN, 25 pound birds are not rare. Common? No, but I've shot two 25 pound-plus turkeys since I started hunting MN in 2004.  Heck, one of them was probably a 2 year old, given his stubby little 5/8" spurs. But I've never killed nor seen a true 12" beard.

[THattaway]

I also see variations with fan width (24" to 27") and wing length on older long spurred birds. Some turkeys are just built larger, some smaller. That and feeding habits imo dictate growth and wear on spurs and beards alike. I ain't a biologist but I've killed a few and seen a few more killed.

[Foss5469]

I've been around a lot of downed birds and have yet to see one a legit 12". I'd love to get that chance some day.

[jhoward11]

Been hunting birds for 20 years, and have only seen 3. One I shot 3 years ago. 25lbs/1.5" spurs, in a place I never would have expected there to be a big old Tom. Full mount eastern. I'll try to send pics.

[makestomstremble]

I have never killed one with a 12" beard. Really just a handful over 10 1/2" or 11". I do have a Rio with 1 1/2" spurs on my wall at home. I remember some kids shot one on a ranch that I think would have went 2", it was a long time ago and they did not measure, the bird appeared small, maybe 13 or 14 lbs. I bet he was 7 or 8 years old.