OldGobbler

OG Gear Store
Sum Toy
Dave Smith
Wood Haven
North Mountain Gear
North Mountain Gear
turkeys for tomorrow

News:

only use regular PayPal to provide purchase protection

Main Menu

Which states kill heavy birds?

Started by Hook hanger, March 24, 2015, 02:58:38 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

ridgerunner

I've killed several 22-24 pound birds in Indiana..killed a 26 pounder in Indiana..my buddy took a 28 pounder in Indiana...North Missouri is know for big birds too.

TauntoHawk

Midwest 

23.5 is my best in NY wife has a 24lber and those are exceptional birds for the area
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="l4hWuQU"><a href="//imgur.com/l4hWuQU"></a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Snoodsniper

My birds average 19 lbs in PA. Seen up to 23 but not many.

jakesdad

I have averaged 22-24 lbs in NE Missouri for several years


"There are turkey hunters and people who hunt turkeys.I hope I am remembered as a turkey hunter"

stinkpickle

It seems heavy birds come from any place where it's easy to grow corn.

MACHINIST

Quote from: mlisandro on March 24, 2015, 08:03:02 PM
You're lucky if you break 20# in the southern tier of NY.


I wouldn't say that.I know out of the majority of the birds we (friends and family) killed last year it was a 50/50 for above and below 20lb mark.I would say 20lbs is a good bird for around here but not lucky

TauntoHawk


Quote from: MACHINIST on March 25, 2015, 10:29:02 AM
Quote from: mlisandro on March 24, 2015, 08:03:02 PM
You're lucky if you break 20# in the southern tier of NY.


I wouldn't say that.I know out of the majority of the birds we (friends and family) killed last year it was a 50/50 for above and below 20lb mark.I would say 20lbs is a good bird for around here but not lucky

When Turkey weights are being split by just a few pounds between small and big, a simple area change can really effect it greatly. I hunt one place I've never seen a bird go over 20 and another place about 25min away I've never seen one go under 20. Mountain  compared to beef farm next to golf course the birds have way more access to good food. Also depends on age you typically harvest, I don't see many 2yr olds go 20+ but if you consistently shoot 3-4yr old birds your gonna kill a lot of 20+ lbers
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="l4hWuQU"><a href="//imgur.com/l4hWuQU"></a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Rio Fan

My buddies and I have killed quite few birds in WA and ID.  We're hunting mountain birds and a 20 lb bird is a pretty heavy one for us.  I don't think they have good enough food sources in the mountains to get really big for the most part.  I'd say a typical longbeard for us weighs 17-18 lbs.  The heaviest we've killed weighed 22 lbs.

Now birds that stay down in lower elevations and get fed by people definitely have a better chance to weigh a lot more.

Crawdad

I killed one in Kansas about three or four years ago that weighed a little over 27 lbs. A few day's ago I was reading a story about a Mississippi man that had formed a bond with a Kansas farmer that had kidney problems & it just so happened that the guy was a perfect match & donated one of his kidneys. well in the story they said the Miss guy killed a Kansas state record bird & it weighed 26 & 1/2 lbs. So now I am wondering if I might have had a record bird myself.

neal

Kill birds every year around that 25# mark here in WI and that's on my state certified meat scale. But I'd say Mexico those Goulds are hatched at 25#'s I think.
Hooks Custom Calls Prostaff member


NWTF Diamond life member, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Life Member, NWTF Nationals Hunting Call Competition Judge, Hooks custom calls striker builder, WI, MN & IA State Friction Calling Champion.

ILHUNTER

In Illinois I would say average bird is 22lbs, my biggest is 24.5 lbs but I know plenty of people that have killed some in the upper 20 range

870FaceLift

For me, the spot I hunt in Kentucky has always produced the largest gobblers.  My family/friends and I have killed a handful over 25lbs. They seem to be bigger there than any other state I have hunted.  Lots of variables go into that, though.
Pass it on...

Fatbeard

Seen a few 26 pounders in TN . A good average where I hunt is usually 22 - 24 pounds
East TN Beard Buster

drake799

 I've personally never killed what I would call a heavy bird in Tn. But my brother has killed several over 24 lbs including 1 that went 27lbs 12 ounces.  I call an average bird here 20-22 lbs 

turkey_slayer

You boys must be hunting west Tenn. In the northeast part they are usually 18-20lb. Though I did kill 2 over 23 in 2013 but they were heavier that year everywhere I hunted. Great acorn crop, late spring, and the cicadas were thick the previous summer. It was the perfect storm for weights