|
|
Post by HighCotton on Oct 15, 2022 14:38:18 GMT -5
As I posted in deer hunting, I harvested a Fall turkey yesterday while in the deer stand.
Originally, I was thinking,
Awesome! Taken with my crossbow, this should make a nice fan!
Wrong!
This is one of the funniest Tail sections I’ve ever seen on a Turkey.
It looks like a coyote must have grabbed it by the tail and ripped out most of the center feathers!
I’ll post some pics later this evening.
|
|
|
|
Post by tine-n-spur on Oct 15, 2022 15:33:31 GMT -5
Last spring I saw a hen Turkey a couple different days that had no tail feathers at all. I was thinking can she fly,but I did see her flying . I thought she looked like Guinea
|
|
|
|
Post by HighCotton on Oct 16, 2022 7:26:06 GMT -5
As I posted in Deer Hunting section, this is the turkey I shot. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with the bird to me.  He came into range with 2 jakes and this is the view from my stand after the shot:  |
|
|
|
Post by HighCotton on Oct 16, 2022 7:39:34 GMT -5
I'm having phone and computer issues this morning so more pics to come. But this crude pic shows the tail feathers:  I've not taken a Fall turkey before this one. I am studying some info from the NWTF and other sites and I think this is a case of a turkey molting its feathers. To Those of you more experienced, is this a likely scenario? More pics to follow once I retrieve them and resolve my tech issues. |
|
|
|
Post by freedomhunter on Oct 16, 2022 11:45:55 GMT -5
I've always heard they lose all the feathers and grow them back. Always sounded strange the woods would be full of feathers. Congrats BTW, how did he not pick off your movement in a stand?
|
|
|
|
Post by HighCotton on Oct 16, 2022 13:46:41 GMT -5
After some more research and conversation, it does seem that this gobbler was molting its feathers Guess I learned something new. And I'll not be thinking the Fall is a good time for a tail fan to mount. These pics shows a little better image of the new feathers coming in:   And a few more pics from the turkey:    And a crop full of soybeans with a few acorns mixed in:  |
|
|
|
Post by HighCotton on Oct 16, 2022 13:52:22 GMT -5
I've always heard they lose all the feathers and grow them back. Always sounded strange the woods would be full of feathers. Congrats BTW, how did he not pick off your movement in a stand? First, I was shooting the Wicked Ridge Warrior Xbow so I didn't need to "draw down!" Second, they came in toward me with the sapling branches on the right side of the photo blocking me. Fortunately, the Tom was leading the Jakes and as soon as he cleared, he almost busted me. A nano second later I thumped him at 15 yards! |
|
|
|
Post by Woody Williams on Oct 16, 2022 14:23:31 GMT -5
I've always heard they lose all the feathers and grow them back. Always sounded strange the woods would be full of feathers. Congrats BTW, how did he not pick off your movement in a stand? First, I was shooting the Wicked Ridge Warrior Xbow so I didn't need to "draw down!" Second, they came in toward me with the sapling branches on the right side of the photo blocking me. Fortunately, the Tom was leading the Jakes and as soon as he cleared, he almost busted me. A nano second later I thumped him at 15 yards! Sounds like he was suicidal .. 😉 |
|
|
|
Post by Woody Williams on Oct 16, 2022 14:57:01 GMT -5
My taxidermist says fall birds are poor to mount. I killed a fall gobbler a few years back and asked him if he wanted it to make a stuffer decoy out of it. He declined it. I don’t recall exactly the reason but it had to do with feathers coming out of it.
|
|
|
|
Post by freedomhunter on Oct 16, 2022 15:11:58 GMT -5
Right on, well done it is hard to do
|
|
|
|
Post by MuzzleLoader on Oct 16, 2022 16:04:08 GMT -5
Can’t wait for Weds to get after a fall bird! My fav time hunt them.
|
|
|
|
Post by whitetaildave24 on Oct 16, 2022 17:16:40 GMT -5
I just figured he was going through “the change” and becoming a hen to fit in with todays society.
|
|
|
|
Post by HighCotton on Dec 14, 2022 14:27:53 GMT -5
I marinated one of the breasts from this turkey in Allegro Game Tame and then we had us a little Stir-Fry. Tasted great and the meat was surprisingly, the tenderest I've ever done with a wild turkey:  |
|
|
|
Post by titanium700 on Dec 23, 2022 20:51:13 GMT -5
Looks great
|
|
