Scoring your wild turkey

Not that I would ever dream of making this sport as vain as deer hunting , people are out there killing turkeys and I thought it might be of interest. If anything, it’s a way to help fairly gauge all of the attributes of a wild turkey that contribute to its overall size/age.

I score all of my birds for the journal I keep, but mostly just as something fun to do.

Make sure also to check out the automated scoring calculator, embedded as a link within this link:

How to Score Your Wild Turkey

Joel

Thanks Joel…I was wondering how they did that but never was curious enough to look it up!

Good post Joel! So can you please tell us what the scores mean in comparison to one another?

For example (I’ll use your vain deer hunting comparison above ), in order to qualify as a Pope & Young typical buck it needs to net 125″.

Is there a record book scoring system qualification for NWTF?
What does the state record (typical) tom score?
Is there a non-typical score for a tom? If so, what’s the difference?
What would a typical 2, 3, 4, 5 year old tom score?
When are you going to break the state record?

Brad:

I read somewhere once that the NWTF considers all turkeys with a score over 60 to be a trophy. There’s typical and non-typical categories just like with deer. A non-typical turkey has multiple beards and/or spurs. There’s also classes for weapon used.

Overall, the best Typical turkey taken in the state is below:

Hunter’s Name: JOHN KUHL
Home State: MN
Species: Eastern (Typical)
Harvest Date: May 17, 2003
Harvest Location: STEARNS, MN, USA
Total Score: 84.5625 #1*
Longest Beard: 11.6250″ #6*
Number of Beards: 1
Longest Spur: 1.8125″ #1*
Other Spur: 1.8125″
Weight: 25.0625 lbs. #18*
Method of Take: M Firearm
Calls Used: Box

http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/turkey_records.php

As for what an avg. 2, 3, 4, or 5 yr. old scores, so much is dependent upon winter diet, as well as time of year shot. A big tom can lose up to 5lbs. of his spongy yellow breast fat in a breeding season. That’s why you’re seeing the fatties being taken right now. That won’t be the case mid-late May. Beards can also snap off, making this a somewhat unreliable indicator. Basically, a high scoring bird is at least 3 years old (longer spurs than 1″), has a great beard, and is shot early in the season and comes in around 24+ lbs.

I won’t ever break that state record unless by luck. I like keeping tabs on big gobblers in the area, and two years ago, I was a bow release trigger away from taking the biggest bird I’ve ever seen. It was a 4 year old + bird that I’d been watching for a few years. He roosted in the same tree most mornings, and through a spotting scope, he had what looked to be 2″ spurs. Though he roosted in the same spot, he never left it the same way twice, until I finally called him into 30 yards and brush. With a gun, that bird was dead for a 1/2 hour. With a bow, he strutted for that amount of time. I had a hard time passing on him, and I haven’t seen him since. I know no one else got him, maybe a coyote did, but that bird was something special. Great beard, have no idea on the weight, but those hooks were scary. Kept mistaking them for his back toe.

I’m done chasing specific birds. Leads to too many broken hearts and unfilled tags.

Joel

Thanks for the info…thats very interesting…Ive been turkey hunting for maybe 6 years now and never thought of scoring a turkey…Thanks Joel….Jay

mine from this year scored 66.00
this is my 3rd over 66
and have 1 at 68.49 had some hooks long spurs will make your score add up fast that or multiple beards have yet to get a double bearded got a few split beards but never a double YET

good post joel

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Thanks for the info…thats very interesting…Ive been turkey hunting for maybe 6 years now and never thought of scoring a turkey…Thanks Joel….Jay

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I never thought about it either. I will from now on. But i think it was just blind luck on my part to get a bird like i did the first time out. Man am I hooked on this turkey hunting.

Absolutely love chasing turkeys. On thing I’ve always wondered, and maybe its been asked on here before. Is there any visable characteristics on a turkey that would help you field judge its age, besides spurs? I was once told that and old bird of 4+, his tail fan feathers will start to square off on the ends(far right and left side). I’ve never proved this to be true and just dismissed it. Anybody have any ideas? Not that I really care, I shoot the first long beard that comes in, just fruit for thought.