Estimating Age of Your Gobbler by Spur Length

[CT SwampHunter]

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll145/ctswamphunter/measurespur3.jpg

1/2 Inch or Less - 1 YEAR OLD "JAKE"

1/2 TO 7/8 Inch - 2 YEAR OLD BIRD

1 Inch - 3 YEAR OLD BIRD

1-1/4 Inch - 4 YEARS OLD BIRD

1-1/2 Inch - 5 YEARS OLD BIRD

[sn_lhy]

I think that you are over look one thing. the growth of spurs is dependent on the food source that the turkey is eating. if the turkey are having trouble finding good food they will have smaller spurs. i shot a bird last year that was three years old that had 5/8 inch spurs. i would like to point out that looking at the spurs only to age a turkey is not the best way to do it. it is the ease.
I would like to say that this is a good rule of hand but if your turkeys have small spurs don't mean that the turkey is a jake.
good luck
sean
http://www.bowarrowhunting.com

[CT SwampHunter]

It's only an Estimate.

[BobnMag]

The chart seems fairly accurate as mentioned a good estimate or starting point.
I'm lucky enough to have plenty of birds to check in our yard daily. Well fed (understatement) spoiled rotten.
The oldest toms I see daily are just 4 years old now. I've been able to keep track of them as they are broken
into many small groups that actually came from the same nest.
This year there are many jakes (1yr) a couple two, some single and pairs of threes and the fours are the largest
groups, with two sets of 3 toms, a couple duos and two singles.
My estimates is we have roughly 4 hens nesting close by each spring.
I've yet to be able to age the hens from a distance only that the older hens are a bit larger than the year olds and
more aggressive.
What I have noticed, not to hi-jack this thread, is similar to lions the males will sometime cooperate and take over,
driving off an older single individual tom. We started noticing this last year as the trios were 3 at the time and driving
away 4 year old toms that were loners. I thought it was pretty interesting so I figured I'd include here.

Maggie is thrilled when the hens bring out this year's brood to show them off, then they all run off into the marsh and nearby
woods. Sometimes the hens will keep them away for months before taking them back out where we can see them.

Over the past few years we've averaged between 24 and 40 birds. The big numbers generally in the winter and as spring approaches
many leave to find new grounds.

[CT SwampHunter]

I don't know what to make of it, I'm hooked on turkey hunting and I haven't even gotten close to one yet. :eyes: