# 20+ pound turkeys



## TenPtr (Apr 19, 2011)

It seems as if every other bird posted on this forum weighs in excess of 20 pounds.   Im not calling anyone a liar but I am more than skeptical.....   I have not seen nearly as many birds die as many folks on this forum have but I have been a part of 70+ gobbler deaths..   We dont always weigh our birds but we do on occassions....   I can think of 4 birds of the 70+ that I have taken part in that exceeded 20 lbs....  I hunt all over the state.   20 lbs is a very big bird regardless of where you hunt in GA.   The heaviest bird I have ever killed weighed 21 lbs and it was a 2 yr old (Newton County).   I have killed a decent mess of birds.    Anyone else struggle to tip the scales at 20 lbs??  Id say our average weight is 16-18 lbs.


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## deerhunter70 (Apr 19, 2011)

I killed a 2 year old bird this year and weighed it...it weighed in at 20 3/4lbs...


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## TenPtr (Apr 19, 2011)

I killed a 2yr old and a 4ish yr old this past weekend...The 2 yr old was noticeably heavier than the older bird........obviously due to breeding purposes, or was it?


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## BASS1FUN (Apr 19, 2011)

I carry my scales with me so thats the only means i go by


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## HALOJmpr (Apr 19, 2011)

1 FL, 1 GA bird so far .... both just under 19lbs  and 18lbs.... your theory is holding up so far   I'm hoping to kill a horse in the morning though.


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## yelper43 (Apr 19, 2011)

I have always been told to get a heavy bird shoot him early in the season. My personal best is 22.14 pounds.


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## Bruz (Apr 20, 2011)

My first and only bird....I killed it this year and it  weighed 21.4lbs on my digital fish scale...now these aren't "certified" but they are calibrated with check weights. 

The man I hunted with has killed 117 birds and stated it was one of the largest he had ever seen. 

I'm 6"2 and 350lbs for reference...


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## Twiggbuster (Apr 20, 2011)

My best bird ever- 21 lbs- opening day 2 yrs ago
Weighed on 3 different scales- still 21 lbs. 
Maybe some birds are 19 and people are calling them 20 which in turn makes it look like alot of 20 + birds being killed.


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## steveus (Apr 20, 2011)

Heaviest turkey I've ever killed weighed 19.5 lbs. 

Steve


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## gsubo (Apr 20, 2011)

I kill alot of mature birds in the 15-16 pound range.  Im not sure Ive ever killed one over 20 poinds but I havent weighed very many of em.  20 pounds is definately a huge bird..


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## Curtis-UGA (Apr 20, 2011)

My best was 25 lbs killed in Missouri. I don't believe I have ever killed a bird over 20 lbs in Georgia. I usually don't weigh them however.


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## smitty (Apr 20, 2011)

*weight*

Just like a deer,people just look at the size and put a weight on it !  Unless you put them on a scale you just cant look at that old bag of feathers and profess its 20 lbs.... I have a 4 y/o bird that tip the digital scales at 22.5 lbs


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## rutandstrut (Apr 20, 2011)

I have killed several that were over 20#. All of them were weighed on a Digital or Dial fish scale that had been checked for accuracy. My largest Eastern to date was 24.5# killed on Pine Bay Hunt Club, east of Perry, Florida. I also killed a Rio in Noryh Central Kansas that weighed 24#. I killed an Eastern this year on Hellfire Hunt Club, southeast of Perry, Florida. A lot of it depends on whether you get them eatly in the season or late andif there is any supplemental feeding being done on or neat the area you hunt. My first and smallest bird was an Osceola that I killed on Relay WMA, late season. He weighed 15.5#, had a 10.5" beard and 1 5/8" Spurs.


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## goblr77 (Apr 20, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> It seems as if every other bird posted on this forum weighs in excess of 20 pounds.   Im not calling anyone a liar but I am more than skeptical.....   I have not seen nearly as many birds die as many folks on this forum have but I have been a part of 70+ gobbler deaths..   We dont always weigh our birds but we do on occassions....   I can think of 4 birds of the 70+ that I have taken part in that exceeded 20 lbs....  I hunt all over the state.   20 lbs is a very big bird regardless of where you hunt in GA.   The heaviest bird I have ever killed weighed 21 lbs and it was a 2 yr old (Newton County).   I have killed a decent mess of birds.    Anyone else struggle to tip the scales at 20 lbs??  Id say our average weight is 16-18 lbs.



I agree with what you are saying. I've only killed 4 or 5 birds over 20 lbs with the heaviest being 22lbs 1oz. Most of my kills are in the 17-18 lb range, birds killed earlier in the season usually weigh the most for me. Hunt SW GA mostly but have killed birds in N GA, NW FL, and central Alabama.


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## Jody Hawk (Apr 20, 2011)

We had one killed on our club the first week of the season. When I saw it laying on the tailgate my first thought was that was one huge gobbler. They took it and weighed it on certified scales and it weighed 24 lbs.


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## Bo D (Apr 20, 2011)

post like this what made a good friend ditch this site, he and I killed two birds (well over 20) i wont say exact, witnessed by 4-5 others on certified scales, when my friend posted it, everyone and their mothers called him a liar to say the least, and how come he didnt register them for the record books, it was simple we and our area can careless about being in ANY record book...


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## Core Lokt (Apr 20, 2011)

Check out these two birds. 26+ and 24+ lbs not killed in Ga though.

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/forum/hunting/and-i-promised-earlier-post-rest-story


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## Payton Everett (Apr 20, 2011)

Thats nothin a had somebody tell me the other day that they killed a 40 + pound eastern wild turkey...


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## boparks (Apr 20, 2011)

Iagree alot is exaggerated......I think it depends on where you hunt, how early in the season you kill the bird, the scales you use, and whether you're actually weighing or guessing.

Similar to deer.....amazing how many 200 pounders have been killed in Ga.....lol

The older the old spring fish scales are the better they'll be to you.....I checked a bird with my older spring loaded scales this year and there was a pound difference from the newer digital scales 

In the Flint River swamp 20 was not un common and a few times over a decade a few 22-23 showed up....on pretty 
accurate scales.......these birds had plenty to eat and probably could eat two pounds of Mosquitos a day if they just walked around with their mouths open.....around  Pine Mountain a few 20s but nothing over 21 was ever killed where I hunted...an average was 18-19 lbs


The biggest were almost always killed the first two weekends

Behind my house 20 would be big.....in Texas and Montana 20  would be average

I agree with what you say in that everyone stretches it except me...

My guess is south and north Ga would average less than 
much of middle Ga


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## Booner Killa (Apr 20, 2011)

Bo D said:


> post like this what made a good friend ditch this site, he and I killed two birds (well over 20) i wont say exact, witnessed by 4-5 others on certified scales, when my friend posted it, everyone and their mothers called him a liar to say the least, and how come he didnt register them for the record books, it was simple we and our area can careless about being in ANY record book...



Which is exactly why he said he's not calling anyone a liar in his original post! I can't say that I've killed one over 20 lbs either. I killed a bird on BF Grant a few years ago that was a toad but never weighed him so I really can't say! It's about like a 200lb deerEverybody's deer weighs 200 lbs til they're actually placed on scales!


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## Millpond (Apr 20, 2011)

*20 lber.*

The 20 pounder is more common than you might think.


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## Trizey (Apr 20, 2011)

I've killed several over 20lbs in GA and AL.  I believe all of them were two year olds.  My largest was a 25lb AL bird that was killed after a particularly good mast crop in the fall.  The gobblers I'm referring to were all weighed as well.  That 25lb bird has a fan that dwarf's my others.


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## jpreed (Apr 20, 2011)

*2 birds 1 yr over 20#*

I have killed a lot of birds over the years don’t recall having one over 20# but my 14 yr old scored on 2 birds over 20# in one year may take a long time to do again. No a price tag on being there with him on both hunts priceless!!!!


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## hawglips (Apr 20, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> I can think of 4 birds of the 70+ that I have taken part in that exceeded 20 lbs....  I hunt all over the state.   20 lbs is a very big bird regardless of where you hunt in GA.



The last two birds I've killed in GA (Hancock Co.) were in excess of 21 lbs.   4 out of the last 6 I've killed (NC, VA, GA) weighed in excess of 20 lbs.  

I think that birds must be getting bigger due to food plots, corn piles, etc.  Up until 4 years ago, it was rare for me to see a bird killed that weighed more than 20 lbs.  But not lately.


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## dawg2 (Apr 20, 2011)

My first bird this year was slightly over 20lbs, weighed on a digital scale about an hour or so after I killed him.  I have killed quite a few in my area at or above 20lbs.  They average closer to 18-19lbs.  I think a lot has to do with their available food sources.


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## Gutbucket (Apr 20, 2011)

I have killed turkeys all over the state. From what I have seen, Turkeys that grow on sand will weigh less but have a lot longer spurs. Turkeys that grow on clay will weigh more, but the spurs will not be as impressive. 

This may be why some on here have never seen a 20 lb turkey, while others have seen several.


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## Gadget (Apr 20, 2011)

Trizey said:


> I've killed several over 20lbs in GA and AL.  I believe all of them were two year olds.  My largest was a 25lb AL bird that was killed after a particularly good mast crop in the fall.  The gobblers I'm referring to were all weighed as well.  That 25lb bird has a fan that dwarf's my others.





I think there might of been one killed in the North Ga mountains on public land this past weekend that tipped the scales at 22lbs on a Berkley digital fish scale......


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## dtala (Apr 20, 2011)

I weigh all of mine on IGFA certified scales.

My best weighed 24-2, year before last. Next best was an Osecola that weighed 22-0. Prolly killed two dozen over 20 pounds.

Also it depends on where you hunt. I hunted a place in east Wilcox Co Al that we never killled a bird over 17 lbs, most of em weighed 15-16 lbs.

I killed a Greene Co Al bird that weighed 12-2, 10 inch beard. He was NOT skinny, just very small framed.

  troy


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## Mcgaughey5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I have killed a few over 20lbs in ga.  I don't think it is a uncommon as you would think.  I have kill 4 birds in Missouri and they were all 21-25lbs.  I think everything out there is bigger with all the farming that goes on.


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## rex upshaw (Apr 20, 2011)

I'm not too concerned about weight, or people's guesses on them. I don't carry a scale and more often than not, don't carry a camera.


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## MKW (Apr 20, 2011)

*...*

I think I've killed 5 or 6 that were over 20lbs, but I didn't weigh them at all for the first 10 years or so. Now I weigh most on a digital fish scale. All 6 that I've killed so far this season in GA and SC have been 16-18lbs. One that I called in for another guy in SC weighed 20lbs 14oz, had 11-1/4" beard and 1-1/4" spurs. Probably gave away my best bird of the season!   
I don't think 20+lb turkeys are that unusual, but certainly not the norm. 

Mike


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## ehunt (Apr 20, 2011)

i killed one this year ended up with 6  -1 lb. bags of breast meat


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## BERN (Apr 20, 2011)

I killed one at PWNR that was 21.5 and one in Harris Co. That was 21.

I read that Tom Kelly has only killed one 20 lb. bird in his life.


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## hawglips (Apr 20, 2011)

By the way tenptr, I DO believe with you that lots of folks tend to exaggerate the weight of their turkeys, and that a lot of the 20+ lb birds reported are most likely exaggerations.


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## 2bbshot (Apr 20, 2011)

To me a 20lb turkey is like a 10lb bass or a 200lb deer they are just nice round numbers that alot of people use when estimating weight.


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## Mcgaughey5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Personally weight is the least thing I am worried about when I judge a turkey.  Those Spurs and Beard are what I live for!!


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## 2bbshot (Apr 20, 2011)

For example I have a bass mounted that weighed 9lb 4oz people will look at that fish and say it has to weigh 12lb or say I caught one ten pounds and yours is bigger. There are alot of 7-9lb bass mounted that people will tell you were 10lb. Same goes for turkeys lots of birds are called 20lb but probably weigh 17-18lb. 

But in the end who does it hurt? If it makes someone excited to think the killed a 20lb turkey then so be it. Its just and ole fancy colored buzzard anyway.


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## MKW (Apr 20, 2011)

*...*



Mcgaughey5 said:


> Personally weight is the least thing I am worried about when I judge a turkey.  Those Spurs and Beard are what I live for!!



True for me too. I dont care at all what they weigh. I weigh them out of curiosity, but spurs are what I'm after!

Mike


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## Gut_Pile (Apr 20, 2011)

It's funny how many "20 pounders" get brought into our store for the contest and they end up weighing 17-19 pounds. This year we have had quite a few over 20. Last year I think we had one or two.

I have killed one bird that weighed 20 pounds on fish scales. The others I would guess in the 16-18 pound range.

16-18 pounds in what I would consider an average bird.


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## rhbama3 (Apr 20, 2011)

dawg2 said:


> My first bird this year was slightly over 20lbs, weighed on a digital scale about an hour or so after I killed him.  I have killed quite a few in my area at or above 20lbs.  They average closer to 18-19lbs.  I think a lot has to do with their available food sources.



I killed one bird in Macon County several years ago that was 22.5 pounds by handheld digital scale. All the rest have been 16-19 pounds. My pet theory is that they just don't eat much when the "rut" is on and lose weight as the season progresses.


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## widowmaker1 (Apr 20, 2011)

I dont think a 20 pound bird is that uncommon, i've killed two over 20. the one in my avatar  was killed monday 4-18, it weighed 21 pounds. I use a seed/grain scale that I calobrate with a 5 pound lab weight. my wifes first bird was a little over 22 pounds. granted most are 17 or 18 pounds but 20 pounders i dont think are that scarce


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## TenPtr (Apr 20, 2011)

Good posts guys.   Its interesting reading everyones responses.


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## bangbird (Apr 20, 2011)

I've killed 6 this season.  Didn't weigh any of them but only one did I guess went 20lbs or slightly over....


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## RiGGer82 (Apr 20, 2011)

Maybe ur just huntin a bunch of Jakes.


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## hawglips (Apr 20, 2011)

Mcgaughey5 said:


> Personally weight is the least thing I am worried about when I judge a turkey.  Those Spurs and Beard are what I live for!!



I hunt and live only for the rush.   

It's nice to see long, sharp spurs, but the beard length and weight are nothing more than elements of curiosity to me.


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## wack em (Apr 20, 2011)

Very few birds go over 20, out of the ones I have killed I would say 1 out of every 10. Most are 16-18. I have killed more mature birds that weighed 15 pounds than I have 20 pounders.


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## nhancedsvt (Apr 20, 2011)

Gut_Pile said:


> It's funny how many "20 pounders" get brought into our store for the contest and they end up weighing 17-19 pounds. This year we have had quite a few over 20. Last year I think we had one or two.
> 
> I have killed one bird that weighed 20 pounds on fish scales. The others I would guess in the 16-18 pound range.
> 
> 16-18 pounds in what I would consider and average bird.



Mine that I brought in was a "20 pounder." Can't remember the exact weight but it wasn't Top 3 so I didn't enter it.

2 of the 3 birds I killed this year weighed 20+ pounds. The third bird was 19 and some change.


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## 0AK (Apr 20, 2011)

Ive always thought the average was around 17 or so too. 

I used a scale dnr had provided at the checkstation of the wma for 3 birds this year and they went 20.5, 21.25, and 18.  

The 20.5 double bearder and his 18 pound buddy were on the opener and the 21.5 river bird was on the week after.  Heaviest birds ive ever had by an easy 2 pounds.

I reckon i should give or take a pound off of the wma check station scale....im sure its off a little, just like the kill sheets at the check stations...

Also- why does it always seem the long spurred mature birds weigh less? They just get that much play i guess? Or is that just my perception? idk just talk for conversation.


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## Brad C. (Apr 20, 2011)

19-20lbs is just about the typical avg for a MO bird.  24lbs has been my biggest so far.  I too find it hard to believe on a lot of these 20lb+ birds here for GA.  Some may do it, but a lot of them aren't weighed by good fish scales or they aren't even weighed at all.


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## Beagler282 (Apr 20, 2011)

Guess we need to start taking a pic of them on the scales and posting it.


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## rex upshaw (Apr 20, 2011)

Beagler282 said:


> Guess we need to start taking a pic of them on the scales and posting it.



or not worry about it altogether.


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## 2bbshot (Apr 20, 2011)

Gut_Pile said:


> It's funny how many "20 pounders" get brought into our store for the contest and they end up weighing 17-19 pounds. This year we have had quite a few over 20. Last year I think we had one or two.
> 
> I have killed one bird that weighed 20 pounds on fish scales. The others I would guess in the 16-18 pound range.
> 
> 16-18 pounds in what I would consider and average bird.



I know what you mean I worked at the same store and weighed a pile of turkeys for the turkey contest and the vast majority of them weighed less than 20lb. And since were talkin turkey how many 1.5in spurs have you measured? Probably like me not many but seems like you see em everyday on the forum.


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## Beagler282 (Apr 20, 2011)

rex upshaw said:


> or not worry about it altogether.



Even sounds like a better idea.


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## mike1225 (Apr 20, 2011)

A good friend of mine who was killed in a tornado in Wilcox County told me if you killed a 19 pound turkey in Wilcox County you could start looking for the corn! We killed several since 1974 & not many of those weighed more than 17-18 pounds.





dtala said:


> I weigh all of mine on IGFA certified scales.
> 
> My best weighed 24-2, year before last. Next best was an Osecola that weighed 22-0. Prolly killed two dozen over 20 pounds.
> 
> ...


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## HermitGobbler (Apr 20, 2011)

I weigh every bird that I kill with a set of fish scales that go to 25 lbs, and I have killed exactly 2 birds that weighed over 20 lbs, and called in one other for my son that weighed 20 lbs.   Most of the gobblers that I have killed weighed between 16 and 18 lbs, with a few 19 lbs.  

I live in Florida, though, and I know we don't grow them as big as some other places.


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## Fuller (Apr 20, 2011)

It must have something to do with location. I have killed several over 20 and been witness to a couple more. Most I kill are 17-19 pounds, but I kill one over 20 every 3 or 4 years. My First bird was 21.75 on seed scales and largest was 25.2 on digital bathroom scales. He had a 12.5 inch beard and 1.5 inch spurs and was the biggest bird I have seen in the woods.


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## fredw (Apr 20, 2011)

Good thread.

I've weighed each bird I've taken (on a Rapala digital scale).  Two birds have weighed between 20 and 21 pounds (one Eastern and one Rio).  The remainder have run between 16 pounds and nineteen plus pounds).


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## Brad C. (Apr 20, 2011)

Well I weighed this one at the Missouri Dept of Conservation building and had the conservation agent weigh it.  The other guy came along for the show since I told them I had a big bird and I wanted to know what it weighed for sure.  It weighed 23.98 and kept blinking to 24.06lbs.  He said call it 24lbs.  Some are killed at 25lbs occasionally here, but not too many actually will weigh it.  Weighing on a good digital fish scale will tell the tale to 2oz.  







And this was the bonus prize!  LOL!


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## Brad C. (Apr 20, 2011)

fredw said:


> Good thread.
> 
> I've weighed each bird I've taken (on a Rapala digital scale).  Two birds have weighed between 20 and 21 pounds (one Eastern and one Rio).  The remainder have run between 16 pounds and nineteen plus pounds).



That's what I now have Fred.  Very accurate.

I would recommend it to any member here.


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## fredw (Apr 20, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> That's what I now have Fred.  Very accurate.
> 
> I would recommend it to any member here.



Brad, that's just like the one I use.


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## the ben pearson hunter (Apr 20, 2011)

out of the 3 ive killed not one has been under 20 lb. my first two were 23 and the other (this years) was about 21 or 22 and im hunting just inside of the tn/ga line.


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## Killdee (Apr 20, 2011)

I used to always weigh em and have killed 2 that weighed 24.5 and 24. a couple others 21-20 most 18 and under.


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## TenPtr (Apr 20, 2011)

When I posted this thread I should have specified GA turkeys because thats what this was meant to be about.  20+ pound GA turkeys.  I have only hunted out of state 3 times for a total of 5 birds so my experience with "foreign" birds is limited.   I know they grow them big out in the states within the western most habitat range of the Eastern.   I know there are areas of GA that produce heavy weights as well.   Thats what Im curious about.   The place I hunt in Newton county has produced several 20+ pound turkeys.   Thats where my heaviest bird came from as a 2yr old.   There was a certified 23.9 pounder killed off the place opening day of this season.   Meanwhile, at my place in southeast GA which I have been hunting/managing for 5 years.....   54 mature birds have been taken off the property and of the 20-25 birds we actually weighed....only 2 broke the 20 lb mark.   I have held all 54 birds killed on our place and these 2 were without a doubt the only 20 pounders.    Opening day we killed 2 yr old and a 3 yr old that combined for a weight of 27.8 lbs!   The bird with 1 1/8" sharp spurs weighed 13.8 pounds and the other was a 14 lb 2 yr old!   

The reason I started this thread is not to call folks out for stretching the truth......I just want to know more about legitimate body weights and what some of the common factors seem to be......geographic regions of the state, specific counties, habitats, etc...    Sometimes the best way to get an answer is to ask a question that sparks a debate.   Apparently, thats exactly what has happened here.   Lots of responses!  Lots of answers! Standard amount of folks taking offense and whining

Truth be told- I dont care about body weight as much as spurs.  Im a spur man, thats all there is to it.   Body weight is just something that I dont know much about so its interesting.   I hear so much about 20-25 pound birds on these forums and through the turkey hunting grapevine but due to my limited "hands on" experience with birds of this caliber, I cant help but to question the legitimacy of most claims.    


What areas commonly produce heavy birds? Northwest GA? Northeast GA?  Piedmont region? Coastal plain? Plantation region of S-SW GA?  Are most of these birds 2 yr olds/ subordinate or are they the old dominant breeding birds?   Field birds? Timber tract birds? Hardwood birds?  Swamp birds? River birds? Mountain birds? Early season?     Is there a common factor or is there no rhyme or reason to producing heavy weight gobblers?



This is what a 23.9 pound turkey looks like   Huntinfool watched his wife kill this bird opening day of the season


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## hummdaddy (Apr 20, 2011)

my bird this year weighed 14 lbs


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## Brad C. (Apr 20, 2011)

TenPtr,

I knew what you were saying and I was talking about MO birds to illustrate your point.  The truth is a lot of folks like to stretch the truth.  I guess it's human nature.  Like I said a 19-20lb bird is just about avg in MO from what I have seen, so we know that avg is bigger than the avg GA birds.  MO has some of the biggest official weight birds on record.  A matter of fact, I would bet MO has more birds that weigh 24lbs or over than probably any other state.  When I see all these birds that are claimed to weigh 22 and 23lbs or more I kind of get the chuckles.  Especially those that are claimed to be killed in the southern states.


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## TenPtr (Apr 20, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> TenPtr,
> 
> I knew what you were saying and I was talking about MO birds to illustrate your point.  The truth is a lot of folks like to stretch the truth.  I guess it's human nature.  Like I said a 19-20lb bird is just about avg in MO from what I have seen, so we know that avg is bigger than the avg GA birds.  MO has some of the biggest official weight birds on record.  A matter of fact, I would bet MO has more birds that weigh 24lbs or over than probably any other state.  When I see all these birds that are claimed to weigh 22 and 23lbs or more I kind of get the chuckles.  Especially those that are claimed to be killed in the southern states.




I have always wanted to hunt out there.   Thanks for answering the question and providing that information


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## Fuller (Apr 20, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> TenPtr,
> When I see all these birds that are claimed to weigh 22 and 23lbs or more I kind of get the chuckles.  Especially those that are claimed to be killed in the southern states.



Ga State record is 31+ or so and the top 6 are 25 pounds and up. Top 25 are all over 22 pounds.


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## Brad C. (Apr 20, 2011)

Fuller said:


> Ga State record is 31+ or so and the top 6 are 25 pounds and up. Top 25 are all over 22 pounds.



Those are the ones that have been corn fed all year round.  MO has been killing big birds for a long time.  My buddy has killed a 25lb bird and his dad has killed a 26lb.  Every year in MO 25lb and 26lb birds are recorded with some up to 28lbs.  But those are rare.  Any bird that pushes weights heavier than probably 28lbs are getting a lot of hand feed that is easy pickens.


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## gregg (Apr 20, 2011)

I know this thread is about Georgia birds, but out of the 60 or so Florida birds my father and I killed, maybe 2 or 3 were over 20 pounds(and just barely), most were 17-18 lbs. I haven't weighed the Georgia birds on a reliable scale, but they seemed to be a pound or so heavier....not much help I know!


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## Hawken2222 (Apr 20, 2011)

I have killed a few birds over the years, and my first bird this year weighed over 20 pounds.  It's my first GA bird over the 20# mark.  When I hunted Iowa pretty regularly, those birds were heavier.  I would say there average weight was in the 20-22# range.


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## Brad C. (Apr 20, 2011)

Hawken, 

That Berkley scale is super accurate.  That's a good one there for sure.


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## blong (Apr 20, 2011)

Here is a 24 lb giant my buddy smoked in Mo. yesterday!!


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## weathermantrey (Apr 20, 2011)

I've killed around 40 gobblers in the northwest corner of South Carolina.(just across the lake from northeast Georgia)

All of my turkeys get weighed on digital scales and I would say at least 1/3 of them have been over 20lbs.  The biggest being 23lbs 9oz.   

Maybe it's a genetic thing?


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## Killdee (Apr 20, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> When I posted this thread I should have specified GA turkeys because thats what this was meant to be about.  20+ pound GA turkeys.  I have only hunted out of state 3 times for a total of 5 birds so my experience with "foreign" birds is limited.   I know they grow them big out in the states within the western most habitat range of the Eastern.   I know there are areas of GA that produce heavy weights as well.   Thats what Im curious about.   The place I hunt in Newton county has produced several 20+ pound turkeys.   Thats where my heaviest bird came from as a 2yr old.   There was a certified 23.9 pounder killed off the place opening day of this season.   Meanwhile, at my place in southeast GA which I have been hunting/managing for 5 years.....   54 mature birds have been taken off the property and of the 20-25 birds we actually weighed....only 2 broke the 20 lb mark.   I have held all 54 birds killed on our place and these 2 were without a doubt the only 20 pounders.    Opening day we killed 2 yr old and a 3 yr old that combined for a weight of 27.8 lbs!   The bird with 1 1/8" sharp spurs weighed 13.8 pounds and the other was a 14 lb 2 yr old!
> 
> The reason I started this thread is not to call folks out for stretching the truth......I just want to know more about legitimate body weights and what some of the common factors seem to be......geographic regions of the state, specific counties, habitats, etc...    Sometimes the best way to get an answer is to ask a question that sparks a debate.   Apparently, thats exactly what has happened here.   Lots of responses!  Lots of answers! Standard amount of folks taking offense and whining
> 
> ...



Both birds I mentioned that weighed 24.5 and 24 came from Troup county. 1 was likely the result of being fed regulary by the adjacent farmer, the other was a later season kill and both were mature birds with 1-1/4-1-3/8 spurs.BTW I hate to mention this with all the skepticism but the 2nd bird had been field dressed before weighing and at the time would have likely been a top 10 in the Ga.weight dept. No big deal I also am more impressed by long sharp curved spurs over beard and weight.


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## dtala (Apr 21, 2011)

I've kept an accurate journal for the last 45 years, every deer, turkey,pig, etc I ever killed. Every turkey has its weight, beard length, and spur length entered. Weights are on IGFA certified fish scales.

Some of DO actually weigh em.....

 troy


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## Huntinfool (Apr 21, 2011)

You callin' me a liar?


Huh?


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Apr 21, 2011)

I weighed my bird on my digital fish scale.  I hung it 3 times and got a fluctuation between 19.9 and 20.0 everytime.  If just wouldn't settle, so I'm guessing it was actually 19.95, but I called it 20 even.


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## the ben pearson hunter (Apr 21, 2011)

my dad killed a bird the came in at 22lb this morning. hunting near the georgia line again...i reckon birds are just bigger the farther up you go.


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## DMP (Apr 21, 2011)

Only killed two that weighed more than 20 lbs.  Biggest was 23 lbs and both birds were killed on a farm.


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## Randy (Apr 21, 2011)

The one I killed opening morning was 21lbs 6 oz. On digital fish scales.


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## Unicoidawg (Apr 21, 2011)

I have killed several over 20lbs here in Northeast GA. I weigh all of mine. One of the two I shot last week was 21lbs on a handheld scale and the other was 16 on the same scale. I also have the largest bird I have ever killed mounted on the wall and he was 24lbs 10oz by digital scales with 2 beards and 1 1/4 spurs. Hence me spending almost 500bucks having him mounted. There are heavy birds around, but some of the finest trophies I have ever seen were slim and trim "ridge runners". I shot one a few years back and he only weighed 15lbs, but he had a rope and some sharp daggers.


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## Timber1 (Apr 22, 2011)

3 of the last 5 birds I killed were over 20 lbs. Weighed on Berkley digital fish scales. 24 lbs. 2 oz. 22 lbs. 10 oz. and 22 lbs. All 3 killed on the same WMA. Not the norm for sure. That particular WMA has some fat birds I guess. The 2 biggest were killed on the 3rd day of the season last year and the other last week.


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## Gadget (Apr 22, 2011)

the ben pearson hunter said:


> my dad killed a bird the came in at 22lb this morning. hunting near the georgia line again...i reckon birds are just bigger the farther up you go.





That does seem to be part of the equation, I've weighed over a dozen 2+yr old gobblers the last few years killed in the South Florida swamps of the everglades, about as far South as you can kill one, the range has been 12-15lbs for mature gobblers, the deer are small too, mature bucks weigh only around 100lbs and the does 75 or so. The gobblers in there also have small beards and spurs to go with the small body.


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## Fairplayky (Apr 22, 2011)

Out in Western Kentucky the gobblers have to be big to survive.  I once heard a man avow that they had mosquitos in the Clear Creek Swamp that were big enough to stand flat footed and breed a wild turkey.  Now friends, that a big skeeter!


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## peanutman04 (Apr 22, 2011)

hunted for 14 yrs never killed one 20 lbs then in 08  killed 3 all 20+ weighed on certified scales and havn't killed one over 19 lbs since. maybe weather plays apart.


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## CAL (Apr 22, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> It seems as if every other bird posted on this forum weighs in excess of 20 pounds.   Im not calling anyone a liar but I am more than skeptical.....   I have not seen nearly as many birds die as many folks on this forum have but I have been a part of 70+ gobbler deaths..   We dont always weigh our birds but we do on occassions....   I can think of 4 birds of the 70+ that I have taken part in that exceeded 20 lbs....  I hunt all over the state.   20 lbs is a very big bird regardless of where you hunt in GA.   The heaviest bird I have ever killed weighed 21 lbs and it was a 2 yr old (Newton County).   I have killed a decent mess of birds.    Anyone else struggle to tip the scales at 20 lbs??  Id say our average weight is 16-18 lbs.



Was just talking today to a 91 year old turkey hunter from the past.He said any bird that weighed in the 20 lb.range had a lots of tame turkey in them.Said most all wild birds weigh in the 14-18 lb.range.


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## Bo D (Apr 23, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> Those are the ones that have been corn fed all year round.  MO has been killing big birds for a long time.  My buddy has killed a 25lb bird and his dad has killed a 26lb.  Every year in MO 25lb and 26lb birds are recorded with some up to 28lbs.  But those are rare.  Any bird that pushes weights heavier than probably 28lbs are getting a lot of hand feed that is easy pickens.



 So you are saying our state record was corn fed all year? Dumbest comment so far on this thread, Ive seen it get done and it was just a property that was LOADED with birds and NOT one person had hunted this place in 6 years prior. You have no clue what you are talking about!!!


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## Brad C. (Apr 23, 2011)

Bo D said:


> So you are saying our state record was corn fed all year? Dumbest comment so far on this thread, Ive seen it get done and it was just a property that was LOADED with birds and NOT one person had hunted this place in 6 years prior. You have no clue what you are talking about!!!



I said any bird that gets up around 28 is a big bird and very rare even for the midwestern states, and anything bigger has had some easy hand pickens.  Now that is really a generalization statement and that will go for any state more times than not.  There may be exceptions to the rule like anything, but don't think for a minute that any bird over 28lbs in the wild is even close to be even halfway to the norm for it isn't.  A lot of these 30lb+ birds that are on record now were totally unheard of back in the 70's and even most of the 80's until all the trend on feeding your game took place with all these auto feeders that were coming out at the time.  That was more for whitetail than anything, but turkeys will hit these feeders as well.  And a lot of people will make their own or just buy bags of corn and place it on the ground.  And as far as GA goes, it is probably one of the biggest baiting states that there is in the US along with TX.  I wonder how many people in the state of GA are hunting over a cornpile or close to one illegally as I type this.  And just because one piece of property in the state of GA isn't using any corn doesn't mean you won't have to look hard before you will find a piece of property very close that is.


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## Brad C. (Apr 23, 2011)

And for those that are weighing all of their birds on good fish scales or another source of certified type scales that most don't have access to I applaud your efforts and your weights that you are getting for they are very accurate weights and are justified.  To the rest of you that are using just any ole scale or no scale at all and just throw a say 22lb guesstimate out there just to make it sound good are the ones thats fish stories just keep getting bigger and bigger each year.


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## Brad C. (Apr 23, 2011)

And speaking of records on weight, I encourage you to go and check your state records in the 70's and 80's and see how big the birds were heaviest on record.  Might even be able to go to some of the 90's as well.  I think you will get my drift.


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## River Rambler (Apr 23, 2011)

*21 lber today- North Georgia*

Killed my first turkey this afternoon. Weighed 21lbs. on digital house scale.
10" beard, 1 and 1/16th spur....probably two year old.

It was with another of equal size. Later called in a bigger Tom but got busted.


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## Ricochet (Apr 23, 2011)

MKW said:


> True for me too. I dont care at all what they weigh. I weigh them out of curiosity, but spurs are what I'm after!
> 
> Mike



Me 3...this year is the first time I have weighted my birds.  #1 this year was 15.5 lbs., #2 was 17.5 lbs. and today's bird was 20 lbs. (2-year old).


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## Son (Apr 24, 2011)

I've taken a few Georgia gobblers over 20 pounds. Largest weighed 26 pounds. couple went 25.5 pounds. But it seems our gobbler weights have finally gone down to normal again. Averaging around 19 pounds, and a couple a little less. A neighboring farmer who is also in the fowl business hatched off some wild turkey eggs he ordered from somewhere a few years back. He eventually turned his turkeys loose as they were not doing well in captivity. That's when we started getting big gobblers. We may have killed em out now though, but there had to be some cross breeding with the native birds. Anyway, some of those large gobblers had some strange colored feathers.
This season our gobblers have averaged around 19 pounds, not bad.
Here's a picture of the 26 pounder, notice his secondary wing feathers.






Here's a couple 19 pounders from this season. Both double beards.










We may have run out of heavy gobblers, but that's OK.
Largest Alabama gobbler I've ever killed weighed 23.5 pounds from Macon Co.


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## Son (Apr 24, 2011)

Here's a 19 pounder with the orange secondary wing feathers


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## GA DAWG (Apr 24, 2011)

I've saw a 23,24.5 and 25.5 lb turkeys dead.All killed within 500 yards of each other.All off public land in north ga.2 were saw weighed by the guy that watches over the wma. Killed one in same area this year but he only went 21. Didn't let him get old enough I guess.


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## Brad C. (Apr 24, 2011)

Don't forget that MO was probably one of the biggest if not the biggest state to contribute the most numbers of captured turkeys with cannon nets for the introduction of increasing turkey populations in a lot of states throughout the nation that hardly had many throughout the 70's and 80's and probably the 90's as well.  Remember that next time you kill a big one.


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## dtala (Apr 24, 2011)

Don't know about Ga but none of Alabamas reintroduced birds came from MO, or out of state. All came from south Alabama.

  troy


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## Fuller (Apr 24, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> Don't forget that MO was probably one of the biggest if not the biggest state to contribute the most numbers of captured turkeys with cannon nets for the introduction of increasing turkey populations in a lot of states throughout the nation that hardly had many throughout the 70's and 80's and probably the 90's as well.  Remember that next time you kill a big one.



What does this have to do with anything? Why does Missouri keep coming up in all your posts? Im not trying to start an argument or sound mean.


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## Public Land Prowler (Apr 24, 2011)

Ive killed over 50 toms in my life..and helped bring down another 30 or so.....I have killed 4 over 20lb...2 from Nebraska,and 2 from Kansas..my heavies was 25lb 2oz in Kansas..NONE over 20# in Ga...People all around me shoot 20 pounders every year though????... Everyone else aso kills 150# spikes,when thats about as big as my 4.5yr old 8pts get?..but their 4.5yr old 8pts weigh 200-225#?....And I kill hogs maxing around the 200-230# range,but everyone around me shoots 350-400 pounders?...lol..guess I just dont get the big ones..


I have shot toms with 10" beards as low as 9lb 13oz at the end of season,but usually 14-15# around the end of season,and an average bird early on will be 16-18 with my best ga bird being 19#...


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## Son (Apr 24, 2011)

I've read and heard Mo has the heaviest turkeys in the nation. Don't really know, never hunted there.
But when I hunted Osceolas in South Fl, they averaged 16 to 17 pounds for mature gobblers.
When I hunted Al, they averaged 17 to 18 pounds in Macon Co.


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## Public Land Prowler (Apr 24, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> I killed a 2yr old and a 4ish yr old this past weekend...The 2 yr old was noticeably heavier than the older bird........obviously due to breeding purposes, or was it?



2yr olds,and toms that arent the man usually do weigh more..fast,lightweight birds usually win fights,and breed the hens..staying puffed up,and not eating..leaving the other birds time to eat..and keep their weight up..lol



Gutbucket said:


> I have killed turkeys all over the state. From what I have seen, Turkeys that grow on sand will weigh less but have a lot longer spurs. Turkeys that grow on clay will weigh more, but the spurs will not be as impressive.
> 
> This may be why some on here have never seen a 20 lb turkey, while others have seen several.



I agree...My longest spurred turkeys come from sandy areas..





River Rambler said:


> Killed my first turkey this afternoon. Weighed 21lbs. on digital house scale.
> 10" beard, 1 and 1/16th spur....probably two year old.
> 
> It was with another of equal size. Later called in a bigger Tom but got busted.


Congrats!! Thats a 3yr old..


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## chevyman2000 (Apr 24, 2011)

The bird in my sig was 24 lbs and 4oz on a butchers scale.  That is my personal best. 

Chev


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## Woods Savvy (Apr 24, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> It seems as if every other bird posted on this forum weighs in excess of 20 pounds.   Im not calling anyone a liar but I am more than skeptical.....   I have not seen nearly as many birds die as many folks on this forum have but I have been a part of 70+ gobbler deaths..   We dont always weigh our birds but we do on occassions....   I can think of 4 birds of the 70+ that I have taken part in that exceeded 20 lbs....  I hunt all over the state.   20 lbs is a very big bird regardless of where you hunt in GA.   The heaviest bird I have ever killed weighed 21 lbs and it was a 2 yr old (Newton County).   I have killed a decent mess of birds.    Anyone else struggle to tip the scales at 20 lbs??  Id say our average weight is 16-18 lbs.



This bird tipped the scales at 28lbs, the bird killed there this year was 25lbs.  I think it has a lot to do with where you hunt. But, we have killed several in Georgia that were over 20lbs.


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## Nitro (Apr 24, 2011)

A Mountain Gobbler weighing over 20 pounds is danged rare. I mean unheard of.

Chestnuts, acorns and Hickory nuts are hardly conducive to putting fat on a Gobbler. 

From your own photos, that bird looks like 18-19 lbs tops............My best GA Gobbler weight wise was from Stephens  County, GA - 24 lbs 3 oz and I am sure the corn he ate from cow paddies helped him make a living in what is otherwise a nutritionally deficient area of the state.

It's tough for a Gobbler to put on lbs eating pine cones...

FWIW. Just sayin.

I have killed birds in the nutrient rich areas of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri that I would swear weighed 30 lbs until they were weighed only to find they weighed 22-23 lbs......


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## Brad C. (Apr 24, 2011)

Well said Nitro.


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## Bow Only (Apr 25, 2011)

I got one a few years ago that went 23.75 lbs on certified scales.  He would have scored top 10 in the state for bow kill had I turned it in.


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## Fuller (Apr 25, 2011)

Nitro said:


> A Mountain Gobbler weighing over 20 pounds is danged rare. I mean unheard of.
> 
> Chestnuts, acorns and Hickory nuts are hardly conducive to putting fat on a Gobbler.
> 
> ...



There used to be an old guy that lived at the check station on Chestatee WMA during turkey season and weighed and measured all the birds brought in to be signed out. I killed one the first week of the season in 2004 or so that pulled his scale to 21.5 and the old guy said in all his years of signing birds out of Chestatee it was the heaviest he had ever seen from there. He said he had only seen a couple over the years that touched 20 lbs and he was really surprised by my bird. So yeah, 20 pounders from the mountains are extremely rare.


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## Woods Savvy (Apr 25, 2011)

Nitro said:


> A Mountain Gobbler weighing over 20 pounds is danged rare. I mean unheard of.
> 
> Chestnuts, acorns and Hickory nuts are hardly conducive to putting fat on a Gobbler.
> 
> ...



You know what's ridiculous is all the haters on this forum.  That is not what this forum is about.  Instead of congratulating a great bird, great hunt, etc. you have to down it.  Furthermore you should get your facts straight and look in up on the ntf.com website!  But I guess since you haven't killed one it doesn't exist, does it work that way with Jesus too???? Stop hating!


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## TenPtr (Apr 26, 2011)

Woods Savvy said:


> You know what's ridiculous is all the haters on this forum.  That is not what this forum is about.  Instead of congratulating a great bird, great hunt, etc. you have to down it.  Furthermore you should get your facts straight and look in up on the ntf.com website!  But I guess since you haven't killed one it doesn't exist, does it work that way with Jesus too???? Stop hating!



It is not ridiculous that there are so many "haters" on this forum.....its a public internet forum for goodness sake.   You want to know what is ridiculous on this forum??  Drama Queens and cry babies that take things too far and dig their own graves by posting claims they cant support.     Thats what is ridiculous, not the haters.   

Its just a forum...  Stop whining.  

There are some things in life that people must see in order to believe...      28 lb wild turkeys are one of them.  I want to believe it!  I would love to know that birds of that magnitude exist in the wild.   I know the record books offer proof of their existence......but thats like looking at fossil records of a Tyrannosauras Rex...   I know they are not mythological creatures.  I just have a hard time believing there are any out there.    I will believe there are unicorns if someone shows me a legitimate photo of a unicorn.   All you need to do is post a photo with that bird tipping the scale at 28 pounds and there would be no haters....just praisers.    Thats all there is to it.    If you dont have a photo......that is a shame.  You obviously had someone take a picture of you weighing the bird on a digital scale....but its hard to read the screen when its facing the other direction.    We can see 2 guys, a black scale, and a turkey hanging from it.   Until you post a photo of the scale saying 28 lbs.... the haters will continue hating.   
I can see enough to know that its a great bird.   Congrats on taking a fine gobbler.  Thats what its all about.  Dont throw yourself into the lions den if you dont have the means to defend yourself.  That is nobodys fault but your own.   Thats just the way the cookie crumbles when posting on public internet forums.

I started this thread and this is the perfect case in point.  A rather timely example!


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

I don't think Nitro hates anyone here.  But when he speaks he typically speaks whats on his mind and more times than not you can learn a lot by what he says if you will just listen.  

There's a lot of guys that frequent forums like these that are full of it.  It don't matter if it's a turkey, deer, fish, elk, moose, or throwing dart forum.  There is always going to be guys that like to not only stretch the truth but lie a little so they can feel like they are on top.  Ok well maybe let's just change that to lie a lot.  My father-in-law is one of them.  He's windier than a F5 tornado.  

28lb turkeys are very rare and so are 25lb turkeys in most states.  Sure some 25lb birds do exist, but I doubt many people here have killed many that big if God was your witness.  Now you guys can believe what you want to believe.  But some of you need a reality check from what I have seen on some of the pictures posted here and claiming what some of you claim your birds to weigh.  But hey what do I know.


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## hawglips (Apr 26, 2011)

Public Land Prowler said:


> 2yr olds,and toms that arent the man usually do weigh more..fast,lightweight birds usually win fights,and breed the hens..staying puffed up,and not eating..leaving the other birds time to eat..and keep their weight up..lol



Big, heavy wild turkeys usually win the fights.  I've never killed a two year old over 20 lbs.


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## GA DAWG (Apr 26, 2011)

If GOD was a witness Nitro still would not believe it cause he ain't done it.


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## TenPtr (Apr 26, 2011)

hawglips said:


> Big, heavy wild turkeys usually win the fights.  I've never killed a two year old over 20 lbs.



My guess would be needle sharp spurs and attitude are what win fights.  Its my understanding that dominance is established in the earlier phases of the breeding cycle.   It makes sense that from that point on, the dominant breeder birds will begin to lose weight as they breed and rarely eat.   While they are doing that, subordinate birds can only watch and continue their normal diet for the most part.   So lets say a 2 yr old and a 4 yr old both weighed 18 pounds at the end of March....Once May rolls around the 2 yr old should still maintain his weight of 18 pounds but the dominant 4 yr old could/should weigh anywhere from 15-16 pounds due to his role in the breeding cycle.  That theory supports what I have found to be true on numerous occasions....relatively speaking.   Who knows though?   All that matters to me is that full fan  Then SPURS  Then figuring out how Im going to kill the next one


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## goblr77 (Apr 26, 2011)

hawglips said:


> Big, heavy wild turkeys usually win the fights.  I've never killed a two year old over 20 lbs.



I can agree with that. Out of the 20lb + birds I've killed none have been two year olds either. Here's the heaviest one I ever killed and he was definitely not a two year old.


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## Nitro (Apr 26, 2011)

GA DAWG said:


> If GOD was a witness Nitro still would not believe it cause he ain't done it.



If God witnessed it, I would believe. (If he showed me the screen on the scale)..

It's quite simple - Wild Turkeys don't reside in a pen. They must roam to feed. Often in areas with limited food sources. (like the Mountains)Add in the activity for a Gobbler of strutting most of the day and the exertion of breeding and or fighting and they can lose up to 20% of their February body weight.

Do the research. It's not hard to prove.

If it makes you feel better to say that bird was 28 lbs- have at it..heck why not just say 32lbs.......?? Go for the record..


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## rex upshaw (Apr 26, 2011)

This is the very reason many folks don't post all their kill pics (in all forums), because someone is going to jump down their throat, unless there is photo evidence, at least two folks who witnessed it and signatures from those who were there. Who cares about the weight of the bird, is that really what you're after?


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## hawglips (Apr 26, 2011)

rex upshaw said:


> Who cares about the weight of the bird, is that really what you're after?



Exactly.

The weight of the bird is nothing more than an aside.  

I hate that deer hunting mentality is taking over turkey hunting.


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

Well it ain't just the weight that is exaggerated.  The spurs do as well.  There's a guy on another forum claiming his dad shot a big gobbler with 2" spurs.  I said let's see the pictures of theose 2" spurs with a tape measure behind them proving it.  No pictures yet.  I told him my neighbor just killed one with 2.25" spurs and it's getting bigger by the day.


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## rex upshaw (Apr 26, 2011)

None of it makes sense to me, nor do I care. Many people don't measure their birds, much less weigh them and snap photos. I don't get any more fired up seeing a picture of a 24 pound bird than I do one that is 18. If someone says the weight is X, I assume that to be legit, as I see no reason to boast about a heavier than accurate figure, what's the point. I don't think anyone sits back and says "man, that's guy's a great hunter, he's killed several birds over 22 lbs". Why lie about it?


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## Trizey (Apr 26, 2011)

Sorry experts...  There are plenty of 20+lb gobblers killed up in these public land hills every year.  No corn, no pens, just miles of hardwoods.


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## hawglips (Apr 26, 2011)

Trizey said:


> Sorry experts...  There are plenty of 20+lb gobblers killed up in these public land hills every year.  No corn, no pens, just miles of hardwoods.



The first 20 lb bird I killed was in the big woods mountain country of Pisgah Nat'l Forest.  Same situation -- not corn, no pens or anything but big woods.


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

I've killed a 21lb  2yr old.  Again weighed by the conseravtion check point scales.


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## TenPtr (Apr 26, 2011)

Ok so heres what it all boils down to...  Im a coastal plain hunter as are many of us here on the forum.   Our birds are the smallest in the state in terms of average weight.   

Our Coastal plain birds have longer spurs on average than mountain birds, piedmont birds, etc...  

Dont under estimate a 14 pound bearded sand sparrow....he can turn a 28 pound mountain slob of a gobbler into a piece of swiss cheese in a matter of seconds.   That is directed towards you Woods Savvy

lighten up a bit fellas....especially you mountain guys.  Everyone knows yall are sensitive about having the stubbiest spurs in the state...no need to compensate for "baby spur" syndrome by adding 5-10 pounds to the actual weight of yalls gobblers.


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## Ricochet (Apr 26, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> Ok so heres what it all boils down to...  Im a coastal plain hunter as are many of us here on the forum.   Our birds are the smallest in the state in terms of average weight.
> 
> Our Coastal plain birds have longer spurs on average than mountain birds, piedmont birds, etc...
> 
> ...



LOL


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## GA DAWG (Apr 26, 2011)

Must be nice to be a turkey weighing expert


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## Dupree (Apr 26, 2011)

Only killed one bird over 20lbs. All of my birds have been killed in nw ga, and the average is 16-18 lbs, but the same sign out sheets where I kill mine will have 20-24 lb turkeys signed out. Guess my scales are just terribly wrong huh?


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

4x4powerstrokesd said:


> Only killed one bird over 20lbs. All of my birds have been killed in nw ga, and the average is 16-18 lbs, but the same sign out sheets where I kill mine will have 20-24 lb turkeys signed out. Guess my scales are just terribly wrong huh?



You just need to let those guys weigh your birds.


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

GA DAWG said:


> Must be nice to be a turkey weighing expert



No what would be nice if people would buy some good fish scales like the Rapala or Berkley and use them accordingly and go by what they say.  Then all this 22-24lb birds in GA would come to a halt to the point where some may actually believe one here every now and then.


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## Trizey (Apr 26, 2011)

No doubt mountain birds have smaller spurs than other areas of the state...that is explainable.

What is not explainable is the ignorance in this thread.


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## Trizey (Apr 26, 2011)

I'm still trying to determine the correlation between someone who lives in MO and a GA hunting forum?  

Does MO not have a hunting forum?


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## Trizey (Apr 26, 2011)

Gadget said:


> I think there might of been one killed in the North Ga mountains on public land this past weekend that tipped the scales at 22lbs on a Berkley digital fish scale......



Please send those scales to the IGFA for certification...we have so much to gain from lying


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## Trizey (Apr 26, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> Excuse me but is this your website?  The day it is let me know.  I'll delete my account.



What area of GA is your expertise in?  After all the OP was talking about GA turkeys?


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## boparks (Apr 26, 2011)

Ya'll shoot all the pip squeak sissy 20 pounders you want............

These birds ranged from 28.5 to 33.25 pounds...except for the runt on the far right which was 24 lbs....... I'll post the scale weight photos later......if I didn't lose them last time my computer crashed



Ya'll obviously have not heard of "rock implants".....and it might be good to lighten up


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

Your right Bo.  I just keep on shooting these 14-18lb MO birds.  One day they might weight 20lbs.


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## biggtruxx (Apr 26, 2011)

I care about the weight!!!!!! The heavier they are the more meat I get to eat!


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## deerslayer357 (Apr 26, 2011)

I weighed a bird that I killed for the first time this past weekend.  Weighed him on Rapala digital fish scales.... he weighed 19 lbs 12 oz.  

Don't know if that is average for my area or not, as it is the first one I have weighed.


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## boparks (Apr 26, 2011)

Brad C. said:


> Your right Bo.  I just keep on shooting these 14-18lb MO birds.  One day they might weight 20lbs.



Seriously...in past years I've killed quite a few each season20 or better...this year out of 6 birds I don't think I've broken the 20 lb barrier but once......

Global Warming?


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## fredw (Apr 26, 2011)

boparks said:


> and it might be good to lighten up



This is some good advice from Bobby.  Some might want to heed it.


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## Brad C. (Apr 26, 2011)

I apologize Mr. Fred.


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## Woods Savvy (Apr 26, 2011)

TenPtr said:


> Ok so heres what it all boils down to...  Im a coastal plain hunter as are many of us here on the forum.   Our birds are the smallest in the state in terms of average weight.
> 
> Our Coastal plain birds have longer spurs on average than mountain birds, piedmont birds, etc...
> 
> ...


                                                                                                         I dont recall talking about your bearded sand sparrow,and im not a mountian guy born and raised in the south, i know its hard for you to understand having more than one place to live are hunt for that matter.That is directed towards TenPtr.....


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## River Rambler (Apr 26, 2011)

hawglips said:


> Exactly.
> 
> The weight of the bird is nothing more than an aside.
> 
> I hate that deer hunting mentality is taking over turkey hunting.



AMEN!!!!

A constipated bird isn't any better than one that let's em fly!


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## Timber1 (Apr 27, 2011)

I let 2 walk last week that had 11"+ beards and some nice hooks.(I saw the spurs when he lifted his leg up to scratch his head). Dandruff I guess. Anyway, they looked to be a bit under 20, maybe 19.75. I can't stand a skinny bird you know. I ran them off towards a stand of mature oaks and pines yelling for them to eat, eat, eat. Hopefully they will put on a few more ounces before the season closes and I will kill them then.


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## DMP (Apr 27, 2011)

Y'all think to much.  Just go hunt.


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## Mark K (Apr 27, 2011)

A 15lb turkey is alot easier to tote back 3 miles to the truck than a 25lber!!!


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## River Rambler (Apr 27, 2011)

*22.4*



deerslayer357 said:


> I weighed a bird that I killed for the first time this past weekend.  Weighed him on Rapala digital fish scales.... he weighed 19 lbs 12 oz.
> 
> Don't know if that is average for my area or not, as it is the first one I have weighed.



Here's my second of the week....
22.4


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## TenPtr (Apr 27, 2011)

Easy Savvy.....cool it.   This is stupid


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## chevyman2000 (Apr 28, 2011)

dropped another 21lber this past monday and his buddy was 17.


chev.


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## Arrow3 (Apr 28, 2011)

I hardly ever weigh my turkeys because I don't give a flying rip what he weighs....He weighs all he's ever gonna weigh because he's dead in the back of my truck...


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## Nitro (Apr 28, 2011)

Lol!!!


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## Woods Savvy (Apr 28, 2011)

Nitro said:


> Lol!!!



 i assumend yall looked at the pic posted by me this year from NC,these birds are north carolina birds ,that is my girl friends parents back yard this is a very private place, im sure before i came around all of these turkeys died of old age,i have been hunting there for 4 years and never heard a shot,there are 4 to 500 acres of fields at the base of the pics. ive hunted turkeys for over 20 years and never seen nothing like this place for eastern birds 20 to 25 birds gobbled opening day and all day . that being said instead of calling a man a liar and jumping to conclusions maybe you should ask.......


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## fredw (Apr 29, 2011)

OK....second time I've felt it appropriate to post in this thread.   Ya'll take a deep breath and keep the discussion civil or some of your posts are going into never-never land.


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## Timber1 (May 1, 2011)

Arrow3 said:


> I hardly ever weigh my turkeys because I don't give a flying rip what he weighs....He weighs all he's ever gonna weigh because he's dead in the back of my truck...



Guess you don't measure spurs or beards either. They ain't getting no longer either. ... Another good season Brandon, congrats.


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## bowboy1989 (May 5, 2011)

i have killed maybe 2 birds in my 10 years of killin turkeys that wieghed 19 or 20 lbs but none no heavier the average gobbler wieghs bout 17 or 18 lbs


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## bowboy1989 (May 5, 2011)

Timber1 said:


> Guess you don't measure spurs or beards either. They ain't getting no longer either. ... Another good season Brandon, congrats.



Brandon i never measure my beards or spurs either unless there very long a dead bird should be a longbeard anyways nothin else needs to be known


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## hawglips (May 5, 2011)

I finally killed one under 20 lbs this year -- he weighed a more normal 17.5 lbs.


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## dog1 (May 5, 2011)

Opening day I killed one 23 lbs., two more killed on our club that day, 22.5 lbs, 21 lbs.  I killed my other 2 later, 18.5 & 17.5.  I personally have killed several over several years that went from18 to 22 lbs.  So yes we do have 20+lb birds regularly in GA.

I personally doged one for 7 straight days & hens mess me up twice, 2 jakes messed me up once & I messed me up once.  I finally gave up and moved to take the other 2.  I think a friend of my killed the one I doged so hard.  He killed it about 2 weeks ago and only weighed 17.5 lbs, had a 12 inch beard, 1 1/4 in spurs.  Because of where his bird came off the roost, I believe it was the one I was after.  I figured by that time he would have lost some weight.

dog1


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