| Author |
Message |
GN
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 3:29 pm: | |
I had posted earlier about all the BIG birds that were showing up this year...you will not believe this story, as it seems improbable(and is a real fluke)...but read this...http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/outdoors/article/0,1406,KNS_326_1141535,00.html |
HODY
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 5:20 pm: | |
Gn I had already seen this,and I cant belive it. I would like to see a pic of that bird. It must have had a genetic mutation of some kind to be that big, either that or someone slipped it some steroids. Sounds like some serious beginners luck. |
t.picker
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 12:52 pm: | |
Beginners luck or perhaps he has one of those Limber cob callers produced by Scratch Feed Inc. Sounds like that ol left wing feather grew back long enough where he could clear the fence.
Seriously, has anyone else noticed how gobblers have gotten larger the last couple decades? Back in the '70's, a 20-pounder was almost unheard of in my neck of the woods. Now they are not terribly uncommon. I'm sure habitat has improved, and the turkeys have definitely moved to town. That's another change around here. You used to have to get way back in the big woods to get up with birds, now they are literally in our back yards. I believe the habitat is better, but I also believe the genetics of the Eastern birds has changed to influence weight of birds. I still have one area I hunt where the birds look like they used to years ago, and I've never heard of a bird over 18 pounds coming from that area. They still have the small, more reddish colored (less barring) tail fans and really small diameter deep pink legs.
Of course here in SC they restocked the upstate areas with coastal (smaller) birds. So this trend may have only happened here locally. Have TN and VA birds increased in size over the years? |
GN
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 1:30 pm: | |
TP- I have really nticed a lot of differnece in the smaller legs on what I think are "purer strain" mountain birds. Ten years ago a bird over 20 lbs would be some real news. Overall,in Tenn I think a lot of he birds get bigger becasue of the gene intermix with the Missouri(and other) strains of birds that hve become more mixed in the gene pool. The "ol timey mossyheads "were small birdscompared to what we have today. I also wonder how much steroid feeding could be going on in some areas...this 33 pounfd thing is highly suspicious to me. Heck the two 25 lbers I have see n this year were highly suspicious when i first weighed them, but this last thing is a Creature. |
tp
| | Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 12:41 am: | |
I'm glad someone else has noticed the leg thing. All of the old timers around here say, "this ain't the same bird we used to hunt." I figured since SC restocked the upstate (piedmont and mtn area) with coastal birds, which may even have had some Florida genes in some cases, we had smaller birds to start out. But sounds like you've noticed the same trend in TN.
You and Freddy shot those 25 pounders around cow pastures...right?? I'll bet the farmer feeds corn to his cattle, and I'll bet your birds have picked cow patties for undigested corn many times?? That's the situation where I see 20+ pound birds most often down here. GN, I also have noticed what seems to be a higher incidence of white patches or spots in tail fans around here. You seen that? I think some of those domestic genes were passed on.
Explain your theory about steroids. Are you talking about from an agricultural crop, or hunters are somehow giving birds steroids? I didn't catch what you meant. |
GN
| | Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 10:57 am: | |
Freddy's bird came from a cow pasture area..Mine did not, although there were cows within three miles so Iguess it could have been there for the winter. I have not seen white in thetailshere yet. I have seen smoke gray birds and I have see nteh single solid balck feathers(note the opicture of my big bird this year has one single black feather in the wing,asdoes one of the birds from Fla a year ago.). Steroids..? Ibelieve there are poultry steroids...ifthey work for quick and large growth for adomestic bird, I asume they would work fora wildbird but have not proof..nor do I have proof that the new tennstate reocrd was ON steroids...it is just such afluke(beyond ANdre the GIant) that it seems like som supplemental feed MIGHT be involved...I have no idea and must say a mountain bird from back in the wilderness is as much or more of trohpy for me as is a pasture edge GIANT. I killedabird several years ago on the last day of the Tenn season-May 5_in Smoky Mountains(elevations in the 4000 footrange) and it weighed lessthat 13 pounds...not in the park but in a Nat'l Forest close to it...the bird had nealry a 12 in beard and inch spurs that were huge diameter but blunted from breakage...it was an old old bird and more of a trophy than the 25 lber this year. 2 cents. |
|