New World Record Turkey harvested in North Carolina
This is one fine looking specimen of a wild turkey. I’m still fairly new at judging and scoring turkeys but an eight bearded turkey from what I have read is kinda rare and actually something to look at too.
By: Rick Kratzke
photo’s and intro are from the NWTF Newsletter
When NWTF member Joe Fuller took a friend hunting near Pine Tops, N.C., he had no idea that he would break a record that had stood for 19 years by taking an eight-bearded bird that scored 195.5 through the NWTF’s scoring system.
Use the NWTF’s Wild Turkey Records calculator and registration page to see how your trophy tom measures up. By using the Wild Turkey Records search function, you can compare toms by size, beard length, spur length, state, subspecies or by the hunter’s name. Since the NWTF started keeping records in 1982, more than 12,000 birds have been registered. To get your name on the list just click the logo link below.
That’s one big turkey. Or at least, eight big beards. I have no clue what makes a trophy turkey - I know what makes ‘em taste good, though!
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Tom, I don’t have a clue on trophy turkey’s either. I’m still learning but, like you I know they taste real good.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten wild turkey. Heck, I’ve never hunted em! Might hunte them this year though - put in for a fall tag, so I can give it a whirl.
8 beards is pretty neat!
July 5th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Desert Rat, thanks for stopping by. I have never hunted them wither until this spring and I gotta tell you it is a lot of fun. Unfortuneately I did not tag one but, I had them gobbling the first time out.
July 6th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Yup this story took us by surprise. Judging a trophy turkey is pretty difficult until you kill it. The measurement is the beard(s) length, the weight as well as the length of the spurs. Unlike deer and bears I think with the turkeys a potential record book can come from just about anywhere.
-Moose
July 6th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Moose you are so right but if you ask me, what I would consider a trophy is food in the freezer no matter how big it is.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:38 am
An 8 bearded turkey. That is incredible. I would be happy with a single bearded turkey.
July 7th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I use to think killing a turkey was tough. I hunted a number of times and couldn’t get the job done. I then got up with one of my friends that tagged out every year and he taught me a bunch and helped me kill my first one. Don’t get me wrong they are a tough critter to kill until you learn how to hunt them. You got to beat their eyes mostly so you have to have good camo and sit still. Calling is not as important as some may make you think it is but being able to call helps. The big thing is putting in the time to get one. I bet on average it takes 12-15 set-ups to finally get everything just right to kill one. If you only have a small block of time it’s hard to get that many set ups.
You boys want to kill a turkey look around ya and find the guy that gets a bird or two every year and ask him to help ya. Many turkey hunters like to extend their season by helping out new hunters after they have already filled their tags.
July 7th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Moose, those are some very good tips and I will certainly pay attention to those.
July 8th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Arthur, that was really neat seeing eight beards but, like you said I woulds be happy with one beard.
July 8th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
i would like a one beard turkey better…all i care about with turkey hunting is if i have fun and how much it wheighs
March 15th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
man all those turkeys are small i got the world record
April 20th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Everyone has great imput, but I agree the number one thing is food on the table. All the other stuff is just icing on the cake. I’ve been hunting wild turkey & a member of the NWTF for over ten years, and it just keeps on getting better each year. I learn something new each time out & I have two hunting partners that enjoy it as much if not more than I do. Over that ten year period we have learned the hard way, on our own. No one to teach us or tell us a better way, but watch a video, read a book or an article, or listen to an old timer that knew the birds when they were here many moons ago. I was born in 1962 & never even knew anything about a wild turkey until my best friend introduced me to the most addictive hunting in the world. We have taken our share, my first was the third year, 23 lbs. 10-1/2″ beard, with 1-1/4″ & 1-1/8″ spurs. The largest so far myself. My best friend just got his largest this year, 22 lbs. 9-1/4″ beard & 1-1/2″ spurs, but he has actually killed a few more than I have. His brother in-law joined us a few years ago & has picked it up & taken some nice birds also. Congratulations on the eight beards, nice score, but I did not see the weight & spurs??? All three are of the same importance.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
thats a nice turkey is shot my first to this spring it had a
10-1/2 inch beard and 1-1/4 inch spurs it weighed 30 pounds.
May 5th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
thats a nice turkey i shot my first tom this spring it had a
10-1/2 inch beard and 1-1/4 inch spurs it weighed 30 pounds.
May 5th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
That is an awesome turkey. my first turkey was just last year when i was 13. it had 2 beards, 1 measuring 10 inches exact and 1 measuring 9 1/2 inches. it weighed 20 3/4 lbs and had really bad spurs only like .25 inches.
i went this year too and got busted
the turkey spoted me and bolted. probably cuz i cant sit still for more than 5 mins 
great job on your turkey!
May 10th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
that is just xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo cool.I would love to kill a tom that big. My first tom was a 7 incher. what is yrs like a 10,000,000,000,000,000 incher? GOOD JOB
November 19th, 2009 at 12:44 pm