Turkey with beard dragging the ground???

[SeaSpray]

Does anyone have a picture of a turkey that had a beard that dragging the ground? I love turkey hunting but have yet to see one. I always hear stories of the ole tom that got away that had a beard dragging the ground lol. I know I have shot two birds with 11 inch beards and they did not come close...

[trash2]

It does not happen. If they had a beard that drug the ground it would wear down so it didn't drag. perhaps if they are running or feeding it will touch the ground but not in a normal position. Beards do not tell much about a turkey, spurs on the other hand can reveal alot.

[Russ]

I have seen turkey beards dragging the ground a couple if times while they were feeding. After a rain storm I have seen them with balls of mud hanging from them dragging their beards thru the mud as well

[Jmh05]

I've only killed one with a bow and it was a small jake....ready to arrow a Tom!

[Big pig]

Only when feeding. But that is the reason they get no longer.
I have measured a frayed 12.5 hair in atascosa.
I like gobblers with thick rope beards as opposed to the thin spindly beards.
And of course long sharp Spurs

[BrandonA]

I have seen two birds that beards were an inch or so from dragging the ground while standing normal. Both were absolutely huge body wise.

[TravisElmore]

It does not happen. If they had a beard that drug the ground it would wear down so it didn't drag. perhaps if they are running or feeding it will touch the ground but not in a normal position. Beards do not tell much about a turkey, spurs on the other hand can reveal alot.

This is dead on. Turkey beards would be much longer than what you usually see (9-11 inches) if they did not drag the ground. So basically any tom with that length beard would have at sometime been dragging the ground, which is what wore the beard down. Most all of the longer bearded turkeys that have been recorded have only a few strands of their beard that is that length not the entire beard.

[Aggiebush]

In most cases, this is true, but tell that to the fella that killed the record Eastern near New Boston a few years ago. It had several strands of its beard measure right at 25".

[Tye]

[SeaSpray]

Thanks for the responses and great picture Tye

[N.DaWoods]

ive killed some 11 inch ones and seen some way bigger, but never seen one drag ground when standing upright. Only hunched over like the one in picture. I think the multiple beards and really thick beards are way more cool than just length. Happy hunting.