Nebraska trophy

[sbhooper]

This bird was hanging around west of my house all spring. I finally got him after many unsuccessful tries.

He is my biggest ever. He weighed 24 pounds, had an 11.5-inch beard, and 1.5 inch spurs.

 

[Wally Dog]

Very nice bird!

 

[genesis273]

Beautiful bird with a great set of hooks!

 

[kansasdad]

needle sharp daggers. Congratulations

 

[HuntsByDesign]

Great bird

 

[jvanderlinde]

Looks like a beauty, Is it a Eastern or a Merriam?

 

[Rocky176]

Congrats.....Always good to see a successful day afield.

Thanks

 

[Trigger50]

Congrats !

 

[sneakypete]

Congrats

 

[sbhooper]

Looks like a beauty, Is it a Eastern or a Merriam?

Don't know. Most of the birds here are a mix of Merriams, Easterns, and Rios. Farther north there are more pure Merriams and once-in-a-while we get one around here. Most are Heinz 57, though. They taste just like Merriams,.

 

[Epfd217]

Definately not an eastern. Those white tips say Merriams, but the lack of white in the intermediate tailfeathers says likely a hybrid. A beautiful mature bird.

 

[Southwind]

Very nice bird! Love those spurs.

 

[sbhooper]

Definately not an eastern. Those white tips say Merriams, but the lack of white in the intermediate tailfeathers says likely a hybrid. A beautiful mature bird.

The photo is deceiving. The tips of the feathers are actually a tan color. Look at how bright white the feathers are on the pictures of the northern Nebraska birds in another thread.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

CONGRATS!!! Just drove thru the North Platte area on Saturday. Lots of birds along the river pastures.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[Festus]

Beauty!!
Congrats!

 

[big28hunter]

What a stud Gobbler! Congrats

 

[sbhooper]

CONGRATS!!! Just drove thru the North Platte area on Saturday. Lots of birds along the river pastures.

good luck to all
the dog

There are still quite a few birds, but nothing like there was a couple years back. I talked to my buddies at Game and Parks and they think that we had a couple years of bad hatches.

The other problem can be getting access to those birds. It is like everywhere else, in that access tends to get tougher all the time.

One problem that we have, is lots of out-of-staters coming in and spending loads of money for ground to have as their own get away spot. I don't blame them and would do the same, but it sure limits access for common people. The way of the world, I guess.