To make in the CBM book you need to equal 12inches with beard AND spurs. When you add them up they have to be 12 inches. I cannot tell you how many I have the qualify for the books, but I have put a few in the beginning years of my turkey hunting career.

Getting in the book is real cool if you ask me, but it isnt all the hype that it was when I first started hunting.

Most of my birds qualify, none have been entered. My question is if you wait a couple days to get a bird officially measured, what happens to the meat?

I am pretty sure you can just take in the beard and legs and have them officially measured by CBM.

Sib said:

Most of my birds qualify, none have been entered. My question is if you wait a couple days to get a bird officially measured, what happens to the meat?

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First, congrats on the great bird...you should be proud of yourself!

Now, whether or not to enter it into CBM, or any registry, is a personal decision. I would say that the minimum qualification was set a little low, but thats just my opinion. I guess that makes it great for collecting larger amounts of entries, which may be an underlying purpose for building the size of the harvest database and membership.

As for me, I'm not a "book" person....though I have harvested many critters that would make it into their respective books, none have been entered.

My biggest turkey was 23-pounds, thick 11.25" beard and 1.375" spurs,...and he just hangs there quietly down in my den

doggk9 said:

Now my question to you all is do you really think it's worth it? And #2 how hard is it to actually get in? I mean how many people take birds big enough and say forget it?

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Way to go on the Gobbler!

I shot one two years ago that qualified and I registered it, the one I shot this year would qualify, but I'm skipping it...lot of extra work for a certificate IMO. If I ever got a full body mount done I may do it again AND buy the book.

FWIW-I agree on the standards being a bit on the low side, and wouldn't be surprised if there is an underlying reason for it.

so do you need to take the whole bird to get it measured?

I'm taking the whole bird, not sure if I have to though. Just shot it last night so meat should still be good. Being that this is only my second bird and my second year hunting I think I'll probably go ahead and enter it. My bird last year was a far cry from this one so I am proud. Shot a jake last year with 4in of beard and spurs barely broke the skin. Thinking of doing the mount myself, anyone know how to do the wings? I've never done wings before, did tail and beard last year.

My first bird met the requirements, and I was able to get it recorded by bringing just the beard and spurs, but the spurs needed to be attached to the legs.

I'm glad that I did it, but since have taken additional birds that meet the requirements, and have not had them measured.

NO

All they need are the beard(s) and spurs

NBman said:

so do you need to take the whole bird to get it measured?

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Just got back official score is 12 12/16 pics still coming.

I have yet to take a bird that qualifies. I got one last year that missed by 1/8". I would have entered it. I dont know if I would enter any others in unless they were real big ones, but I hunt hard and if I get one this year that qualifies I will enter it. As far as measuring goes I believe they just need the beard and spurs and they must equal 12" combined if taken with a gun or 10" if taken with a bow.

More than once I've heard that posts are meaningless without pics, so here ya go

Beard is 10 9/16

Spurs are 1 1/16 and 1 2/16

I have a few book birds and I thought it was a good idea to document the hunt. I have a son that's 9 years old and he was very excited the day he saw my name in print. I gave him the book to keep so one day he can look back on pictures of us hunting together and maybe when I'm a Grandfather, he can pull the book out and show his children.

As for the scoring...I don't think it's that low...they are consistant with other animals in the book..deer still need to score 125 and bear skulls are similar to other scoring systems?

If you mount the bird...it's a nice touch to have the hardcover "commemerative" book next to the bird!

When and if you are lucky or skilled enough to record a book bird do you recive anything stating that you have a book bird or do you have to buy the book to prove it? And i have also heard people say that its a pain in the butt to get a bird registered? If so why? and does it cost anything. This will be my first year turkey hunting and the guy i am going with has told me that there is a good chance that i could take a book bird so i am looking for info on wheather its worth registering it if this happens

Yes, you get a certificate but if you want the book then yes you have to buy it. For $25 I got my bird in the book, a certificate, a patch and a years subscription to their Buckfax magazine. Also any other animal I get this year the qualifies for the book will be entered for free. Not very hard to get in I just took the bird to a guy certified to measure. He measured it and filled out all the forms. Measuring was free.

Thanks

great job