Woods & Water: NWTF formula determines how your turkey scores
How does your turkey score?
Lucky turkey hunters often wonder how their trophy stacks up against other turkeys. The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) has an official wild turkey records program.
According to the NWTF, the purpose of the program is to provide hunters throughout the world with a permanent record keeping system that will preserve information on all legally harvested wild turkeys taken in the spirit of fair chase.
Records are kept for Eastern, Florida, Rio Grande, and Merriam’s subspecies. The Eastern subspecies is found in Tennessee.
Weight, beard length, and spur length are considered to determine a total score for wild turkeys.
The formula for overall score is: weight (lbs. and oz.) plus 10 times spur length (right plus left) plus 2 times beard length. The beard must be measured, to the nearest 1/16 inch, from the center point of the protrusion from the skin to the end of the longest bristle. Spurs must be measured, to the nearest 1/16 inch, along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur. Ounces and fractions of inches need to be converted to decimals.
Persons submitting records must be current members of the NWTF. Hunters may join when the record is submitted.
For rules or an official application form, contact: National Wild Turkey Federation, P.O. Box 530, Edgefield, SC 29824, or check out their web site at: www.nwtf.org.
TENNESSEE ANGLER RECOGNITION PROGRAM
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is initiating a new program that acknowledges outstanding catches of fish by anglers in Tennessee. The announcement of the new Tennessee Angler Recognition Program was made at the January meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. This new program is designed to recognize anglers for their exceptional sportfish accomplishments, to encourage catch and release of trophy fish, and to provide the TWRA with information on large fish caught throughout the state.
Anglers of any age, who meet or exceed qualifying lengths of the fish listed below, can apply. Once approved, an angler will receive a color reproduction of the species of fish that they caught on a certificate suitable for framing. Renowned wildlife artist Joseph R. Tomelleri has provided the artwork depicting each species of fish.
The following must be met to qualify:
1) The fish must have been caught on or after January 1, 2003
2) It must meet or exceed the minimum length
3) It must have been legally caught in Tennessee waters by sportfishing methods only (rod and reel or cane pole)
4) The length of the fish must be verified by either a witness or a photograph.
A $5 processing fee, per application, must also be enclosed.
Brochures, which include a description of the program as well as a trophy fish application, will soon be available at most bait shops and license agents across the state.
These brochures can also be picked up at all TWRA regional offices. For further information about this program, call the Fish Management Division in Nashville at 615-781-6575 or look it up on the TWRA web site at www.tnwildlife.org.
MINIMUM TROPHY FISH LENGTHS
Species Length (inches)
Largemouth Bass 22
Walleye 28
Spotted Bass 18
Muskellunge 40
Smallmouth Bass 20
Brook Trout 10
Striped Bass 40
Brown Trout 26
Cherokee Bass (Hybrid) 30
Rainbow Trout 24
White Bass 18
Lake Trout 28
Crappie (Black or White) 14
Channel Catfish 30
Bluegill 10
Blue Catfish 34
Redear Sunfish 11
Flathead Catfish 34
Rock Bass 10
Common Carp 34
Sauger 20