2006 HotspotOutdoors.com Longest Tailfeather Contest?

[UGUIDE]

Just got this CD with photos in the mail from our Christmas time Father/Son outing.

Thought a little HotspotOutdoors.com 2006 Longest Tail Feather Contest would be fun way to keep things moving in the post season. Stories Welcome....Photos preferred.

I'll open with a 28". He got this one mounted so that is why no tailfeathers were plucked.

PS. I own 700 acres in Charles Mix County South Dakota and farm it for native wild pheasants. I have hunted pheasants in MN, IA, and SD for 25 years. My passion is habitat.

[lawdog]

No offense, but judging by where the 1 ft mark is and looking relatively at the distance between the 1 and 2 foot marks, it appears to me he started measuring from at least about the middle of the back of this bird, far in front of the end of any tail feather...

[huntnfish]

There is no doubt that is a big bird but it is hard to accurately measure the tail feathers with them still in the bird. That is definately one for the wall with some spurs like that, though.

[UGUIDE]

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No offense, but judging by where the 1 ft mark is and looking relatively at the distance between the 1 and 2 foot marks, it appears to me he started measuring from at least about the middle of the back of this bird, far in front of the end of any tail feather...

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That is the case without pulling it out and seeing the whole thing. I was not their when they measured either but the guy who took photos knows how to measure.

[huntnfish]

Here are a couple from the last day of the season in North Dakota. You have to work for the late season roosters but they are well worth the effort. The one on the bottom was 24" and the top was about 22". I am kicking myself for not getting the bigger one put on my wall.

[UGUIDE]

Nice birds! I had passed on some earlier this year and with the carryover birds being so large I just had to get some mounted this year. Maybe if some of these big boys amke it through this winter they'll be some even sweeter ones next season.

[harvey lee]

I would have to agree with Lawdog on this one. I have mounted many birds and cannot believe that the tail feathers started that far up the back. If you take 5 inches and subtract from the 1 ft mark then at 28 inches it would have to have been measured far up the back. The tail feathers from a rooster are pulled out of the tail base and not the back. Looks like his tape was off about 6 inches. Big spurs on that bird though. By taking a measurement from the photo and checking, I would guess closer to 23.5 inches. Not looking to start trouble, but I find it almost impossible to see where they can be 28 inches.

[2thepointsetters]

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I would have to agree with Lawdog on this one. I have mounted many birds and cannot believe that the tail feathers started that far up the back. If you take 5 inches and subtract from the 1 ft mark then at 28 inches it would have to have been measured far up the back. The tail feathers from a rooster are pulled out of the tail base and not the back. Looks like his tape was off about 6 inches. Big spurs on that bird though. By taking a measurement from the photo and checking, I would guess closer to 23.5 inches. Not looking to start trouble, but I find it almost impossible to see where they can be 28 inches.

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I agree with you 100%. Maybe a 23 or 24 inch tail at the most. It does have very nice spurs though.