Tail Length

NDPheasant

NDPheasant

Well-known member
This weekend my coworker’s son shot a rooster with tail feathers almost at the 28” mark. I have witnessed 100+ birds shot each of the the past three seasons and we have had only a handful reach that 24-25”. Are there thoughts about how long it takes a rooster to grow a tail that big? 46CF9B73-4F4C-4A2F-851A-2DBDA3A1170F.jpeg
 
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My record is 271-4.won the Lewistown contest, and a browning.That was 20 years ago. 28 is huge for a wild bird.
 
Would be interesting to hear what the size of spurs were. I'm guessing some genetics would be involved kinda like bucks and antler growth or size
 
That is impressive for a wild bird! I shoot alot of pheasants in Iowa and anything over 25 is pretty uncommon. I have 2 at the taxidermist from last season, but without pulling them, no telling how long they are, but they aren't in the 27" league! I would also like to see the feet!
 
This is my 40th season chasing roosters: SD public land, with a 6-year hiatus to central IA.
Tails 23"-24": A couple handfuls.
Tails 24"-25": 3.
Tails over 25": 0.
Yes, genetics obviously come into play, but so does age.
For a rooster to see a 3rd hunting season is pretty rare.
I'd think that 28" tail came from a bird in his 2nd season. Possibly 3rd. He just had uncommonly good tail genes.
 
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Our longest this year,and ever I believe, was 24.5” and he had just shy of 3/4” Spurs.
 
In my pup's first season, she retrieved a wounded rooster that had a freakish tail feather. We didn't get the official measurement as my boss mounted it, but from the base of the feather (where you can feel) to the tip was 29" on the mark. It's size and the spurs indicated that it was likely a year and a half. Sometimes they just grow big for some reason or another.

When I first joined Pheasant Hunting Junkies on Facebook, I saw some huge tail feathers coming from the Utah area. At first I had all sorts of theories, but at the end of the day, there are probably just slight mutations in genetics that result in really long tail feathers.

24 5/8" is my longest. I remember harvesting that bird like it was yesterday.
 
LOL. Never knew tail length was "a thing". A couple days after reading this thread I brought home a rooster that had a 24 1/8in tail feather...pretty good for a first timer!
 
Rogue Hunter said:
LOL. Never knew tail length was "a thing". A couple days after reading this thread I brought home a rooster that had a 24 1/8in tail feather...pretty good for a first timer!
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Yeah, anything over 24 on a wild bird, is long.Ive been pheasant hunting Montana for 50 years, and have gotten 3 or 4 over 26 inches, officially measured.
 
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This is the longest tail bird that I have seen. Unfortunately, I did not shoot this bird. It flushed once, flew less than 20 yards, my dog chased and caught it. I did not measure its tail feathers.
 
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These are the longest spurs that I have seen on a wild bird. Note, the tail feathers are missing. When I shot this bird, it hid in a clump of grass. My dog pointed it, I attempted to catch it in my hand and ended up with only tail feathers. My dog had to catch the bird.

Both this bird and the previous came off the same State Game Area in the Thumb region of Michigan three seasons ago.
 
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