Silver-phase gobbler weighed 19 pounds
Mike Brodie of Polk County, N.C. was hunting in Spartanburg County, S.C. on April 23, 2022 when he killed a unique silver-phase trophy gobbler.
The bird weighed 19 pounds and had a 10-inch beard. But it’s the colors of this turkey that really made it a true trophy.
Brodie shot the gobbler with a Benelli Super Black Eagle II shooting 3-inch Nitro No. 5s. Some other hunters had told him the unique colored turkey was in the area, but it was his first sighting of the gobbler. He hunted the bird old-school, with no decoys and without a blind.
Despite what many folks may assume is a pet turkey or one that escaped from a farm, according to SCDNR and NCWRC wildlife biologists, it’s a wild silver-phase gobbler (also called smoke-phase). This color is rare, making up about 1 percent of all wild turkeys. It is one of four color variations (silver/smoke, red, melanistic or black, and true albinos) recognized by the NWTF.
Brodie is the latest entrant in our Tag-A-Turkey contest. Click here to see the full gallery.
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