Discover the Largest Wild Turkey Ever Caught in Alabama

According to one study conducted for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, hunters harvested more than 47,000 turkeys in total during the 2022-2023 hunting season. With tens of thousands of turkeys harvested in the state each year, Alabama has seen some birds sporting impressive sizes. However, how big was the largest wild turkey ever caught in Alabama?

Below, learn about the largest wild turkey on record in Alabama. Plus, learn more about how large wild turkeys grow, the largest turkey ever, and more about wild turkeys as a species. Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in!

The Largest Wild Turkey Ever Caught in Alabama

According to the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), the largest wild turkey ever caught in Alabama was harvested in 2006. The weight of this supersized game bird was recorded in Lauderdale County, and it remains a record untouched even more than a decade later. However, just how big was the largest wild turkey ever caught in Alabama?

The male turkey currently holding this title weighed nearly 26 pounds, an impressive feat for a wild turkey. However, while this turkey may be the heaviest wild turkey recorded in Alabama, it’s not the largest in the United States. Instead, that title goes to a wild turkey caught in Iowa that weighed a whopping 35 pounds! That turkey’s weight had been recorded in 2001.

The Largest Turkey Ever Recorded

To learn more about the largest turkey on record, you’ll have to look back to December 12, 1989. On this day, a competition occurred in London, showing off supersized turkeys. During this competition, one turkey came to claim the title of largest turkey ever recorded, with a whopping weight of 86 pounds.

This turkey, named Tyson, was owned by Leacroft Turkeys Ltd. He was later sold at auction for £4,400. In 1989, this was the equivalent of around $6,692 in the United States. When you account for inflation and changes in the currency value, this amounts to around $16,644.57 as of 2023. Talk about an expensive turkey!

It is important to note that since Tyson came from Leacroft Turkeys Ltd, he was not a wild turkey.

How Large Are Turkeys on Average?

Wild turkeys are often much smaller than domesticated or farm-raised turkeys. As a result, it is highly unlikely that you will ever come across a wild turkey that weighs nearly as much as Tyson did in 1989. In fact, many of the record-holding turkeys mentioned earlier are also outliers when it comes to how large turkeys are on average.

Male wild turkeys, toms, are larger than females, which are known as hens. On average, an adult male wild turkey will grow to weigh between 15 and 25 pounds. They often have an average height of around 48 inches. Females, however, tend to weigh far less. As adults, their average weight ranges from 6 to 12 pounds. The average height of an adult female wild turkey is around 36 inches.

Turkeys are the heaviest birds in the order Galliformes. This order includes other common species, such as quails, chickens, and pheasants.

Species Profile: Wild Turkeys

The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is one of only two living turkey species in the entire world. The other species is the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata).  Both of these species are native to North America, although the latter is found only on the Yucatán Peninsula located in Mexico.

Wild turkeys are the ancestor of domesticated turkeys. Turkeys were first domesticated around 2,000 years ago by indigenous peoples in North America. It wasn’t until much later in history, beginning around the 15th century, that domesticated turkeys made it elsewhere in the world through trade.

In the United States, the wild turkey is found throughout the eastern and central regions. Small populations dot the western coast, but this species is mostly absent in this region. In their native ranges, wild turkeys prefer habitats that mix coverage provided by forests with open spaces.

While their large sizes and heavy weights might suggest otherwise, wild turkeys are actually expert fliers. This is also in contrast to the domesticated turkey, which lacks the agility or speed of their wild counterparts.

Wild turkeys communicate with one another through a variety of vocalizations. In this species, some sounds are shared by both males and females, while other sounds are distinct. For example, only males of this species will express themselves with the tell-tale gobble of a wild turkey. This gobble is loud enough that it can be heard up to a mile away.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © davidsdodd/iStock via Getty Images