gobbler or hen

Let me just say, I dont know a lot about turkeys. While deer hunting a couple weeks ago. I seen this huge turkey, twice. Didnt get a good look at him either time, but assumed he was a goobler because he was by himself and was waaay bigger than the hens and jakes I've seen. Last friday, I seen it again. Got a good look at him too(with binos). Didnt appear to have any beard at all. Except when he was facing me and looked directly at me, he had a black stripe down his neck. So that kinda confused me. Anyways, another difference this turkey had that differed from the jakes and hens I've seen countless times in this same field is. He appeared to have a purple tint when the sun caught his feathers just right, the hens and jakes appeared orange when the sun hit them just right. This bird is always by himself and never wonders into the field, only on the edge by the woodline.Hen or gobbler?

Could have beard rot

Im sure you could find any number of volunteers to call it up and get a closer look at it. With the stipulation that said person could carry their shotgun. Seriously though, Clark is right, he could have beard rot.

purple/black tint = gobbler; brown/orange tint = hen

I'm glad you said that, I thought it sounded crazy when i typed that part and almost erased it.lol

Probably an old ancient gobbler. I had one of those in a club I was a member of in Perry Co years ago. Old joker was huge and didn't have a sign of a beard. Both of his spurs were broke off and he just looked wore down. His old head was almost black he was so old. Always by himself and never gobbled. He would get the heck out of dodge if another bird came around.

I had him in shotgun range one time and I didn't shoot him. He's the only gobbler I've ever let walk off that didn't involve a miss. Just seemed like the right thing to do.

Let me ask this, how else do you tell if it's a Tom or hen, other than strutting and beard. This bird was huge and wiley acting, but what are other ways

Head color
Gobbling
Drumming

You gotta sneak up behind him and lift his tail up and look.