Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk ALTurkey Talk -- Beards and Spurs Leg Day

Anyone lazy like me and let their legs pile up? I wind up cleaning mine every 3 years or so when I run out of freezer space for them. I've got them all sawed off and ready to be skinned, cleaned and strung up. I usually skin them by hand and then clean them with a wire brush attachment on a Dremel Tool. Just curious if anyone had a better way of cleaning them? I tried to boil them one time and several of the caps came off and I had to glue them back on so that's out.

Wow!!!

When doing mine, I learned that they’re much easier for me to skin when the legs are still whole...let them thaw out, skin them with a sharp knife, then cut the spurs. I beveled the edges on a bench grinder (CAREFULLY!), then sanded the bone with sand paper

May have to try that on my next go around.

I try to do mine each year after the season. If i wait to long i really dread it. I use my sawzall and a metal blade and it makes quick work of them.

BC, I do the same thing but I do it after each season because that’s a lot of work you got to do there! My 3 years worth has never been that many!

That's a lot of legs.

It's going to take forever, and I shouldn't let them pile up like that.

That looks great! Wish I'd thought about doing that. I pulled a stack out last week that I had stored in a bag. Mites and beetles had eaten away most of the beards with nothing but handfuls of strands left. The legs were all messed up too. I saved what legs I could but had to throw away a lot of beards. I was sick...

Dr. B

I don't remove the skin from mine. I clean the marrow out, put them on a copper wire, then just dip them in a can of varnish. I've got some 19 yrs old that still look the same as when I dipped them.

I almost wished I had done mine that way and may start one of these days. I think I'm going to skin these down to the bone and finish out this last string and maybe start some new ones with the skin on. I usually skin mine and clean the bone and then string them up. Once done I shoot them with some clear coat to make them look good. Here's a couple of strings and you can tell I haven't completed the one closest to the center so it hasn't been clear coated yet:

I try to do them each year as well! I let the legs dry for a few months then cut them with a small sawzall. I let them dry for a few months again. I simply skin them, clean out the marrow and spray lacquer and string em up. Works great for decades.

Nice.

Wow yall have some impressive strands

I like you wait till I have a good hours worth of work(multiple years) to cut up. I have never frozen them or never peeled or sprayed any of mine. My oldest that I know for sure the date on is 24 years old, still looks like the day I hack sawed it off.

BC, Whats the deal with the 1.5" pearl one - vary unique trophy!! Never seen on like that. Looks like you mixed in some bear claws

I’ve killed several of those over the years and they are my favorite by far. I call them blonde with black tips. The most unique one I ever killed was when Stony Brock, his brother Joey, and I went to Nebraska.


Ever seen a set of crimson colored spurs?

Here’s a little better view of the ones you were talking about.

Maybe I'll get to be a killer like you one day BC! Nice collection!

Nice collection, I always just go ahead and do mine the same day I kill him or If its outta town or state I'll do it the day or two after I get home. Dang procrastinator

I think I understand now why the turkey population is declining