Clay back turkey

Ok, let me start out by saying I do not have pics of my bird. However, on Saturday I killed my best bird to date. It had a 10.5 in beard, 1 3/8 spurs. I decided to get it mounted. When I carried it to the taxidermist he freaked out over the color of it. He called it a "clay back" and said they were rare. It looked like a regular a Eastern to me, but he seemed pretty excited about it. My question is this? What exactly is a clay back turkey? I will post pics when I get it back from the taxidermist.
 

sman

Senior Member
Guessing one with a lot of red wing feathers. I don't know either.

The ones I use to shot in Jasper County used to have clay backs but thats cause they flopped in the mud.
 

brian lee

Senior Member
I killed one one cedar creek last weekend that had red feathers on his back as well. This birds strutt zone was a field that had a big dirt spot in it. Thought it was just dirt but it didn't come off
 

Reminex

Senior Member
That's just how some taxidermist drum up a little extra business. If I take a bird to any of the local taxidermist round here for a simple fan/beard mount, they will go on and on about how great a bird it is and how it would be a sin not to get a full mount done.

Can't tell you how many times a 1" spur and 10" beard and 19# is "the biggest I've seen all year! Man that thing has 1.5 spurs and a 12" beard and it weighs at least 25 pounds!"
So even when they don't have to sell the job its ingrained to do so.

Ive never heard of a clay back, but I would like to see one. There is an erythritic color phase. congrats on the great bird...can't wait to see the pics!
 

The mtn man

Senior Member
There is a color phase called Clay Bank, your taxidermists may not know what he was talking about, but there is such a thing.It's not Clay back, It's called Clay bank.I don't know why, but i have seen 2 in my life.Body feathers can resemble a ruffed grouse in a way.
 

Killdee

Senior Member
Clay bank is a regional name for the erythritic or red color phase.3 other color phase's are Melanistic, black, Smokey, grey, and albino, white.
 

The mtn man

Senior Member
Clay bank is a regional name for the erythritic or red color phase.3 other color phase's are Melanistic, black, Smokey, grey, and albino, white.

Yep this is what I understand, colors resemble the reddish color of a southern grouse. most seem to be more black.
 
I killed this one several years ago. I had it full mounted, but I have killed 2 since then that have similar coloring but not nearly as distinct.

467776_10150800712614632_801094310_o.jpg
 

The mtn man

Senior Member
Yep, thats the color phase.I seen one that had alot more red than that, pretty bird you have there.
 
That's what mine looked like too. Thanks for posting the pic.

They are beautiful. I had seen this bird once before but had no idea he was the one when I made the shot.

I saw another bird in the same spot this year that had some pretty distinct coloring. He wasn't as dumb though.

Congrats on a rare one indeed. Post pics when you get him back.
 
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