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General Discussion => General Forum => Topic started by: hunter22 on June 19, 2015, 04:41:32 PM

Title: First for Me
Post by: hunter22 on June 19, 2015, 04:41:32 PM
One of the birds I harvested in Oklahoma this spring was a bearded hen. Out of all the turkeys I have taken this was a first. I have seen several but never pulled the trigger before. I actually thought this bird was a gobbler. The sun was behind the bird's back and I was looking right into it early one morning. She came to my calling and actually fanned out and I recognized the full fan. I could also see the beard hanging down. Some Rios don't have much of a beard and I thought this was one of them. When I walked up to the dead bird I thought it was a gobbler until I turned it over and saw the grey head.

(http://i60.tinypic.com/xbhfrt.jpg)
Title: First for Me
Post by: sbbow on June 19, 2015, 05:00:15 PM
Looks good !!!


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Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: outdoors on June 19, 2015, 06:06:52 PM
                      NICE
MAN CAVE   :icon_thumright:  OR  SHOW ROOM   :icon_thumright:
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: mgm1955 on June 19, 2015, 10:03:06 PM
Great trophy!
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: kyturkeyhunter4 on June 20, 2015, 05:05:57 PM
Looks good
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: jepcho on June 20, 2015, 05:10:26 PM
I like your display!  Very cool trophy too.  I have seen a few and had opportunities to take one before but have always held out for a tom.  If I ever get a shot in the fall though, I will gladly take one.  It is definitely a goal of mine.
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: surehuntsalot on June 20, 2015, 11:10:06 PM
 :icon_thumright: nice
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: sixbird on June 21, 2015, 03:52:26 PM
Nice man! I hear people say, all the time about how rare bearded hens are. In this part of N.J. they're actually fairly common. I've had them in my yard a number of times and a few years ago one hatched out 10 or 11 young here. I'd say, this past year I probably saw 3 while hunting...
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: The Cohutta Strutter on June 27, 2015, 11:13:52 AM
 :icon_thumright:
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: ncturkey on June 28, 2015, 02:55:07 PM
Do you have a picture of the hen.
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: HunterMc23 on July 02, 2015, 04:18:00 PM
Nice!  :icon_thumright:
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: Neill_Prater on July 03, 2015, 10:00:31 AM
I'm glad you posted the circumstances behind killing your bearded hen as it is a textbook example of why the laws in some states allow the taking of any bird with a visible beard, so as to not penalize someone for making an honest mistake.
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: jperch on July 03, 2015, 10:16:21 AM
Here in upstate NY bearded hens are fairly common, I see one or two every year.  My rough estimate might be that 10% of the hens have beards.  The beards I have seen on hens are always much thinner than on an adult gobbler.  Other than the beard they act and look like other hens.  I have seen them with poults. 
Title: Re: First for Me
Post by: owlhoot on July 03, 2015, 10:24:05 AM
Nice display :icon_thumright: