Can someone post pictures of what bearded turkeys look like as opposed to non bearded turkeys. I'd really appreciate that. Thank you
Is this a serious post???
(http://49.media.tumblr.com/05ddf26a45488021327edba4741f1e6e/tumblr_mq5gxoAWQA1sx34iho1_400.gif)
For non-bearded, just imagine it without that part.
They are not related to bearded chipmunks...
(http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/90500/Funny-Chipmunk-with-a-Beard-90767.jpg)
Sorry for the sarcastic posts you received, some people must not understand there are hunters new to hunting. A bearded Turkey is usually a Male or some Females can have a beard but rarely do, if your state's hunting laws permits Bearded Turkeys only then you are only allowed to harvest a Bearded Turkey, you could search for images on google for bearded and non bearded Turkeys for more details.
Quote from: NYlogbeards on March 25, 2016, 11:52:22 PM
Sorry for the sarcastic posts you received, some people must not understand there are hunters new to hunting. A bearded Turkey is usually a Male or some Females can have a beard but rarely do, if your state's hunting laws permits Bearded Turkeys only then you are only allowed to harvest a Bearded Turkey, you could search for images on google for bearded and non bearded Turkeys for more details.
X2! Google search bearded hen turkey. They aren't "RARE" but not common either. My state's licence states "bearded turkey" which makes a bearded hen legal. Although your miss out on bragging rights, trophies and a bit more meat from a big ol tom, bearded hens are also sterile. They won't continue to improve the flock or population but will consume their share of resources. In tough country like my area I'll "Take Er"
All the years I've hunted turkeys and I learn something new here all the time. I never knew that bearded hens were sterile and I've passed on the few that I've seen, even though they were legal.
Bob
I don't believe bearded hens are sterile in general. Bearded hens have been observed with poults.
Here's one source
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_0053.pdf (https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_0053.pdf)
"Can a bearded turkey hen raise young?
Yes. They (about 15 percent of all Rio Grande hens in Texas have visible beards) are as productive as hens without beards. Beards appear on older hens and increase in size and thickness with age."
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on March 26, 2016, 01:01:38 PM
I don't believe bearded hens are sterile in general. Bearded hens have been observed with poults.
Here's one source
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_0053.pdf (https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_0053.pdf)
"Can a bearded turkey hen raise young?
Yes. They (about 15 percent of all Rio Grande hens in Texas have visible beards) are as productive as hens without beards. Beards appear on older hens and increase in size and thickness with age."
Thank you. :icon_thumright:
Bob
Bearded hens have same sterility rate as non bearded hens. According to some reading I did last year. FWIW. I AM a vet and did NOT stay in a Holiday Inn last night.
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The word is still out on bearded chipmunks though. Maybe stinkpickle knows. :toothy12:
If a bearded hen lays eggs she will have a kink in the beard,if it is long enough, to prove she nested. The kink comes from incubating the eggs. I've have shot 4 bearded hens and seen a few more. Two that I've taken had 9in.+ beards on them. One of them had such a kink in it. She is mounted overlooking a clutch of eggs.
Bearded hens are not sterile!!! That's just an excuse to shot them where it's legal. I have seen bearded hens with young several times. And as far as the original post, the best thing you could do is to tag along with an experienced turkey hunter for a year or two to get things figured out. Best of luck!
:welcomeOG:
Quote from: Farmboy27 on March 26, 2016, 04:50:30 PM
Bearded hens are not sterile!!! That's just an excuse to shot them where it's legal. I have seen bearded hens with young several times. And as far as the original post, the best thing you could do is to tag along with an experienced turkey hunter for a year or two to get things figured out. Best of luck!
What's that have anything to do with shooting a Bearded Hen? I'll follow my state law and you do what you perfer but until the law says otherwise I will continue to tag Bearded Hens
Bearded hens are most definitely not sterile.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160327/c928b9a01ae5809b438acd07e97a53c9.jpg)
Bearded hen on the left. Bearded gobbler on the right. Check your state regs. Some states require only a beard, some states require a bearded male. . And so on.
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Quote from: NYlogbeards on March 26, 2016, 07:28:26 PM
:welcomeOG:Quote from: Farmboy27 on March 26, 2016, 04:50:30 PM
Bearded hens are not sterile!!! That's just an excuse to shot them where it's legal. I have seen bearded hens with young several times. And as far as the original post, the best thing you could do is to tag along with an experienced turkey hunter for a year or two to get things figured out. Best of luck!
What's that have anything to do with shooting a Bearded Hen? I'll follow my state law and you do what you perfer but until the law says otherwise I will continue to tag Bearded Hens
I meant no offense to anyone and as you said anyone is free to do what the law allows. I'm just saying that I've heard so many people say "I called in a bearded hen and shot her cause they don't lay anyway". I have shot several bearded hens in the fall but have always, and will aways, pass on them in the spring. Saw one at the towards the end of season 2 years ago with a dozen poults. Legal bird. But how much more unethical can ya get. Hope she it.
Quote from: Farmboy27 on March 26, 2016, 08:33:59 PM
Quote from: NYlogbeards on March 26, 2016, 07:28:26 PM
:welcomeOG:Quote from: Farmboy27 on March 26, 2016, 04:50:30 PM
Bearded hens are not sterile!!! That's just an excuse to shot them where it's legal. I have seen bearded hens with young several times. And as far as the original post, the best thing you could do is to tag along with an experienced turkey hunter for a year or two to get things figured out. Best of luck!
What's that have anything to do with shooting a Bearded Hen? I'll follow my state law and you do what you perfer but until the law says otherwise I will continue to tag Bearded Hens
I meant no offense to anyone and as you said anyone is free to do what the law allows. I'm just saying that I've heard so many people say "I called in a bearded hen and shot her cause they don't lay anyway". I have shot several bearded hens in the fall but have always, and will aways, pass on them in the spring. Saw one at the towards the end of season 2 years ago with a dozen poults. Legal bird. But how much more unethical can ya get. Hope she it.
Sorry if my post came off in offence, I 100% agree with it being unethical to take a Bearded Hen, few years ago i mistakenly tagged one and thought it was a Jake not that its illegal or you need an excuse to shoot one but it is a lame excuse to kill one and say "They're sterile anyway"
In WI you can legally shoot a bearded bird (hen included) or male turkey. I have killed 2 adult male turkeys with no beard, nothing at all and still with a full fan and gobbling his head off and one of those 2 had no beard and no spurs...
MK M GOBL
Quote from: stinkpickle on March 25, 2016, 11:09:50 PM
(http://49.media.tumblr.com/05ddf26a45488021327edba4741f1e6e/tumblr_mq5gxoAWQA1sx34iho1_400.gif)
For non-bearded, just imagine it without that part.
As sarcastic as this post was, it is still helpful... (I actually thought it was pretty funny as well).
Most male turkeys have that little tuft of feathers at their chest that forms a "beard." Most female turkeys do not have this "beard." The beard on the above picture is a "long-beard" and quite easy to see. Younger beards can have a small tuft that is only an inch or two long, but it is still a beard legally speaking as long as it is visible.
For states that "any bearded turkey" is legal, you can shoot a hen or a gobbler as long as it has a beard. Most hunters try to avoid shooting hens in the spring, cause it is taking from our own resource. (A hen will find another tom to breed with, but when you take out a hen, you are hurting the production line).
There are other physical characteristics such as size and color of the birds that will help you distinguish a boy turkey from a girl as well. But sometimes a gobbler does not have a beard (either a young bird or "beard rot," or losing it in a fight).
The beard length, as well as spur length, and weight of the bird are three characteristics used as "trophy" characteristics. The longer the beard the more of a trophy the bird is considered.