OK. Hunting this spring has been tough. New work on the power lines, houses going in, construction trucks etc. I've had one hell of a time finding birds. Finally found the boys and then the weather turned nasty for 10 days. Now that it is starting to warm back up, all I can find is a bunch of hens. BONUS. Two of them are bearded. Now the question. Do I take one or wait out for the gobbler. I can fill two tags and can harvest any bearded bird. My only reservation is that she is probably nesting already. I have her pattern down like clockwork. This is what leads me to think she is nesting. Please weigh in.
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
Would you normally shoot a hen? I'm not sure it having a beard would change my mind on that one, but if it's legal and makes you happy go for it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I put it in the same category as shooting jakes. I prefer not to 99.9% of the time. However if it's legal and your happy with it then more power to you.
Just remember you kill that hen your aren't just killing that one bird. Shooting her ain't gonna make your tough hunting any better either. Might lead to some more tough springs.. Could be a couple gobblers in that hatch.
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Quote from: BABS9 on May 11, 2016, 07:37:59 PM
Just remember you kill that hen your aren't just killing that one bird. Shooting her ain't gonna make your tough hunting any better either. Might lead to some more tough springs.. Could be a couple gobblers in that hatch.
X2
Give her a pass. Like you said, probably on a nest. No sense killing her and numerous chicks she might have.
Sent from my 1970s rotary phone
This is why I asked the masses. Thanks guys. I'm not starving, next year will be better. Just because it is legal doesn't make it ethical.
Now if she were albino and had a beard, I'd shoot her. ;D
In the fall, yes. In the spring, no. Just what I'd do. Legal bird, it's up to you.
Like you said yourself, she's probably nesting. But she's also a legal bird. I have had plenty of chance to shoot bearded hens in the spring and have always passed. But I have killed several in the fall. So I'm not going to judge anyone who shoots one. Just something about shooting one that may be nesting at the time seems different than shoot one 6 months later.
While it's legal in Illinois to shoot a bearded hen, I passed up one earlier because (1) to me it would be like shooting the seed that might produce a crop of gobblers and hens for next spring and beyond that would carry on the species in my hunting area and (2) a hen wouldn't produce that much meat. In addition, I pass on jakes since when I do I'm assuring that there will be two-year olds next spring.
Ask yourself if you would kill a bearded hen on the first day of season. The difference between someone who likes to hunt and someone who likes to kill is simple. Someone who likes to hunt won't kill an animal on the last day that he wouldn't have killed on the first day. Someone who likes to kill says things like "I normally wouldn't but..." Anything that's legal and safe is fine by me, but if you feel that you have to ask others if it's ok then maybe you have doubts whether it's ok with you. And before you kill something you better make darn sure you're ok with doing it.
I have a bunch of turkey meat I will send you. ;)
I have passed on many many bearded ladies in the past. Just can't bring myself to pull the trigger on a hen, that's the turkey factory man, I want the factory running at max output.
Spot on farmboy. Here's my thoughts a little clearer. I have never killed a hen and don't intend to. I have had two chances at bearded hens and passed. Wasn't even tempted. However if a guy hunts his tail end off and the turkey population is good then it's his choice if legal. Now if you wouldn't shoot her on the first day then maybe you should hold off. I know several guys in West Virginia that resort to rifles if they don't kill one in the first couple weeks. That tells me exactly what matters to them the most.
They would get a pass from me. My dad and I let one go on opening day a couple of years ago. We have one on our cameras this year as well. She is definitely safe but I hope I get to see her in person before the season is over.
I can't speak for you though. If it's legal and it's something that would make you happy, that needs to be you decision.
For me personally no way would I shoot a bearded hen but that's my :z-twocents:. Good luck on your decision
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
I don't agree with you. Just like during deer season you can kill either a hen or a gobbler and a lot of people could careless how they try and kill a turkey with a bow. I know of several people who have shot and lost hens during bow season because of bad shots. Again if you kill hens in the fall your killing next year young. That's my opinion. Now i know we have several bow hunter that hunt turkeys with great success but these guys hunt with the right equipment to take turkeys humanly . For every hen you kill you loose at least 4 to 10 chicks in your area a year. That's not including what we loose to predators. So do the Math..
If a hen has a beard it's still a hen trkehnr93... i hunt turkeys to hear gobblers gobble. So again if you want to kill hens in the fall that's up to you. Good luck on keeping turkeys in your area. Remember opinions are just opinions..
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, and I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck. So why can't fall hunters just shoot gobblers and jakes. Baby's don't fall out of males' hind ends. If I could deer hunt in the spring I would, but I wouldn't kill does then either. Plenty of other trigger happy good ol boys (fall turkey hunters) in my neck of the woods to kill does for me.
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, an I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck.
Nice job and i know you worked hard to kill those nice deer. Great job.
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 10:55:35 PM
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, an I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck.
Nice job and i know you worked hard to kill those nice deer. Great job.
Sure did. I'm not against anyone killing what is legal, but predators and the orange army (especially now in VA) do a great job of getting old and unproductive individuals out of the populations. No reason for me to kill females that pop out the babies I chase.
One doe only needs to breed one buck.
One buck can breed many does.
One hen only needs one gobbler.
One gobbler can breed many hens.
That's not rocket science there the girls are the limiting factor to the next generation.
Thanks for all the advice. She will go and have little one's and hopefully return the favor of a nice bird for me in a couple of years. Still time to find the big boys. I just enjoy the woods and watching her has been fun. I'll see if I can get a camera up and post a picture.
Quote from: gutterdoc on May 11, 2016, 11:33:18 PM
Thanks for all the advice. She will go and have little one's and hopefully return the favor of a nice bird for me in a couple of years. Still time to find the big boys. I just enjoy the woods and watching her has been fun. I'll see if I can get a camera up and post a picture.
You hunt and do just like you want in taking any turkey you want. We all have opinions and that's what's great about this forum. No one is judging you. We are all turkey hunter first and we love these birds.
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, and I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck. So why can't fall hunters just shoot gobblers and jakes. Baby's don't fall out of males' hind ends. If I could deer hunt in the spring I would, but I wouldn't kill does then either. Plenty of other trigger happy good ol boys (fall turkey hunters) in my neck of the woods to kill does for me.
If there was science to back up that killing hens in the fall was making such a huge impact on the turkey population then the regulations would change accordingly to biologist recommendations. If we had the amount of fall turkey hunters as spring turkey hunters then that might be the case. We have a healthy turkey population in VA and as I stated before the fall hunters, I'm one of them, are few so our impact is minimal. My point was if you hunt other species such as deer taking a few females is what keeps our game populations healthy and stable, I believe any wildlife biologist would agree. Not to mention that's there not much to discuss if the state has deemed it a legal target. This past fall I killed one doe but passed up many immature bucks for a chance at a mountable deer. Glad you measure your success rate in the deer woods in inches, I measure mine by experience.
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 12, 2016, 07:43:12 AM
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, and I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck. So why can't fall hunters just shoot gobblers and jakes. Baby's don't fall out of males' hind ends. If I could deer hunt in the spring I would, but I wouldn't kill does then either. Plenty of other trigger happy good ol boys (fall turkey hunters) in my neck of the woods to kill does for me.
If there was science to back up that killing hens in the fall was making such a huge impact on the turkey population then the regulations would change accordingly to biologist recommendations. If we had the amount of fall turkey hunters as spring turkey hunters then that might be the case. We have a healthy turkey population in VA and as I stated before the fall hunters, I'm one of them, are few so our impact is minimal. My point was if you hunt other species such as deer taking a few females is what keeps our game populations healthy and stable, I believe any wildlife biologist would agree. Not to mention that's there not much to discuss if the state has deemed it a legal target. This past fall I killed one doe but passed up many immature bucks for a chance at a mountable deer. Glad you measure your success rate in the deer woods in inches, I measure mine by experience.
Good luck on all of your hunting. I agree it's up to the person in taking turkeys in the fall. A lot of places or states don't have a large gobbler or hen turkey population. On my farm we just don't kill hens and we only take a few doe"s during deer season. We feel the predators keep the rest in balance.
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, and I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck. So why can't fall hunters just shoot gobblers and jakes. Baby's don't fall out of males' hind ends. If I could deer hunt in the spring I would, but I wouldn't kill does then either. Plenty of other trigger happy good ol boys (fall turkey hunters) in my neck of the woods to kill does for me.
How is this laughable? Harvesting does is good deer management. By only harvesting bucks, you are not managing your deer herd properly. As far as hens go, I have no comment since I don't know his population. But too many does can also reduce reproduction. Not shooting does can be just as bad as shooting too many.
Quote from: BABS9 on May 11, 2016, 07:37:59 PM
Just remember you kill that hen your aren't just killing that one bird. Shooting her ain't gonna make your tough hunting any better either. Might lead to some more tough springs.. Could be a couple gobblers in that hatch.
I agree with this but if it makes you happy and its legal, then I have no problem with you taking it. I would say that here in NY I have seen plenty of bearded hens so I don't think the chances of you running into one again would be impossible. Whatever you decide I wont be judging you. Good luck
I've always said I wanted to shoot a bearded hen for a mount. But, every time I've had a bearded hen come in, it just slips my mind. Had dozens of opportunities, but I've never thought about pulling the trigger when they occurred. Where legal, I say it's up to the individual, but I doubt I'll ever do it.
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 12, 2016, 07:43:12 AM
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, and I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck. So why can't fall hunters just shoot gobblers and jakes. Baby's don't fall out of males' hind ends. If I could deer hunt in the spring I would, but I wouldn't kill does then either. Plenty of other trigger happy good ol boys (fall turkey hunters) in my neck of the woods to kill does for me.
If there was science to back up that killing hens in the fall was making such a huge impact on the turkey population then the regulations would change accordingly to biologist recommendations. If we had the amount of fall turkey hunters as spring turkey hunters then that might be the case. We have a healthy turkey population in VA and as I stated before the fall hunters, I'm one of them, are few so our impact is minimal. My point was if you hunt other species such as deer taking a few females is what keeps our game populations healthy and stable, I believe any wildlife biologist would agree. Not to mention that's there not much to discuss if the state has deemed it a legal target. This past fall I killed one doe but passed up many immature bucks for a chance at a mountable deer. Glad you measure your success rate in the deer woods in inches, I measure mine by experience.
I never said taking a few does didn't help the population. I said they're is plenty of other people and predators that kill plenty of does, so there's I don't see the need in killing them. Just as there are plenty of other predators to kill hens, so again I see zero reason to ever shoot a hen. I don't see how chasing and killing nice deer isn't an experience. . . Letting and watching them grow, running cameras year round, hanging stands late spring and summer, planting food plots and then planning hunt and killing mature deer. . . That's a heck of an experience to me.
Quote from: HogBiologist on May 12, 2016, 09:52:27 AM
Quote from: beakbuster10 on May 11, 2016, 10:49:32 PM
Quote from: trkehunr93 on May 11, 2016, 10:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 07:39:11 PM
Quote from: SteelerFan on May 11, 2016, 07:22:36 PM
How hungry are you?
I won't judge anyone for killing a legal bird, so it's all on YOU as to what defines your success / and or trophy in your mind.
Me personally... I'd wait for the gobbler or go home with nothing. But that's just me.
X2 That's why i never fall hunt..but i don't judge people for hunting how they need to take game legal.
Then you might as well not deer hunt in the fall either. Bearded hens are few and far between and the number of fall turkey hunters is too small to make a huge impact.
Really?? This is laughable. I deer hunt every fall, and I haven't killed a doe in 5 years. BUT I filled all three of my VA buck tags last falls. Killed a 152, a 147, and another 120ish buck. So why can't fall hunters just shoot gobblers and jakes. Baby's don't fall out of males' hind ends. If I could deer hunt in the spring I would, but I wouldn't kill does then either. Plenty of other trigger happy good ol boys (fall turkey hunters) in my neck of the woods to kill does for me.
How is this laughable? Harvesting does is good deer management. By only harvesting bucks, you are not managing your deer herd properly. As far as hens go, I have no comment since I don't know his population. But too many does can also reduce reproduction. Not shooting does can be just as bad as shooting too many.
See my above post
Sounds like you have decided.
Managing proper doe/buck ratio for a given habitat is so different from managing a turkey population as to almost worthless in comparison. I can tell you a proper bull/cow ratio for a given pasture as well. Means nothing for turkeys though. I get the analogy, but they are so different.
If I hunted a location with a well known (by me) population of hens, especially bearded hens, and felt comfortable that the population would not be harmed by killing one hen, I might do it. I did not on the farm I hunt because I felt there was a not a sufficient population of birds to justify it.
Shoot the hen.
I'll ship you 2 perdue's. Let the 20 plus eggs have a chance.
Because deer biology and turkey biology are the exact same thing!!
Here in CA, they cut the fall limit from 1 bird per day for 30 days to 1 per day, 2 birds total. This happened a few years ago, but seems that the state biologists deemed it necessary....
Very few things are certain in turkey hunting...the only one I know for sure is that a dead hen cannot lay any eggs...after that, who knows??
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The bottom line as I see it is if it's legal in your state then shoot a bearded hen. But don't use this as a bully pulpit to condemn hunters who hunt turkeys in the fall as being detrimental to the population of turkeys as a whole or because you don't think you should shoot a bearded hen. I always go back to what state game biologists recommend, if it was effecting the population then they will adjust bag limits, seasons, etc. Seeing as how the NWTF has successfully introduced/reintroduced turkeys across the lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and northern Mexico and is now shifted the focus on habitat it would appear the wild turkey is pretty safe in North America. It's all about personal choice so to shift back to the original intent of this post, happy to see you made the personal choice to let her walk. It was your choice in a state where it was legal.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I think what most people are saying, they are not comfortable in taking a hen were the population is less in areas they hunt. All areas have up and down years with turkey hatch and populations. I agree if we didn't have seasons and bag limited, we would probably not have a population of huntable turkey's left, just like before we had these game law's. So i think it's up to the area or state your hunting, in deciding if you want to take a hen. Again it's all up to the person hunting. Weather it's spring or fall. In some areas of Tenn we have had a major decline in our huntable population of turkeys. So if a person wants to take a hen in a large populated area or state i see nothing wrong in your decision of harvesting a hen. I don't see people's opinions on this forum as bullying or condemn anyone. I feel people are trying to protect these bird's from becoming instinct in a given environment they have to hunt. How do you know it want affect anything if we take a hen beard or not. I still think with turkeys we still have a lot of unanswered questions. I've seen areas that had a lot of turkeys after they were stock several years ago. For years these turkeys raise little ones and roosted in the same area of this farm for over 12 years and one fall after this area had the timber cut it's like most of what's left of the old stock of turkeys have left the farm. This was just a 100 ac. of cut timber with still over 600 more ac. that has never been cut. It's like now with what turkeys are left, they just roost all over the 600 ac. with no prime roosting spot like the old flock used.
1 hen wont affect anything... thats obvious.
I personally would like to shoot a bearded hen to mount with a gobbler. I would also eat her.
It also legal in my state, which is about all the information anyone needs as far as what my options are.
To each his own, we all want more turkeys... but passing up a bearded hen doesnt necessarily mean she will have poults... she might get ate by a yote 10 minutes after she walks buy... her nest might get flooded out... there are some many variables its ridiculous to compare.
No one man is better than the other for passing a bearded hen. But some THINK they are. ;)
I live in the country with milers of private land around me most wan't let you hunt. In the last 10 years I have seen hundreds of wild turkeys and a total of 1 bearded hen, so if I had killed her I don't think it would have made a difference, but a couple of years ago I had a hen come through my yard every day for almost a month she started out with 14 chicks the last time I saw her she had 2 so if you are going to worry about something it better be coyotes, bobcats, house cats, wild dogs, coons, and all the other thing after them are we are not going to have any left.
Quote from: ol bob on May 12, 2016, 05:16:26 PM
I live in the country with milers of private land around me most wan't let you hunt. In the last 10 years I have seen hundreds of wild turkeys and a total of 1 bearded hen, so if I had killed her I don't think it would have made a difference, but a couple of years ago I had a hen come through my yard every day for almost a month she started out with 14 chicks the last time I saw her she had 2 so if you are going to worry about something it better be coyotes, bobcats, house cats, wild dogs, coons, and all the other thing after them are we are not going to have any left.
X2
Quote from: ol bob on May 12, 2016, 05:16:26 PM
I live in the country with milers of private land around me most wan't let you hunt. In the last 10 years I have seen hundreds of wild turkeys and a total of 1 bearded hen, so if I had killed her I don't think it would have made a difference, but a couple of years ago I had a hen come through my yard every day for almost a month she started out with 14 chicks the last time I saw her she had 2 so if you are going to worry about something it better be coyotes, bobcats, house cats, wild dogs, coons, and all the other thing after them are we are not going to have any left.
Then you also better worry about wet springs, late cold spells, logging during nesting season, farming, and everything else that can affect the hatch and poult survival. That's a heck of a lot to worry about when you can't really control any of it. Simple fact is that dead hens don't raise broods. Does that make it wrong? If it's legal then no, have at it. But like I said earlier, if you have to ask others opinions about killing an animal then you probably are already questioning whether you feel it's right or not. If it's legal, then make the choice that you can sleep with and be happy! It's really the individuals choice any nothing that anyone on here, myself included, should alter that choice if it feels right.
Strait up Id never shoot it, or allow my kids to do so.
Taking a turkey isn't so important that Id jeopardize the poults. Maybe only two or three lived. Ok so by next year they breed n only 2 or 3 live. Out of those 2-3 by each hen it adds up to a bunch In a few years through multiplication
I may be way off base, but here in Arkansas we are allowed to kill bearded hens. I seriously don't think that it is allowed because the heard 'can' or 'can not' handle it. I think it is due to the fact that people mistake their identities.
My dad has been turkey hunting since the mid 80s and has killed his fair share of mature gobblers. One day he had a gobbler on a string, saw a turkey with a beard slip in on him through a small hole and shot. He said he never knew it was a hen until he put his heal on it. He said he had never been so disappointed in himself, but it does happen.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you wanna burn a shell before the end of the season let her have it. And if the hunt for a bearded hen puts a smile on your face at the end of the hunt and after the shot then do what makes you as the hunter happy.
Quote from: Spurs on May 12, 2016, 09:41:59 PM
I may be way off base, but here in Arkansas we are allowed to kill bearded hens. I seriously don't think that it is allowed because the heard 'can' or 'can not' handle it. I think it is due to the fact that people mistake their identities.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm not going to take the time to research it, but I think this is exactly the reason some states allowed the bearded hen...
The population is much easier to control with fall hunting, bag limits, season days, etc.
I wanted to shoot a bearded hen for years to have it mounted. 2 or 3 years ago I had a bearded hen walk right up to me and I had my finger on the trigger,but didnt shoot. I knew I didnt have the cash to take it to the taxidermy man and it would just sit in the freezer for 5 years till it got thrown out so I let her pass. The place I was hunting does have a healthy turkey population and I was gonna smoke her,but I didnt. I would not look down on any one else for doing it ,but I wont. I have killed 1 hen in the fall with a bow and will not do that again either. Just a personal opinion thats all. As far as shooting does there are places I will shoot one in a second and there are other places where I let them walk. Just because the population is better in some places than others.
Quote from: gutterdoc on May 11, 2016, 07:57:36 PM
This is why I asked the masses. Thanks guys. I'm not starving, next year will be better. Just because it is legal doesn't make it ethical.
Now if she were albino and had a beard, I'd shoot her. ;D
Very good choice, and I tip my hat to you. I have also seen the occasional bearded hen, and like jakes ,they always all get a free pass. I have hunted exclusively with a crossbow the last 5 years, and enjoy my hunts all the more.
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 11, 2016, 10:31:24 PM
Again if you kill hens in the fall your killing next year young. That's my opinion. Now i know we have several bow hunter that hunt turkeys with great success but these guys hunt with the right equipment to take turkeys humanly . For every hen you kill you loose at least 4 to 10 chicks in your area a year. That's not including what we loose to predators. So do the Math..
We all have to follow our personal ethics... But killing hens in the fall probably has little to no effect on turkey populations...
There is a certain amount of competition for both prime food and nesting, and when a space opens up, another bird will take it...
In some upland populations, with limited food and nesting, it would seem that hunting can actually help the population... If there is only enough food or cover for 100 birds, but there are 200 birds present, it is not like half of them just give up and die... They all use the resources until the resources are gone, with major die-off.
There is a certain amount of natural die-off, and there is some degree of competition for resources... By lowering that competition for resources, you should in theory improve nesting success of the surviving adults...
On a personal level, I would not choose to kill a hen during the spring. During the fall, if I were inclined to hunt turkeys, I would not be too particular. As it is, I can shoot three per year, and would rather save my bird for the spring...
I would hope that bird take is driven by science, and if so, the science says that taking some hens will not have an impact on populations... The whole not shooting a bearded hen is far more driven by emotion and personal ethics than by science I would guess.