What about bearded hens...where legal?

[renegade19]

Maybe in the fall.  NO in the spring.

[Clovis67]

I be a hen killer and proud of it.Bearded birds are fair game where I hunt.I had a friend that thought he had killed a small jake one spring.When he got back at home cutting up the bird,he discovered an egg in the cavity of his so called "small jake".This friend was very surprised to say the least.

I have taken two bearded hens in the fall with archery gear.I havn't killed one in the spring season,but I'm not ruling it out if the right one comes along.I see several each spring and fall.I do think that they need to be passed up in the spring for the simple fact that she probably has a nest full of eggs.
When I first started turkey hunting I said I would never kill a hen and it was wrong to do so.An ole turkey hunter told me one time,"If you ain't killed a hen,then your not a real turkey hunter".I don't claim to totally agree with his statement,but I have changed my opinion on killing hens and look forward to killing my next one...

[DirtNap647]

shoot what you think is a trophy

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

I have been fortunate to hunt turkeys all over the united states.  Populations in all of those places have varied significantly but I've seen the robust, seemingly unlimited supply of turkeys in places like Nebraska, and Wyoming and I've seen staggeringly low populations in some areas of Mississippi and the mountains of Virginia.
What I have realized is that each place
is only several consecutive poor weather springs and tough winters away from a scary decline in numbers,  The area I hunt in Wyoming was a fantastic example of this and is just now rebounding. 
With all that being said, hens are sacred to me. They are the most critical member of the breeding process and mortality rates on turkeys are high. In my eyes, every hen represents several gobblers and hens next year, and consequently, I couldnt ever justify shooting one.

[TauntoHawk]

Can't spare the tag, she'd need to strut gobble and have a set of spurs with that beard.

[I hate turkeys]

Killed one a couple of years ago one of the best hunts ever. Took over two hours to work her in she would fan out and strut even turn her head blue and white. 6 inch beard you could see at 90 yards. Thought it was a submissive gobbler it never made a sound the entire time.

[Onpoint]

Can't spare the tag, she'd need to strut gobble and have a set of spurs with that beard.

I actually saw a hen strut and gobble a few years back.. She didn't have a beard though. She sure was one confused turkey.

[tomstopper]

I'm a hen killer.  I see bearded hens pretty regular and killed one several years ago that had a nine inch beard.   So far the population there is holding it's own.   Some states kill'em in the fall and still have huntable populations.  So I'm not sure how much the killing of hens impact the population.

The area I hunt is loaded with turkeys. This being said I do hunt birds in the fall & have no problem shooting a hen. In the spring I would let a normal bearded hen walk UNLESS it had a nine inch beard like guesswho seen. That would be rare for my neck of the woods and would look great next to a huge gobbler mount.......

[catman529]

I've killed hens in the fall season. If I see a bearded hen in the spring and she's in range, I might shoot her. Would be a unique bird to shoot, don't see em often at all. I'd rather shoot all gobblers in the spring but there would be exceptions in certain cases...

[turkey_slayer]

Done it once cause it was rare at the time. See a few every year now. Guess this was around 1998

[Kylongspur88]

Not in the spring... In the fall with my bow I say hammer down if legal >>-------------->