Harvesting hens

[Mark K]

What do you hunt for then?? You can buy a turkey cheaper that you can kill one in the wild.

As far as hearing all the sounds the turkeys make during the fall, I can hear all the same fall sounds y'all do while I'm deer hunting. I'll never support the killing of hens or fall hunting.

[redrivergar]

Thankfully everyone is entitled to hunt for whatever they legally want to. I do agree that it would be much cheaper to stop hunting everything and just get beef, chicken, pork, and fish at wal mart.


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[troutfisher13111]

Not all of us prefer to buy our meat. Wild game makes up 50% or better of what my family eats. Hunting has always been about food on the table for me and never just about the sport. Anyone who hunts mainly for the joy is doing the animals a big injustice.

That being said, I do believe in practicing good management so that the animals are here for my children and grandchildren to enjoy.

[Hooksfan]

Not all of us prefer to buy our meat. Wild game makes up 50% or better of what my family eats. Hunting has always been about food on the table for me and never just about the sport. Anyone who hunts mainly for the joy is doing the animals a big injustice.

That being said, I do believe in practicing good management so that the animals are here for my children and grandchildren to enjoy.

You and I are on the same page.
There are way too many variables at play to think Fall harvest of hens in those areas where there are Fall seasons is going to have that great of an impact on turkey numbers.  Nesting conditions each Spring determines how many turkeys there will be and Mother Nature is a cruel ole wench sometimes.
The dead hens don't lay eggs argument is a catchy tag line and that's about it.  Here's one with a little more validity:  You can't stockpile turkeys.

[earlybird]

Looks like i'm in the minority group on this subject.I will say this,like some of the others have said,certain states have a very high hen/gobbler ratio and that is why my own state of WV regulates this on a county to county basis according to harvest reports.Its just like any other type of wild game,you cant just harvest the males without keeping the females in check.If you just shot boar hogs or bucks what do you think would happen to those species.JMHO

[guesswho]

Its just like any other type of wild game,you cant just harvest the males without keeping the females in check.If you just shot boar hogs or bucks what do you think would happen to those species.JMHO

I don't care one way or the other as far as shooting hens.  I hunt Alabama and Georgia where we don't shoot hens and I can't imagine the Spring hunting getting any better by keeping the females in check.   I live on the AL/Ga line and get eight tags between the two states.  I'm not sure but I'd be willing to bet if both states had a fall season where you could shoot hens, I wouldn't be getting eight tags in the spring. 

[skinner26]

I thank hens need to be killed. Here in Wv we have a fall season u can take one bird. We try to fell a fall tag every year.  I have a few spots I hunt every year the the gobblers r always hend up. I bow hunt the same spot and in the fall I get pics and see way to many hens I know some may be jakes to but sell there is a lot of them.

[tomanyturkeycalls]

The only way that I will shoot a hen is in the fall with a bow... I want one for a decoy mount from a good friend of mine... won't cost anything but material.. that said... I don't want to shoot but one .. need all the little ones I can get..but the guys that shoot them legally is okay with me .. to each his own..

[catdaddy]

I like to hunt turkeys in the fall--but for me--its gobblers only--I have no interest in hens. But--if I did--I would kill one--not harvest it. I harvest stuff out of my garden.

[drenalinld]

My opinion only. Animals are born 50/50 male/female. I think if the population is near capacity of the land on a tough winter the harvest ratio should be 50/50. That said, I don't enjoy killing them.

[tomstopper]

Where I hunt the hens are in abundance. This being said I have no problem in taking a hen every other year. I dont think it hurts the population at all on our land. We still have a ton of turkeys.

[HARDCORE]

The killing of bearded hens only aside, states that do not allow hens to be killed, rank the highest
in overall turkey numbers.

It's a fact, look it up.

HC

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

The killing of bearded hens only aside, states that do not allow hens to be killed, rank the highest
in overall turkey numbers.

It's a fact, look it up.

HC

Imagine that..... Must be a coincidence

[1tiogabowhunter]

I think it depends on the population levels.  Turkey numbers are down in the areas I have been hunting so I have no desire to shoot hens.  A few years ago we  were seeing flocks of 100 birds.  Taking a few hens would not hurt.  Game commission needs to monitor it and make sound biological decisions based on population levels .  I hate shooting gobblers in the fall as I will not be able to hear them gobble next spring.  Although I am not opposed to people doing whatever is legal.   

[mikejd]

Does anybody shoot doe's during deer season??? Same thing no?