What about bearded hens...where legal?

[Michigander]

I've never shot one in the spring before. Had the chance, but it's kind of hard when there's a gobbler headed your way. I did shoot one with my bow in the fall once though. Shooting one hen isn't going to make a ripple in the population.

[BigEz]

Only hen I ever thought about shooten was a beard smokey phase that I saw twice during the season.  Sure would have been an awesome mount but never saw her again after that.  Something special like that is in danger if she comes to close other than that if she's just bearded ill toss her a razor as I don't like a hairy lady.   

[Hooksfan]

I will shoot hens in the Fall, but will not shoot a bearded hen in the Spring even though it is legal in Missouri.  My take on it is that the rule is for folks that can't tell a hen from a gobbler.  Don't have scientific studies to back it, but it also seems that areas that I see bearded hens are areas I wind up killing multi-bearded toms.  I have seen it enough to prevent me from avoiding shooting bearded hens even in the fall if I have a choice between a bearded hen and another hen. 
Having said that, I think I have killed two.

[HunterMan]

No, I would rather see them sitting on a nest full of eggs.

[TurkeyTom]

I haven't seen one yet, but I doubt I'd ever kill one if I did. They are legal up here in New York State.

[calebb]

I suppose they would be legal in Arkansas if her beard was over 6" but with our population being the way it is I wouldn't dream of shooting one. We need every poult we can get right now.

[B rooster]

Legal to shoot in OR.

[jblackburn]

I want to shoot one hen with a good beard and have her mounted.  Then I would be over it.

[jarbo03]

My first turkey was a hen with a 8" beard, almost 18 years ago.

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[El Pavo Grande]

Growing up we killed a lot of turkeys in the fall.  Hens, jakes...didn't matter, whatever presented a shot.  Bust the flock and whistle them back in.  We had a very healthy population then too.  I have had a few opportunities, but have never shot a bearded hen and don't really have a desire to.  It is legal in Arkansas and a couple of other states we hunt in.  I wouldn't mind having a beardless hen mounted some day, but not sure if or when I would ever shoot one again.

[WildTigerTrout]

As someone said in an earlier post bearded hens are legal game here in Pennsylvania. I have never seen one during the spring, but if I do see one in the future she would be safe. I can't see killing a hen during the breeding season. I would kill her during the fall season though and not feel the least bit guilty about it.

[mudhen]

Legal to shoot in Cali, but I've passed up maybe 30-40 over the years in the spring seasons.

Shot a few hens in the fall, but never a bearded one, usually just one of 100+ hens wandering inside a vineyard, that are destined to be wiped out by the ranch workers anyway....

mudhen

[Old Gobbler]

They are legal in Florida - I've seen probably more than I realize , you have to be about 10 foot away in good light to see the beard on the ones we got down here - people very rarely kill one in Florida

[appalachianstruttstopper]

I have never seen one in my 26yrs of turkey hunting except on TV. It is legal here in VA, and given the chance I would probably take her. I would like to have a bearded hen mounted and then probably wouldn't never harvest another.

[870BkWht]

Also being from WV, I have killed hens in fall before.  My first bird was a run of the mill hen that weighed about 10 pounds.  When I was 13, it was awesome to know I had just shot my first turkey.  That was 16 years ago.  I will still kill hens in the fall because in the Fall, either sex is the regulation.  Now in the Spring, Ive never seen one, but I would given the chance shoot a Bearded hen, if only once, because that might be my only opprotunity.