bearded hens and would you shoot?

In the last two years in my travels I am noticing an increase in bearded hens. Up until Saturday morning I had never actually encountered one while hunting. Come the end of the season when the tag soup seems a bit more realistic the debate in my head starts about if I would shoot one or not given the opportunity.

This hen with a beard feeds around my decoy for about 45 minutes on Saturday morning. Naturally I notice it when I'm about to shift cus my arse is sore so I'm forced to sit still longer haha.

So here I am, no more theorizing about what I would do, I have to make a decision. The bird went unharmed as this level of guilt overcame me. I know 15 years ago that turkey was dead as soon as a shot was presented.

What would others do?

Absolutely, no problem here with population and the babies are not running around yet. If they had a group of babies trailing them then no but I would not feel bad at all about it, just like a doe in the fall, no different if the population is stable.

In the area I hunt there is so many hens, that I wouldn't feel bad at all. Unless like fox said if it had babies with them then definitely no shot would be taken.

I have buddies that have shot one this year and another buddy shot one last year. Both were their first birds, so it wasn't even a question for them. I asked if they would shoot one again, and they said no as they both want to hold out for Toms now. So.... i guess your allowed one before you feel guilty ;)

For me if I get out 4x in the spring season if I am lucky. Legal birds get a tag in my world. Now if I had more hunting time I would pass..

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Originally Posted by huntitall

I have buddies that have shot one this year and another buddy shot one last year. Both were their first birds, so it wasn't even a question for them. I asked if they would shoot one again, and they said no as they both want to hold out for Toms now. So.... i guess your allowed one before you feel guilty ;)

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I would only feel guilty if the hen was old and did not taste good.

I have never once felt guilty about a yearling, they are lighter to pull out of the bush and tender :).

For the same reason Jakes are a very good option as well.

I shot one before and found it it was only around 9-10 pounds. Not enough meat ,I will stick with toms.

given the choice between an unpunched tag or legal bird in the bag well its a bird in the hand for sure. Easier said than done as fortunately haven't faced that dilemma yet. Would say though the one fall I bought a tag I ate it as the hens and poults that presented themselves weren't worth the shot for me and haven't bought a tag since.

I would rather burn my tag then shoot a bearded hen, I don't know something about it makes me feel like I'd be killing a nest of 10+ eggs as well as a hen I just couldn't do it. I will not knock anyone for shooting one at all, but for me I turkey hunt for the experience, for being in the woods and hearing those toms gobble, and I love the meat but lets face it im not going hungry if I don't fill my tag.
I passed a bearded hen on April 29th and as karma would have it shot a limbhanger tom on the 30th to punch my 2nd tag of the season...maybe the turkey gods rewarded me...

The only reason bearded hens are legal is because they can be confused for a jake or small tom. If one knows it's a hen, then they should pass IMO. There is a nest somewhere and you are taking out several birds for what? They yield very little meat and no trophy value...may as well go shoot a few robins.