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..

Quote:

---

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 ;)

---

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.

Hen? Jake ? Tom?......without the feathers the family doesn't know the difference, the meat tastes the same :)

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps4588006b.jpg

..and yes that is the perfect sized bird for the wife and I to enjoy...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dilly

and no trophy value...

---

I'm pretty sure that is the bigger concern with most guys who like the traditional 'Pic'.....

Funny thing is, a lot of guys outgrow that after awhile; you stop entering contests, stop taking pics and just take what you legally shot and cook it and enjoy the dinner.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dilly

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.

---

I don't buy the "very little meat" argument. I've picked up road killed hens and they are not a lot smaller than a jake.

That said - the spirit of the law is to protect the hens in spring, the letter of the law only allows them to be killed as it allows the beard to be used as an identifier.
I'd hope a hunter would follow the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, if he knew for sure the turkey he was looking at was a hen.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kokes

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...

---

Same. Can never have too many hens.

Not a chance.....don't see the difference between poults following her around or leaving a nest full of eggs to rot, no way am I that desperate to shoot a hen and yes I have passed on several bearded hens. Like it has been stated the only reason they are legal is due to the beard being an identifier for a legal bird. It was meant for a guy who accidentally thinks it is a male turkey and shoots it. You are not shooting does with fawns in there belly but you will be cleaning eggs out of that bearded hen for sure not to mention letting the rest of her nest rot.

When my boy was only 13 and had only killed one turkey in his hunting career we had a bearded hen beat the tar out of my decoy for over 20 minutes, I gave him the go ahead to shoot her it if he wanted but he would have none of it.........made me very proud he had restraint at that young age and it wasn't just about killing whatever legal bird come into sight. He was rewarded with a nice Tom less than an hour later..........

Bearded hens are legal so have at er guys if you feel the need but know that they are only legal for accidental shootings and no other reason!!

Almost the same arguments I read come the fall hunt when guys argue against shooting a hen...

That they are full of eggs?????

I'm not against shooting hens in the fall as they are not full of eggs as well as have a nest full of eggs on the ground. No different then shooting does in the fall, nothing wrong with it at all but would you shoot a pregnant doe in the spring if it was legal???

It's kind of funny. Guys will drink case after case of beer and cry about burning a turkey tag,or any tag.

On my bucket list. Lots of toms around only saw 2 bearded hens one out of season next to a road the other was beside a tom. I took the tom but I want one bearded hen. No different than shooting a doe or cow moose in the fall.

I shot a bearded hen many years ago. Weighed 11 pounds at the table and fed 6 adults with a few left overs. Most tasty and tender bird I ever shot out of about 25. Wife won't let me shoot "trophies" any more, too tough at the table..........Daniel

I won't shoot a hen.....period. I've seen many bearded hens over the years, some with some pretty impressive beards. All get a pass. I don't know how anyone can mistake a hen for a jake or gobbler, regardless of a beard.
I will also pass on a big gobbler to take a jake.

only if badly wounded and needs to be put to sleep.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by duckslayer

That they are full of eggs?????

I'm not against shooting hens in the fall as they are not full of eggs as well as have a nest full of eggs on the ground. No different then shooting does in the fall, nothing wrong with it at all but would you shoot a pregnant doe in the spring if it was legal???

---

Sorry duck but the does are pregnant in the fall too, just early on in their development.

Shoot a hen in the spring and get a couple delicious turkey eggs when you clean her, mmm. Every clean a hen? Lots of eggs in there, all different stages of development and usually 1 or 2 with full shells when you open her up.

If the population is good it does not matter at all, the babies are not hatched out, you are not orphaning anything, no different than a doe in the fall.

The baby has no development at all until they start to set on the eggs, full development outside of the turkey.

If you really think about it, the less we shoot bearded hens the more than genetic trait will pass along and more bearded hens will be around, like tuskless elephants.

Fox, your reply is borderline rediculous but there is no need to argue it out, I'm allowed my opinion and you are within your legal limits shooting bearded hens if you feel the need to.

On a side note you keep saying the populations are healthy enough to take hens which is good to hear as it has been nothing but doom and gloom from you eastern Ontario guys about the population decline the last few years, good to know it sounds like numbers have rebounded out that way. Have at your hens!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by duckslayer

Fox, your reply is borderline rediculous but there is no need to argue it out, I'm allowed my opinion and you are within your legal limits shooting bearded hens if you feel the need to.

On a side note you keep saying the populations are healthy enough to take hens which is good to hear as it has been nothing but doom and gloom from you eastern Ontario guys about the population decline the last few years, good to know it sounds like numbers have rebounded out that way. Have at your hens!!

---

What I am saying is that to think of shooting a doe in December as different than a hen without any babies but eggs on the ground is exactly the same thing. That doe has been bred, it is pregnant, it is called a gestation period. Shooting a hen in the spring without any actual babies behind it is no different than shooting a doe in the fall, the same exact potential to lose offspring. If the population is good enough to support it then females can and in many cases should be removed from the population.

Ask some of the farmers what they think about the turkeys, none of them in my neck of the woods or back home in SW Ontario would have any problems with the turkey population going down a little.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

What I am saying is that to think of shooting a doe in December as different than a hen without any babies but eggs on the ground is exactly the same thing. That doe has been bred, it is pregnant, it is called a gestation period. Shooting a hen in the spring without any actual babies behind it is no different than shooting a doe in the fall, the same exact potential to lose offspring. If the population is good enough to support it then females can and in many cases should be removed from the population.

Ask some of the farmers what they think about the turkeys, none of them in my neck of the woods or back home in SW Ontario would have any problems with the turkey population going down a little.

---

Again this is your opinion and not mine, I don't see it the same way but I know you insist that the way you think is the correct way so go ahead and think that but I don't as do many others! Shooting a hen in the spring is not the same as shooting a doe in the fall.............I'm leaving it at that and I don't care how you see it. Thanks for the biology lesson though.......wow.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by duckslayer

as it has been nothing but doom and gloom from you eastern Ontario guys about the population decline the last few years, good to know it sounds like numbers have rebounded out that way.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

, none of them in my neck of the woods or back home in SW Ontario would have any problems with the turkey population going down a little.

---

Odd comment DS, I have never heard a single comment about the lack of Turkeys in Eastern On..quite the opposite. If you remember the initial Turkey re-introduction program started here, as it was ideal conditions. We're inundated with turkeys, probably beyond holding capacity.

Makes hunting Tom's a little more difficult as they have huge harems of hens. I learned many years ago that hunting is better late in the season when the hens are sitting and the Toms are out by themselves late in the afternoon.

Shooting a hen is inconsequential...has no bearing, infinitesimal affect on the population.

Again it all goes back to the Trophy pic not the meat.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by duckslayer

Again this is your opinion and not mine, I don't see it the same way but I know you insist that the way you think is the correct way so go ahead and think that but I don't as do many others! Shooting a hen in the spring is not the same as shooting a doe in the fall.............I'm leaving it at that and I don't care how you see it. Thanks for the biology lesson though.......wow.

---

Fertilized egg, sitting on the ground or sitting inside a deer, same thing.

The gestation of a turkey is about 28 days, this is the incubation time outside of the bird. If they lose their nest due to predation they can and often do have a second clutch of eggs and have another 28 day attempt to hatch those out. The gestation for white tailed deer is 201 days, about 6.7 months, this would mean that a deer born in may was conceived in October. Therefore, your November gun hunt, every single doe that is shot has the very real potential of being pregnant and every doe shot in December is even more likely.

This is one thing that blows me away, people talk about a spring hunt being so bad as you are killing 2 or more animals, blah, blah, blah, but what you fail to grasp is that if there is a population that can support the loss of X number of female animals it does not matter one bit when they are removed from the herd. The only time that 2+ animals are killed is after they are born. If you consider the fawn being in existence at conception then we should never shoot a doe without the expectation that we are killing 2 animals. If you kill a doe in February or March and it has a mostly developed fetus it is no different than that animal killed in November. The same with a turkey, if you kill a hen in the fall or in the spring you still have the potential for the population to take a hit due to the loss of that one hen's offspring but if the population in that area can take that hit then why does it matter at all. Many places have turkeys over carrying capacity as Mike said. In Eastern Ontario you never have toms running in like SW Ontario, we have tons of hens and few toms, they don't care about the decoys or the calls until they have bred every last hen and they are looking for something new.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fox

What I am saying is that to think of shooting a doe in December as different than a hen without any babies but eggs on the ground is exactly the same thing. That doe has been bred, it is pregnant, it is called a gestation period. Shooting a hen in the spring without any actual babies behind it is no different than shooting a doe in the fall, the same exact potential to lose offspring. If the population is good enough to support it then females can and in many cases should be removed from the population.

Ask some of the farmers what they think about the turkeys, none of them in my neck of the woods or back home in SW Ontario would have any problems with the turkey population going down a little.

---

Big difference Fox - the doe has not survived the winter. The hen has. We still lose a lot of turkeys during the winter. That's why the fall seasons (where they exist) allow shooting any turkey - a lot or going to die over winter anyways. To consider the two the same case defines all logic - but I see a lot of that going on in this thread.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Big difference Fox - the doe has not survived the winter. The hen has. We still lose a lot of turkeys during the winter. That's why the fall seasons (where they exist) allow shooting any turkey - a lot or going to die over winter anyways. To consider the two the same case defines all logic - but I see a lot of that going on in this thread.

---

So because we will lose some in the winter we can shoot some in the fall, is that not the same logic that has destroyed the moose population in Ontario?

If you kill an animal then that animal is dead, no matter if that is in the fall or the spring. What that animal can produce in it's lifetime does not change based on when it was killed. If that hen is killed by a fox in the spring or freezes to death in the winter it changes nothing.

If you kill 50 hens in the fall then you have 50 less hens in the spring, if you kill 50 hens in the spring you have 50 less hens in the fall, same thing. If winter will kill 50 hens in the winter how does it make any sense that you will be able to kill 50 hens in the fall and have 0 die in the winter.

Bearded hen gets a pass everytime. For me its not about filling a freezer, its about getting outside in nature and being able to see some neat stuff that people pass by every day without knowing about. Turkey hunting for me is about the quintessential gobbler with a beard, spurs and a big fan.....the meat is great too. I take the beard, spurs and tail and save them. I love looking at them and remembering the hunt. I feel they are memories not trophies. The hens don't have that feeling for me. Hunting for me is about the whole experience, not just eating.....

No I would pass.......sure it is legal but IMHO I would pass.

For my first Turkey? No doubt any beard is going down. After that, well see. Probably similar to my deer season rules. Early season bucks only but later season, if it's legal it's down. I'd rather use my tag than have it sit.

i passed on a bearded hen on opening day. My rule has always been i will kill one, and see how i feel after and decide whether i would again, but i likely would leave it at that. on opener, it came in and mozied around my decoys for an hour or so, and I thought about it, i even started up a thread on facebook to get some opinions (it was overwhelmingly yes, and the bird hung out while i posted and checked this thread lol), but i ended up passing since it was opening day. Now that i have hunted a few more times and havent sealed the deal, I do regret that decision a little bit.
the amount of hens that get killed in the spring has very little impact on the population, for me its just that i dont want to clean a bird with eggs.

I would eat the tag soup first. I have had quite a few in over the years. At one farm I used to hunt until it sold I would see at least one every year. I was never tempted to pop her. The guy who taught my turkey course back in the day showed us pics of the number of eggs in one his friend shot. There were more than I thought possible. Plus, as noted by others, there is significantly less meat. So like you, the guilt would be more than any satisfaction being a successful hunter would bring.

If faced with tag soup, yes I would!

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

I shot one my first year turkey hunting, on the last day of the season. I had no problems with it, tasted the same as any other turkey I have shot. I now only hunt 4 or 5 times a year, so maybe I will shot another, if given the choice I will shoot the tom beside the hen. I also think getting the linage out of the pool is good. I have to agree with fox on the deer thing. I will not pass on a doe in later season as long as I'm legal, and you have to figure it has been bred. Again if the 2 are standing beside each other I will take the buck. I have let does go because she had a couple fawns with her, just didn't feel right, same would happen if hen had little ones with her. Saw a pure white turkey couple weeks ago, not hunting at the time. Never got close enough to see if it had a beard or not, but if I had a gun and it had a beard, I would have shot it.

one interesting thing i found out, but haven't yet confirmed. a guy on a facebook group was trying to tell me that bearded hens are the mothers of multi bearded toms. he says his hunting buddy is a biologist and he told them that (i asked for sources, he didnt have any), i have only found other forum postings about this, and no scientific writings.

has anyone heard this before?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bowj

has anyone heard this before?

---

Might be some truth to it....I read once that the Bearded Lady from the RB circus gave birth to a hermaphrodite...LOL ...

I didn't hunt Turkey this Spring didn't have time. But if I had been and if I saw a bearded hen ... yes I would shoot it. When I hunt I do hunt for meat. Now if Turkey's were not plentiful like they are around here than I wouldn't.

Really up to the Hunter. The whole bearded hen debate is similar to shooting a doe with fawns. Shot a big tom this year and it was tough to eat and cooked it in the oven for 4 hours. Next year if a jake and tom walk out I am shooting the jake. Jake I shot last year tasted better....

Here is my experience with cooking wild turkeys and turkeys in general. People overcook the living crap out of them. Stick a meat thermometer in it and when it says 170 its done. take it out. It doesn't need to sit in the oven for 3 more hours lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by toddy

Here is my experience with cooking wild turkeys and turkeys in general. People overcook the living crap out of them.

---

While I agree most people do cook the snot out of their wild Turkey (pbonura at 4hrs is about right) ....a lot more has to do with the quality of the meat your working with. A 22lb Tom is probably 3+ yrs old and has very lean meat in the spring, so it is more suited to be enjoyed as jerky.

Most people don't realize that the even that 22lb ButterBall they buy in the store (from some factory farm) was less than 6 months old at time of slaughter and well feed up to that point. So the meat is a heck of a lot more moist and tender that they will ever get from a Tom.

I raised my own domestic turkey for many year, and until you enjoy a 5 month old, 18lb turkey slaughterer an hour before it went into the oven , you'll never know how good a Farm Fresh Turkey can be. :)

If I had of shot bearded hens years back I would have had a bearded hen Grandslam back in the early 2000's . I wish I had of !

Not sure I've ever seen a bearded hen with a trail of poults .... ever ....

Has anyone actually seen one?

Not saying it isn't possible but in our area I see hens with poults all the time. Never a bearded one.

If I had a Tom and Jake walk out I simply would shoot the one that gave me the best shot. If equal I would take the Jake because the meat is nicer IMO.

Bearded hen would also go in the pot. Legal is legal and our area is full of turkey.

Just my opinion.

For deer we will take a doe as well. I've had the choice of a big doe versus a young doe and have taken the young doe. I would do the same with big buck verses small buck. I'd take the younger one. Better meat.

Again just my opinion.

Not sure if you didn't read my reply but maybe you did and never believed me so here this is what one looks like. http://imageshack.com/a/img924/2842/RHhyHz.jpg

Big Tom's taste much better fried up in thin slices or nuggets. Quik fry on hot oil 3 to 4 minutes for inch size nuggets.

I've seen a bearded hen. I've also seen an antlered doe. They were both delicious.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by awndray

I've seen a bearded hen. I've also seen an antlered doe. They were both delicious.

---

Exactly my thought too.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by toddy

Here is my experience with cooking wild turkeys and turkeys in general. People overcook the living crap out of them. Stick a meat thermometer in it and when it says 170 its done. take it out. It doesn't need to sit in the oven for 3 more hours lol

---

165F for poultry parts and 180F for whole birds, I do not know why it is higher for a whole bird but I just went through the course for safe food handling and noted that.

People look for pink or how the juices run, etc, but the only way to tell how well done meat is you have to use a thermometer.

Also, meat will rise in temp once out of the oven, so that 170 may push up to 180 when you rest it.

Still not a fan of whole roasted wild turkey, awkward as heck to fit in a roasting pan with the long legs and triangle breast but a roasted whole wild turkey breast specifically for hot turkey sandwiches, mmmm.

In the spring no but in the fall I may take one.

Bearded hens are so rare that getting one in gun range during hunting season would be a once in a lifetime experience. In the fall season I'd shoot one over a regular hen for sure, and even rather than a jake. I would be nervous shooting one in the spring, fearing that once I shot it and took a closer look, that what I thought was a beard was actually just a feather out of place, or a twig hanging down. Then my hunt is over, and I just ruined a nest of eggs, for a 12 pound bird, and a lot of explaining to do.