bearded hens and would you shoot?

[MikePal]

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



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

[MikePal]

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.

[werner.reiche]

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.

[Mfisch2003]

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.

[duckslayer]

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!!

[MikePal]

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

[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???

[Greenhorn]

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

[tracker]

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.

[boogaloo]

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