Hen with a beard

[Colorado]

I only saw 2 turkeys yesterday morning. Both were 300 yards a way in an open field. I was hunting the tree/brush fence line and had 2 hen decoys set out in the field 20 yards from the fence line. I noticed through my binoculars as 1 hen slowly grazed and made her way to my decoys. I never used my boxcall. Although I knew it was a hen I kept watching through my binoculers because I thought I saw a beard. As she got within shooting range I saw that she had a 4 or 5 inch beard. I didn't shoot because I wasn't for sure if it was legal to shoot a hen with a beard. So she is still out there. It looks like the way the turkey hunting guide reads you can kill any turkey with a visible beard. Am I correct in this?

[fullstrut1]

Yes you are correct, any turkey with a visible beard is a legal bird. I have taken two bearded hens in the past few years one at Ft. Knox and another on my farm. I saw two different bearded hens on my farm this spring on the same day, just don't have the heart to shoot one in the spring when she might be ready to lay a future limb hanger.

[jdattilo]

I killed one with a three-inch beard last week. It was my only bird this season. She had about a three-inch beard and was the first bearded hen I've ever seen in person. It's been a darn-exciting season chasing gobblers. I've been on numerous birds, worked several, blew a few chances and harvested a bearded hen. Turkey hunting is crazy .... Jason