Bearded Hens...

[Willie]

We've got at least one bearded hen on the ground we hunt in Indiana. She is legal.

Would you kill her if you had the opportunity?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Woowoo1/BeardedHen.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Woowoo1/BeardedHen2.jpg

[CHL]

That's a pretty good one Willie. I'd have to hold off though.

[Kentucky_MAdman]

Saw one today on my farm. If I get the chance...she's tagged! She and three other hens were with a Gobbler and I swear....I think her beard was longer than his.

[buckjohn]

def. and get her mounted just like that.

[stratos907]

I filmed my buddy Adam killing one on Peabody in 2006. She had a 5" pencil beard. After he shot her we ran up there to give her a head stomp and noticed a spot in her beard about an inch from her chest that looked "rotten". It was yellow and real dry looking...and then normal again the rest of the way. He picked her up and kinda pulled on her beard to show me and it BROKE OFF at that spot. So at this point...we have a dead hen with BARELY enough hairs off her chest to see through the feathers....a handful of beard hairs....and about 2 miles to walk to the truck. :eek:

[Kybirdman]

Not in the Spring. If she walks by in the fall, I may have to think about it. Treasure my two spring tags for long spurs.

[mcdenney]

Nope but that thar puffy fellar in the back ground would be in trouble. :D

[Racer1]

I'd say I would probably hold off until the fall. However, I must say we have a bearded hen on our property that has a corkscrew beard and if she shows up on the last weekend and I have a tag......well I'm just not sure. I would rather fill my spring tags with two gobblers!

[huntindawoods]

I would pull the trigger at her but that is me, I would like to kill a bearded but from the looks in the background of that 2nd pic I would pull the trigger on that strutter first, only on her if she and some morre hims were the only ones presenting themselves at the time.

[WildmanWilson]

I would pass....

[WaterDog88]

She would get a dirt nap in the fall, but in the spring I would let her go so she could make more turkeys...:D

[BRADM]

I don't think I would do it.

[quacksnracks]

i will prolly be critisized for this but im a big boy i can take it.... i dont eat thebeard or the spurs if she walks out in front of me she gets it...but thats just me i see the point to let her walk ...

[Willie]

IMO... It depends on the number of turkeys in the area. If the area is over run with turkeys (IE.. too many hens) then I would drop the hemmer on her. Turkeys few and far between? She walks...even in the fall..

[Valley Station]

Beard or not, she's still just a little brown hen and has most likely already got a nest with clutch of eggs started. The original purpose of "visible beard rule" was to make ID of male turkey.
Shoot hens in the spring???

[Turkin8or]

Pass.....
There is some evidence that shows bearded hens are genetically more apt to reproduce multi-bearded toms. But perhaps the more important factor would be that she is, or will shortly be on the nest hopefully raising another batch of turkeys.

[Pollcat]

I pass on at least 1 bearded hen each year. The only bearded hen I've ever shot had a full/long beard. She had the toughest breast meat of any turkey I've ever eaten (like chewing deer meat). I haven't eaten any other hen turkeys, are they usually this tough.

[Big orange]

I would give her a dose of nitros.some say they would wait until fall.why shoot her then ?If you want her to nest great but if you kill her in the fall she will not nest the next year so I don't get it.all the hens killed in the fall will not nest in the spring so why kill them in the fall if you won't kill them in the spring when legal?i don't think killing a bearded hen in the spring is near as bad as killing several hens on a fall hunt.

[KYhunter79]

I'd kill her in a split second. I'd rather take her than the tom in the background. That's a rare trophy to me. I've never even seen a bearded hen.

[O'l Joe]

i have saw a few in my time in the woods. and i couldn't let her pass. reason being not only did she have an 8 inch beard, she was white too. i'll try to get some pics on here.

[boonectyhunter5618]

i would have to pass on her for the simple fact that i dont know if she already nesting. no sense in killing the future of your population. but she would be starin down the barrel of the ol 12 ga. in the fall!

[kywaterfowler]

i dont know depends on how long the beard is to me... i'd probably pass up i'd rather kill a big gobbler.

[BlackWidow]

With a bow she would be dead no questions asked spring or fall.....shotgun would depend on my mood at that moment.

[bcdh1]

Not in the Spring. If she walks by in the fall, I may have to think about it. Treasure my two spring tags for long spurs.


I am not wasting my only gobbler tag in the fall on her. I have killed one before and mus say, unless her beard is just massive like an ole tom's then she will get to walk by me unless season is ending.

[gobblergetter]

We've got at least one bearded hen on the ground we hunt in Indiana. She is legal.

Would you kill her if you had the opportunity?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Woowoo1/BeardedHen.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Woowoo1/BeardedHen2.jpg


What county do you hunt in Indiana. I live and hunt in Warrick but sometimes turkey hunt Perry.

[gobblergetter]

Sorry to post two in a row. I would have to shoot her once. Meaning once I killed a beareded hen, I wouldn't shoot another in the future. Simply to have an oddity like that.

On a lighter note. I just have a visual of a tom puttin it to another bearded turkey. Thats funny right there if you ask me.

[Willie]

I live in Warrick too. Outside of Newburgh to be exact.

I hunt Warrick and Southern Pike.

[turk2di]

In the fall....you betcha! But no way in the spring!

[gobblergetter]

I live in Warrick too. Outside of Newburgh to be exact.

I hunt Warrick and Southern Pike.


Its neat to know there are other hoosiers on this kentucky dominated site. I was born and raised in newburgh and went to castle. I now live in boonville and work in pike co. small world. Keep me posted on how your seasons go now that I know where your from. Good luck to you this turkey season.

[Reflexhunter85]

I would wait for fall so she can sit on her eggs

[BIGBADDAD]

My mother in law has an eight inch beard! Can I shoot her????? :D