Shooting hen turkeys
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
To each their own, but I'm not into the hen killing, bearded or not. Spring in MT is"male turkey", so no hens. I don't (can't) shoot hen pheasants in the fall and have no desire to kill hen turkeys then either, legal or not. Until I can see clear evidence that there is a population explosion in MT and hen killing is needed, I've no desire.
God bless the gobbler incubators!!!
God bless the gobbler incubators!!!
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Hobbes_mobile wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 8:15 pm To each their own, but I'm not into the hen killing, bearded or not. Spring in MT is"male turkey", so no hens. I don't (can't) shoot hen pheasants in the fall and have no desire to kill hen turkeys then either, legal or not. Until I can see clear evidence that there is a population explosion in MT and hen killing is needed, I've no desire.
God bless the gobbler incubators!!!
Last of 2 legal bearded hens I shot, had an egg in it when cleaned, waaayyyyy back when ..and that was the last of that stupidness
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
Re: Shooting hen turkeys
ICDEDTURKES wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 5:32 pm I wonder why they don't open a hen season two weeks prior to gobblers season. It would help with all this henned up talk
Far too many gobblers would be accidentally shot while being mistaken for bearded hens
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
crow wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 9:16 pmICDEDTURKES wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 5:32 pm I wonder why they don't open a hen season two weeks prior to gobblers season. It would help with all this henned up talk
Far too many gobblers would be accidentally shot while being mistaken for bearded hens
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Turkinator wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 9:34 pmcrow wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 9:16 pmICDEDTURKES wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 5:32 pm I wonder why they don't open a hen season two weeks prior to gobblers season. It would help with all this henned up talk
Far too many gobblers would be accidentally shot while being mistaken for bearded hens
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
You shot 2 bearded hens ! Shame ! Shame !!soiltester wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 8:20 pmHobbes_mobile wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 8:15 pm To each their own, but I'm not into the hen killing, bearded or not. Spring in MT is"male turkey", so no hens. I don't (can't) shoot hen pheasants in the fall and have no desire to kill hen turkeys then either, legal or not. Until I can see clear evidence that there is a population explosion in MT and hen killing is needed, I've no desire.
God bless the gobbler incubators!!!
Last of 2 legal bearded hens I shot, had an egg in it when cleaned, waaayyyyy back when ..and that was the last of that stupidness
- turkeyinstrut
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
I have actually seen a bearded hen with young, on two different occasions.Turkinator wrote: ↑June 2nd, 2019, 3:58 pm Not trying to derail the topic, but is there any genetic abnormalities in a bearded hen that would affect her ability to nest? I’ve wondered the same about does who have a rack. I wouldn’t waste a tag on one.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Guys the bottom line is if it's legal to kill hens bearded or not that's up to the individual hunter. Nobody should fault him for shooting any legal game.
I personally believe all states should not allow hen harvest spring or fall. Why because obviously that's one less hen laying a nest. It has to hurt the turkey population. But I'm not a wildlife biologist and could be wrong.
Men you'll never win an argument on an online forum. Seriously we should act like men and respect each other and the hunting industry.
I personally believe all states should not allow hen harvest spring or fall. Why because obviously that's one less hen laying a nest. It has to hurt the turkey population. But I'm not a wildlife biologist and could be wrong.
Men you'll never win an argument on an online forum. Seriously we should act like men and respect each other and the hunting industry.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Personal choice, math and percentages would be my reasoning. If a hen makes it through the fall and into spring her chances of becoming a brood hen are far better than if she didn't survive the fall for whatever reason.turkeyinstrut wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 11:17 amWhat is the difference in shooting a "Legal" hen in the spring or shooting one in the fall? I'm not sure what your reasoning is here.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
I wonder if the trait is passed on?turkeyinstrut wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 11:11 amI have actually seen a bearded hen with young, on two different occasions.Turkinator wrote: ↑June 2nd, 2019, 3:58 pm Not trying to derail the topic, but is there any genetic abnormalities in a bearded hen that would affect her ability to nest? I’ve wondered the same about does who have a rack. I wouldn’t waste a tag on one.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
I hunt one area that I would estimate 25-30% of the hens have beards. That area also produces multibeard gobblers at about a 1 out of four rate. Over the years I've killed gobblers there that had from 1 to 7 beards. I'm not sure if it's related to bearded hens or not, but it sure seems to me areas with higher populations of bearded hens also have a higher percentage of multibearded gobblers.
Double Naught Spy!
RCD's Owner----------------Badonka Deke Prostaff
MoHo's Prostaff-------------Lighter Than HTL Shooter
The Storm Whistle Prostaff
Official Member Of The Unofficial Firedup Turkey Calls Prostaff
RCD's Owner----------------Badonka Deke Prostaff
MoHo's Prostaff-------------Lighter Than HTL Shooter
The Storm Whistle Prostaff
Official Member Of The Unofficial Firedup Turkey Calls Prostaff
- soiltester
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Yes it is, as I had a bearded hen in my backyard one time and had 4 bearded 2/3 grown hens and 3 jakes.Turkinator wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 12:17 pmI wonder if the trait is passed on?turkeyinstrut wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 11:11 amI have actually seen a bearded hen with young, on two different occasions.Turkinator wrote: ↑June 2nd, 2019, 3:58 pm Not trying to derail the topic, but is there any genetic abnormalities in a bearded hen that would affect her ability to nest? I’ve wondered the same about does who have a rack. I wouldn’t waste a tag on one.
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
How'd you know I said the same thing to myself and got severely reprimanded alsotimbrhuntr wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 10:04 amYou shot 2 bearded hens ! Shame ! Shame !!soiltester wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 8:20 pmHobbes_mobile wrote: ↑June 4th, 2019, 8:15 pm To each their own, but I'm not into the hen killing, bearded or not. Spring in MT is"male turkey", so no hens. I don't (can't) shoot hen pheasants in the fall and have no desire to kill hen turkeys then either, legal or not. Until I can see clear evidence that there is a population explosion in MT and hen killing is needed, I've no desire.
God bless the gobbler incubators!!!
Last of 2 legal bearded hens I shot, had an egg in it when cleaned, waaayyyyy back when ..and that was the last of that stupidness
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
I always go sluicing a few times a year to get some ducks to eat. Fun slipping up on them buggers. The art is trying to get your limit of woodies with one shot. Never shoot hens though.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
I'm sure it is, just like multi bearded birds. I hunt Missouri every spring and there is a little patch of woods out there (maybe 10 or 12 acres) that I have killed 5 multi bearded birds in over the years. I'm sure the bearded hens is a genetics thing also.Turkinator wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 12:17 pmI wonder if the trait is passed on?turkeyinstrut wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 11:11 amI have actually seen a bearded hen with young, on two different occasions.Turkinator wrote: ↑June 2nd, 2019, 3:58 pm Not trying to derail the topic, but is there any genetic abnormalities in a bearded hen that would affect her ability to nest? I’ve wondered the same about does who have a rack. I wouldn’t waste a tag on one.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
"it sure seems to me areas with higher populations of bearded hens also have a higher percentage of multibearded gobblers."guesswho wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 12:24 pm I hunt one area that I would estimate 25-30% of the hens have beards. That area also produces multibeard gobblers at about a 1 out of four rate. Over the years I've killed gobblers there that had from 1 to 7 beards. I'm not sure if it's related to bearded hens or not, but it sure seems to me areas with higher populations of bearded hens also have a higher percentage of multibearded gobblers.
Agreed
Re: Shooting hen turkeys
My reasoning has nothing to do with populations or genetics, it's more about the traditions of turkey hunting. Mostly, hens, jakes, and jennys are killed in the fall. It seems that a lot less gobblers are killed in the fall. Spring is gobbling season and gobbler killing season. From my prospective, the 2 are totally different.turkeyinstrut wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 11:17 amWhat is the difference in shooting a "Legal" hen in the spring or shooting one in the fall? I'm not sure what your reasoning is here.
But, for the record, I have never been on a fall turkey hunt cause I've never lived where it is legal. I have had the chance to kill several bearded hens in the spring that would have been legal, but declined. Hell, I don't even care about beards on gobblers...I like spurs.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
I can recall one instance where I was looking hard for a beard on a hen so my young son could kill her. However, it wasn't so he could fill a tag, but instead would have been considered a mercy killing (I was out of tags). She hopped on one foot all morning due to some injury. She held that foot and leg up close enough to her body that I'm not sure if it was all there. She wasn't going to survive the local coyote population for very long. However, there was no beard to be found so we had no legal means to kill her. She may well have had a nest, but I supposed that she couldn't successfully raise them.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
With populations bustling over the country why not introduce "Earn a Gobbler" much like "Earn a Buck" no gobbler tag till you have shot your hen. Help get sex ratios in order
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
This plus you must use a blind and at least one decoy of each sex!ICDEDTURKES wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 4:37 pm With populations bustling over the country why not introduce "Earn a Gobbler" much like "Earn a Buck" no gobbler tag till you have shot your hen. Help get sex ratios in order
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
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I am the man from Nantucket.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli” -Clemensa
When attacked by a group of clowns...Go for the Juggler!!
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Point taken.MKW wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 3:44 pmMy reasoning has nothing to do with populations or genetics, it's more about the traditions of turkey hunting. Mostly, hens, jakes, and jennys are killed in the fall. It seems that a lot less gobblers are killed in the fall. Spring is gobbling season and gobbler killing season. From my prospective, the 2 are totally different.turkeyinstrut wrote: ↑June 5th, 2019, 11:17 amWhat is the difference in shooting a "Legal" hen in the spring or shooting one in the fall? I'm not sure what your reasoning is here.
But, for the record, I have never been on a fall turkey hunt cause I've never lived where it is legal. I have had the chance to kill several bearded hens in the spring that would have been legal, but declined. Hell, I don't even care about beards on gobblers...I like spurs.
I too have had the opportunity to take a few bearded hens over the years and passed on them, although I did nearly shoot a bearded hen one time when she came in in full strut. I had already moved my finger to the trigger when I realized what I was looking at.
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys
Hen strutting in Alabama
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