Shooting hen turkeys

A general discussion area for turkey hunters.
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GLS
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by GLS »

GN, I agree mostly with your assessment, but disagree with the probability that it was the function of game managers who made the call to permit the killing of a bearded hen. It was most likely a political decision by laymen and not those trained in wildlife management principles. For instance, our wildlife commission in Georgia are citizens untrained in wildlife management, typically appointed by the governor as a reward for supporting him politically. The commission will enact regulations and make recommendations for statutes but supposedly based upon recommendations of the DNR professionals. When Georgia first permitted baiting of deer in the southern part of the state, a upper level DNR employee was interviewed on O'Neil Outdoors (750 WSB a clear channel 50,000 watts a.m. station heard throughout the south in the winter at night) he didn't hem and haw and imply that the decision to permit baiting was based on wildlife management principles but purely was "political" enacted by the state legislature. Some layperson in a position of authority, either a non-turkey hunter or at best a weekend warrior hunter, who couldn't tell the difference between a gobbler and a bearded hen and it didn't make sense to him or her why someone should be penalized for killing one. Gil
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by jdjnicholson »

I don't think turkey over population could be a problem. Turkey habitat is key. Predator management would help but fur prices are down and if you watch hunting shows, nobody takes the time to trap. You need to hang stands and check trail cameras etc. for Whitetail success. Turkey populations rise and fall. Wet Springs are hard on broods. This years hatch most likely will be poor. You can't stockpile wildlife. X amount will die. That is factored into a states game management. In states with Fall turkey hunting a 10% Fall harvest is a conservative goal. IL for example kills ~700 birds in the Fall. Turkey population estimates are >100k. Game management also factors in illegal harvest into those numbers,Spring and Fall. Good habit, in IL, holds ~ 30 birds per 1000 acres. One public land spot I hunt takes about 60 birds in the Spring and 10 in the Fall,gun and bow. It is managed for wildlife,burns,crp,stream management,timber management etc. MO breaks down Spring harvest by bearded hens,gobblers and jakes. Fall by juvenile hen, juvenile male,mature hen and mature male. It's interesting to follow. Over the years the same numbers are roughly repeated. It's also noted that a rise in turkey populations also bring a rise in predator populations. The States I hunt have good populations of birds. One of them is trying to get rid of Fall hunting because of the lack of Spring success but Fall turkey hunting obviously isn't popular due to other,more popular, Fall hunting activities and looking at the numbers falls short of a 10% goal. Fall hunting isn't the poblem.They also allow Fall turkey dogs,a traditional eastern state tradition. In states that allow bearded hen harvest, it's a personal preference. There are far worse things happening. I think this forum had a thread about guys that know about friends shooting more than a states legal limit.

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GobbleNut
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by GobbleNut »

Great comments, guys! It's good to see a civil, thoughtful discussion going on about this.

Gil,...I agree completely with your comments about laymen/non-professionals that don't have a clue being put on Game Commissions strictly as political pay-back. We have had the same problem here for decades. I, too, am on the fence about the bearded hen issue. I personally hate to see it allowed,...but I understand the rationale behind the regulation. My hope is that it is just not a significant problem in most cases. My position, again, is that spring hunters just need to be educated to the fact that it is a bad idea to shoot nesting hens,...regardless of the presence of a beard or not. I think too many hunters have the mind-set of,..."Well, it's legal, so it must be okay to do it". We have to change that mind-set so that turkey hunters are also good conservationists.

JD,...your points are also well-taken. I completely agree that habitat and population-recruitment problems (nesting success) is the real culprit,...and that hunting, either spring or fall, in most cases, has nothing to do with overall turkey numbers. Again, I think it is just best to make sure turkey hunters understand the biology behind spring hunting, in particular,...and then make sound decisions based on that. Having a bunch of folks running around in the spring woods thinking it is biologically okay to shoot hen turkeys just because they happen to have a beard is just not a good idea.
Shiloh
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Shiloh »

We too have the problem of governor appointed wildlife commissioners. Normally gonna be very wealthy and politically connected guys. They do not represent the norm.
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Shooting hen turkeys

Post by jryser »

I ended up dropping off the other forum just bc it was non productive childish division.

I’ll admit I’ve passed 6 bearded hens over my hunting “career” but I did shoot one a few years back for a mount my taxi won a national ribbon for. At her request. And a challenging hunt. Won’t shoot one again and many of the things we have been discussing here have been great to learn about. If nothing else I am more educated / and like all here, I’m for habitat and maximizing turkeys! I do trap for the reasons listed above. Crows, raccoons, and possum are the worst problems - yotes are tougher on deer.


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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Hoobilly »

It’s ok to be passionate about what you love..

But some take it to the next level and attack people personally
Don't start none, won't be none!

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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by jdjnicholson »

hoobilly wrote:It’s ok to be passionate about what you love..

But some take it to the next level and attack people personally
Not to derail but this is on target. Guy on the other forum called a guy gay,thread was deleted eventually and only one member called him out. He also made horrible comments about Native Americans and again was called out by one member. They didn't have the balls to ban him. Totally uncalled for.

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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Hoobilly »

jdjnicholson wrote: June 9th, 2019, 5:52 pm
hoobilly wrote:It’s ok to be passionate about what you love..

But some take it to the next level and attack people personally
Not to derail but this is on target. Guy on the other forum called a guy gay,thread was deleted eventually and only one member called him out. He also made horrible comments about Native Americans and again was called out by one member. They didn't have the balls to ban him. Totally uncalled for.

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no kidding??? you talking about OG???? they banned me for asking if anyone had seen sloppy snood??? :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO:
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by jdjnicholson »

hoobilly wrote:
jdjnicholson wrote: June 9th, 2019, 5:52 pm
hoobilly wrote:It’s ok to be passionate about what you love..

But some take it to the next level and attack people personally
Not to derail but this is on target. Guy on the other forum called a guy gay,thread was deleted eventually and only one member called him out. He also made horrible comments about Native Americans and again was called out by one member. They didn't have the balls to ban him. Totally uncalled for.

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no kidding??? you talking about OG???? they banned me for asking if anyone had seen sloppy snood??? :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO:
Yup

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timbrhuntr
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by timbrhuntr »

That wasn't a bad site until they banned everyone that might make the dictator look bad and that was a bunch of knowledgeable turkey hunters !!
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HunterGKS
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by HunterGKS »

timbrhuntr wrote: June 10th, 2019, 9:59 am That wasn't a bad site until they banned everyone that might make the dictator look bad and that was a bunch of knowledgeable turkey hunters !!
I banned myself not once but twice. I was gullible enough to get talked into rejoining but it didn't take long before I banned myself permanently.
George

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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Hoobilly »

timbrhuntr wrote: June 10th, 2019, 9:59 am That wasn't a bad site until they banned everyone that might make the dictator look bad and that was a bunch of knowledgeable turkey hunters !!
It went south fast when he lied to IndianCreek

Said they would have a banner forever at no cost to them if IndianCreek let him place it to get the site kicked off. Needing a big company to have a banner so he could sell add space to others Soon as he started selling add space for a huge price he told IndianCreek they needed to pay..

When called out they were banned. Hence sloppy got banned and then I did when I asked if anyone had seen him 😆 😆 😆
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guesswho
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by guesswho »

Bunch of trouble makers. I've been banned here twice for leaving my yard.
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HunterGKS
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by HunterGKS »

guesswho wrote: June 10th, 2019, 1:28 pm Bunch of trouble makers. I've been banned here twice for leaving my yard.
And you're working on #3, which will be self-inflicted!!

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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Longspurs »

jdjnicholson wrote: June 9th, 2019, 5:52 pm
hoobilly wrote:It’s ok to be passionate about what you love..

But some take it to the next level and attack people personally
Not to derail but this is on target. Guy on the other forum called a guy gay,thread was deleted eventually and only one member called him out. He also made horrible comments about Native Americans and again was called out by one member. They didn't have the balls to ban him. Totally uncalled for.

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Just shows the difference in how some forums are ran. I notice most members here are also members of OG, except those that got themselves banned. The other forum is less tolerant about long range shooting,fanning,baiting and hen shooting. While this one is more concerned with feelings. Just a softer bunch on this forum. I saw both threads about the Indians and the guy being called gay, I think it was more humorous than serious I think only one person said anything because there was only one person that didn’t understand. Just different people getting upset about different things....it happens
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Turkinator »

hoobilly wrote: June 9th, 2019, 8:16 pm
jdjnicholson wrote: June 9th, 2019, 5:52 pm
hoobilly wrote:It’s ok to be passionate about what you love..

But some take it to the next level and attack people personally
Not to derail but this is on target. Guy on the other forum called a guy gay,thread was deleted eventually and only one member called him out. He also made horrible comments about Native Americans and again was called out by one member. They didn't have the balls to ban him. Totally uncalled for.
Banned me for saying that lab tested reloads were safe! Now it’s tss all the time over there! I banned myself from old masters because the brown nosing toadies are sickening, how many threads of yes frank you’re great can those guys post!
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no kidding??? you talking about OG???? they banned me for asking if anyone had seen sloppy snood??? :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO:
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guesswho
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by guesswho »

HunterGKS wrote: June 10th, 2019, 1:43 pm
guesswho wrote: June 10th, 2019, 1:28 pm Bunch of trouble makers. I've been banned here twice for leaving my yard.
And you're working on #3, which will be self-inflicted
:lol:
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Hognutz »

I knew a gay Indian, once!
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by jsh909 »

Hognutz wrote: June 10th, 2019, 2:58 pm I knew a gay Indian, once!
Did he like to stay at the YMCA?
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by guesswho »

Probably lived in a village
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Hognutz »

:LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO:
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
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

Post by Hognutz »

He did his hunting with a smoke pole...
And I think he played the banjo!
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
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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guesswho
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by guesswho »

So a banjo is what they call it. :lol:
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Re: Shooting hen turkeys

Post by Hognutz »

:lol:
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
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

Post by Shiloh »

I got banned over there for asking about Doc’s annual re-cap. Had no clue he’d been banned. Nobody told me anything. I just tried to log on one day and couldn’t.
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