Shooting a Bearded Hen

[Gitzit69]

I've been hunting this small patch of land that has a ton of turkeys on it. Last fall when they were flocked up I noticed that 4 hens were bearded. Yesterday and this morning I had the hen with the biggest beard (around 7-8 inches) with in shooting range. In Calif we can take gobblers only in the spring but a gobbler is defined as a bird with a visible beard. So hens with beards are fare game. I was watching her and thinking she would taste better, and those wing bones would make a couple of calls. But I was there to take this big ole tom that I tried to harvest last fall. When it came down to it I just couldn't pull the trigger.
Dave

[Porter]

I've seen several bearded hens and have always passed in the spring.  Our rules are the same here in MO and someday I hope to harvest one in the fall.  If it was the last day of the season and I hadn't filled a tag... I bet that bird would be in big trouble

I had a friend shoot one several years ago.  The darn thing would fan out and he didn't pay real close attention to it.  I heckled him some, but in the end.. he let me know how great it tasted:(

[hunter22]

I have passed several bearded hens. I have always been told that is where your multiple bearded gobblers come from but not sure about this. However, I have taken 3 multiple bearded gobblers in the area where I have seen these bearded hens.

[BigTomsCalls]

Three years ago I passed on one two different times. Later in the year i had a tag left and made up my mind that if i saw her again I would take her, but as fate would have it I never saw her again.

[superstrutter]

I have plenty of hens in the area I hunt, A couple years back I killed a hen with a 8 inch beard. She is now mounted and down in my man room! I saw her in the fall a couple times but I could never get a shot. The morning I shot her, she came in ready to kick my butt! I won!

[GR8CALLS]

Never shot one in the Spring.....although they are legal in VA. I have taken three during the Fall and have one mounted along side a strutting gobbler.

Bill

[wiltznucs]

I've never seen a bearded hen...

[Hillbillycallmaker]

I have never shot one yet , I would really like to harvest one to get mounted to go with My roost mount. Haven't seen one since.

[Turkeybuster]

Two years ago we had one come to the call and she acted very strange and we left her walk the next day the same thing happened and the third and last day of the season we saw her again and she had her poults with her about 10 if I remember correctly. She sure put on a show for us it was something to see.
Jon

[turkey stew]

I`ve never seen one during the season. I would let her walk during the spring because she may have a clutch of eggs! During the fall she would be fair game! I would`nt condem someone who legally takes one during the spring!

[1iagobblergetter]

I'd have to let her walk unless I really wanted to get it mounted.We also have a fall season in Iowa and it would be worth just knowing I might be able to tag  her then to let her walk. Also like a few others said she probably would have a clutch of eggs somewhere,but each to their own,I can understand why someone else might want to harvest her.

[misfire]

Saw my first ever bearded hen yesterday, doesnt matter whether bearded or not, hens are illegal here. Was a neat sight to see though

[B-Ready]

I would have to let her walk..... Legal here in spring and fall also.... Unless it's the last day of the fall hunt season with a tag to fill and then I'd have it mounted if it was special.

                        Brent

[Bulldogmikey]

If we had a fall season, let it walk. If she was a older bird. Probably take her out!

Mike

[bullethead]

I have passed on 2 bearded hens over the years.
Yesterday my wife killed her first turkey and her first game of any kind. It was a Beautiful Bearded Hen with a 6-1/4" beard.
I could not have been more excited or proud for her.
I will post the pics and story in another thread.