Turkey hunting ethical question

[bigbore442001]

Would you shoot a bearded hen while spring turkey hunting? Some states stipulate it must be a male. A gobbler with a beard. Some others like Massachusetts and Connecticut state in the regulations," a bearded bird".

Would you shoot a bearded hen or let her go?

 

[bucktales]

Although One can legally shoot one here in Ct., I won't if I'm targeting Toms or Jakes.
To me at least, watching the show a strutting Tom puts on is half the fun.

 

[JayDee Flohr]

I haven't in the spring but have during the fall season where any bird is legal. A bearded hen is legal in the spring here and I would not hesitate to shoot one given the chance.
Game commissions make it legal for a reason. Shoot them if you can.

 

[roundball]

Would you shoot a bearded hen or let her go?

Speaking only for me, I would give her a pass.
Our regs read "a bearded turkey" so it would certainly be legal...but the spirit of the way the regs were written was to make it easy for hunters to ensure they do NOT shoot hens...because hens do not have beards.

The rare exception is the occasion where a hen grows a beard because of a genetic anomaly...like an albino deer is an anomaly...a bearded hen is not actually an "identified species of game bird". While the wild turkey "come back" is a wildlife management success story, they are not by any means back where we'd all like them to be and every hen that can lay eggs is important.

To put it in perspective, the average hen lays an average of 11 eggs in an annual clutch.
Due to the enormous predation of eggs, and the mortality of poults that survive the egg predation to hatch, the total mortality loss is 85% of every clutch of 11 eggs by the end of two weeks...basically 1.5 turkeys out of 11 eggs survive past 2 weeks of age to be able to finally fly up into a tree to roost at night.

Then adolescent and adult mortality of 50 % means 1 survives to adulthood from a clutch.
And given the 50% split of the sexes, that means essentially one hen out of one clutch, and one Tom from another clutch. So for a 2 year old mature Tom to end up in your sights, two clutches of 11 eggs had to be laid to produce that 1 Tom. And if hunters shoot 1 year old Jakes before they reach maturity, then that just adds to the problem. By the way, this is not simply my opinion...Google up any good comprehensive articles about Turkey mating/breeding/mortality.

Wildlife Departments and turkey hunters don't want hens killed...that's shooting our sport in the foot. If it has a beard is it legal here, yes...would I shoot it, no...we need the hens to stay alive to keep laying lots of eggs and keep the turkey population recovery coming back for us, then our kids, etc.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

WV regulations state a bearded turkey in the spring season. The DNR wildlife managers I have talked to say that bearded hens tend to be better mothers based on their studies. I have never seen a bearded hen while spring gobbler hunting only while in the woods after deer did I see one and along the tracks while working. Personally I wouldn't.

 

[roundball]

Our WRC established a one week January either sex season, year before last.
And if you took a turkey it counted as one of your annual two tags you were allowed.
They got so much flack about the either sex thing the season was abandoned.

I filled both my regular spring tags with a Flintlock year before last;

I never got a tom in my sights last spring...saw one but couldn't close the deal;

This spring's season ended today without me firing a shot...never even SAW a tom this year.

So I could use a few more turkeys around the little place I have to hunt
:grin:

 

[JayDee Flohr]

If I had low numbers like you guys state, I probably wouldn't shoot them either.
Our population is growing very fast and our game commission wants numbers decreased. Last falls tags were good for birds of either sex and each tag had a bonus bird with it. We could get two tags, good for 4 birds if wanted.
Here's a recent press release.....................



LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) ”” A recent survey shows evidence of an expanding turkey population in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says the statewide population index for turkey increased 28 percent over last year. Turkey hunting season continues through May 31.

The turkey population index in the Panhandle and central regions increased about 50 percent each and the northeast increased more than 30 percent. Only the Sandhills, southwest and southeast regions saw declines.

Overall, Nebraska’s turkey population is at a record high, with populations nearly 500 percent higher than in 2002.

The rural mail carrier survey is one of the oldest wildlife surveys conducted by the state game commission, existing in some form since 1944.

 

[TimJ]

About a week and a half ago I passed on a bearded hen on the last day of the season. Not saying it was right or wrong for everyone but it didn't feel right to me to shoot a hen in the spring when they are laying. I have to admit I was very tempted and wouldn't blame anyone who would take one. It was even harder since this was a tag that took me 4 or 5 years to get. Oh well, having tags left at the end of the season isn't a new thing for me.

In the fall I'd be fine with it, I might even target that hen if she makes it through the late season. She had a 6+ inch beard that looked as good as any tom. Since I have no smoothbore I'm hoping a .54 won't make too big of a hole.

When you think about it there isn't much difference between that and shooting a doe in january that is surely 1 or 2 months along.

Tim

 

[roundball]

When you think about it there isn't much difference between that and shooting a doe in january that is surely 1 or 2 months along.

I think in the big picture, there is a difference...the sensitivity to not killing turkey hens has more to do with current turkey population numbers that are still recovering and on their way back to us, vs. deer population numbers which have become so huge and plentiful they've become major problems in many states...some states have even begun issing unlimited doe tags in hopes hunters will weed them out faster...

 

[larry wv]

I will only kill toms. That said I usualy get 2 or 3 hens with the disc mower each year. Some will not leave the nest and they are hard to see in tall hay. If we start mowing early the fawns are a problem. At least the turkeys will leave when kicked out. The fawns just move and hide again. Larry

 

[TimJ]

When you think about it there isn't much difference between that and shooting a doe in january that is surely 1 or 2 months along.

I think in the big picture, there is a difference...the sensitivity to not killing turkey hens has more to do with current turkey population numbers that are still recovering and on their way back to us, vs. deer population numbers which have become so huge and plentiful they've become major problems in many states...some states have even begun issing unlimited doe tags in hopes hunters will weed them out faster...

It's strange how different areas can change how we think about it also. I'm in SD and we are starting to level off on the doe take a little bit after a fairly successful campaign to halt the population growth. With turkeys they increase the tags almost every year and are wanting more hens shot in the fall in areas that have problems with large flocks. When 50+ turkeys show up every day to feed out of the same bunks as the cattle the farmers get tired of them very fast.
We are no where near Nebraska's growth but I can see why they might not mind more hens shot.

I'd still feel odd shooting a hen once they are laying, I'd be even less inclined to shoot a doe with a fawn in september but I know areas where that is allowed. Not really a population thing for me but I can understand that side also.

Tim

 

[Pork Chop]

Given my vast experience turkey hunting (and the alarming rate at which game turns invisible when I enter the woods), I don't know. I mean I have a hard enough time telling the males from the females through the bag that the Butterball puts on them...

 

[rabjr]

I have to wonder just how many bearded hens get shot not realizing they were hens....I bet theres more than a few guys who got excited after seeing the beard and didn't see anything else until after they shot.

 

[PJC]

If the regulations state a bearded bird then I would suggest shooting a bearded bird. It would be completely 100% ethical. Your tag, You choose! Live and HUNT by your own standards not somebody elses. Have a good day in the woods, Obey the game laws and sleep easy at night. For me it happened to be a 25 pound tom with 10.5 inch beard and 1.25 inch spur and a 1 inch spur. If it had been a bearded hen she would have heard the same noise he did. BOOOOOOOM! I didn't post the picture or story because it was with a modern shotgun. My 62 cal smooth bore is taking a lot longer to build then I thought.

PJC

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I have to wonder just how many bearded hens get shot not realizing they were hens....I bet theres more than a few guys who got excited after seeing the beard and didn't see anything else until after they shot.

Man you are so right.
I called in a three to four year Tom last weekend for my wife but before he came into range, a HUGE!!brood hen came out first in the fog, Glad I carry binos because she was so big I though for sure she was the tom.
Luckly I held off from telling said wife to shoot.
Once she got to thirty yrds I could make out the head and no beard. :shake:
She of coarse saw my figgity four year old and fed back to the Tom and skedattled.

 

[roundball]

I have to wonder just how many bearded hens get shot not realizing they were hens....I bet theres more than a few guys who got excited after seeing the beard and didn't see anything else until after they shot.

There's probably some of that when hunters are just starting out turkey hunting, but a smaller gray head and no snood are good checkpoints for a hen...

 

[laufer]

I have to wonder just how many bearded hens get shot not realizing they were hens....I bet theres more than a few guys who got excited after seeing the beard and didn't see anything else until after they shot.

Man you are so right.
I called in a three to four year Tom last weekend for my wife but before he came into range, a HUGE!!brood hen came out first in the fog, Glad I carry binos because she was so big I though for sure she was the tom.
Luckly I held off from telling said wife to shoot.
Once she got to thirty yrds I could make out the head and no beard. :shake:
She of coarse saw my figgity four year old and fed back to the Tom and skedattled.

i had a similar experience yesterday afternoon, except the tom would not move from 60-70 yards away, and big hen with beard and another one clean shaved came to my call to 15 yards away before she saw that somethinf fishy is going on and run away. it was so foggy i only saw him for a second or two at 60 yards, could not pull any of my kung fu magic, or majestic 450 yard eye shot on him. hen(s) i let go, even though her beard was longer than several toms i have seen harvested in the area. :v

 

[bucktales]

There's probably some of that when hunters are just starting out turkey hunting, but a smaller gray head and no snood are good checkpoints for a hen...

Skinny neck too.
Again, not saying it's wrong if the state says it's OK, just not my bag in the Spring. Fall is another story.

 

[Ron LaClair]

With my flintlock I'd let her pass. With my longbow and wood arrows I didn't. This hen had a 6" beard and was legal here in Michigan.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

NWFT
your the man
:bow: