Bearded hen would u shoot!

Bird Beast Behaviors, Hunting Stories, Pictures, Tactics, Q&A.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
BigHunt
Posts: 12159
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:50 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby BigHunt » Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:59 am

i hunt near tomah wi,
i had the first season this spring. This was the worst hunt ive had in 11 years! it raind every day 20to 30 mile per hour winds and even snowed! saw turkeys but they were still in thier feeding paterns so it was hard to hunt them. pretty much right place right time! they were gobbling on the roost but when they hit the ground they shut up! on the third day of my hunt a bearded hen cam right to my decoy! she had at least a 10 or 11 inch beard. She pecked my decoy to death! that was the only beared turkey that cam into rang that week!


HUNT LIKE A BEAST
User avatar
cornfedkiller
500 Club
Posts: 2419
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:56 am
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:43 pm

10-11 inch beard on a bearded hen?? Would I shoot? I dont think thats even a question!
User avatar
RaisedByWolves
500 Club
Posts: 2441
Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 12:49 pm
Location: WI
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby RaisedByWolves » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:42 pm

if i had my bow....heck yes i would stab her!
When better is possible, good is never good enough
Wrinkleneck
500 Club
Posts: 2078
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:18 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby Wrinkleneck » Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:41 am

Bow = yes - Gun = no
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:46 am

Yes... I would shoot her most likely. Always wanted to shoot one. Passed a chance a long time ago and regret it.
User avatar
Uncle Lou
Moderator
Posts: 10308
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Holly, MI
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Wed Jun 22, 2011 8:46 am

I would shoot a bearded hen if a 30 pound tom with a double beard was standing next to her.
Silence Your Gear with Stealth Strips®
http://www.stealthoutdoors.com
User avatar
BigHunt
Posts: 12159
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:50 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby BigHunt » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:07 am

i got her on file attacking my decoy for about 4 min :shock:
HUNT LIKE A BEAST
User avatar
Mountain Man
500 Club
Posts: 966
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: SE Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby Mountain Man » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:42 am

A hen with a 10-11" beard would be very tempting for me but whether I would shoot that hen would depend on where I was hunting and how big or small the local turkey population was. Bearded hens aren't really all that rare but one with a 10-11" beard seems rare to me. Even though I would prefer a tom, if the local turkey population could handle a hen being removed in the spring, I would probably shoot. If I felt the population couldn't afford the removal of that hen I would pass.

I passed on a bearded hen a couple of years ago in SE WI. I was bowhunting and her beard was about 3-4". She was in range at maybe 20-25 yds. and I passed. It was the 5th week (mid-May) and I'm fairly confident she had a nest in a grassy fencerow where I saw her come and go quite frequently. That year there didn't seem to be a lot of turkeys in that area and I wanted a tom (they were in the area but wouldn't come in) and I ended up eating my tag. I have no regrets about passing that bearded hen.

But to each his own. If it's a legal bird to shoot I wouldn't hold it against someone for shooting a bearded hen no matter what the beard length.
solocam88
500 Club
Posts: 1171
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby solocam88 » Wed Jun 22, 2011 1:20 pm

I wouldnt shoot a bearded hen and I have seen a lot of them.
User avatar
Black Squirrel
500 Club
Posts: 4978
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:50 am
Location: NE WI
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Thu Jun 23, 2011 1:30 am

I passed one this year, it ended up being my only shot. I kinda regret it now too. I think it would be cool, to shoot a bearded hen.
User avatar
BigHunt
Posts: 12159
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:50 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby BigHunt » Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:05 am

Black Squirrel wrote:I passed one this year, it ended up being my only shot. I kinda regret it now too. I think it would be cool, to shoot a bearded hen.

i should of shot that was the third bearded ive past, the best all so!
HUNT LIKE A BEAST
User avatar
GRUD
500 Club
Posts: 973
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:26 pm
Location: Hunting Beast: Become a Legend...
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby GRUD » Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:19 am

Sure, my first turkey was a bearded hen, I was pretty green and didnt even know hens could have beards. A biologist told me a lot of bearded hens dont reproduce anyway. Not sure I believe him cause mine had an egg inside.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
cornfedkiller
500 Club
Posts: 2419
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:56 am
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Fri Jun 24, 2011 3:39 am

GRUD wrote:...A biologist told me a lot of bearded hens dont reproduce anyway. Not sure I believe him cause mine had an egg inside.


Just because yours had an egg in it doesnt mean that the biologist was necessarily wrong.. Id say alot of bearded women dont breed either, but I suppose you could get the occasional one here and there :lol:
User avatar
lungbuster
500 Club
Posts: 1655
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2010 9:18 am
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WFTF
Location: Mt. Horeb, Wi.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby lungbuster » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:11 pm

Yes I would definately shoot a bearded hen.
Stan Lamont
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 5:40 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Bearded hen would u shoot!

Unread postby Stan Lamont » Tue Aug 16, 2011 2:20 pm

I shot one that had a 6 inch beard several years ago.Rainy windy day and I had passed her up earlier that day.She had 12 eggs inside in May. Toms had all been called to death. They would actually run away if called at. Have'nt seen any other bearded hens since. Stan


  • Advertisement

Return to “Turkey Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests