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General Discussion => Turkey Hunting Tips ,Strategies & Methods => Topic started by: Bammer on March 25, 2015, 07:23:40 AM

Title: Curious
Post by: Bammer on March 25, 2015, 07:23:40 AM
Bird with about 5 1/4 inch beard with no Spurs, not even a bump or sign of Spurs. Wondering if anyone had any ideas why.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Bammer on March 25, 2015, 07:24:49 AM
Sorry for the poor pic
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Kevin6Q on March 25, 2015, 07:55:59 AM
bearded hen?
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: zelmo1 on March 25, 2015, 11:43:58 AM
 :newmascot: Good chance that it is a bearded hen
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Bammer on March 25, 2015, 11:57:44 AM
Another pic. Sorry for poor pic
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: sbraham on March 25, 2015, 12:04:56 PM
bearded hen it looks like
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: jwhunter on March 25, 2015, 12:40:17 PM
Hen
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Spitten and drummen on March 25, 2015, 01:39:00 PM
got yourself a hen with a beard it appears.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: willy8457 on March 25, 2015, 02:36:09 PM
Looks like a hen to me, did you call this bird in ? did it Gobble ?
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: BABS9 on March 25, 2015, 03:09:10 PM
Got to agree looks like a Bearded hen.
Title: Curious
Post by: mudhen on March 25, 2015, 04:08:56 PM
Rosie O'Donnel....


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Title: Re: Curious
Post by: porcupine on March 25, 2015, 04:38:40 PM
Quote from: mudhen on March 25, 2015, 04:08:56 PM
Rosie O'Donnel....


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Yep bearded hen  :funnyturkey:
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: silvestris on March 25, 2015, 05:54:33 PM
Not a hen.  Tis a jake.  Uneven fan.  Look at the breast feathers.  No buff on the tips.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: g8rvet on March 27, 2015, 10:06:28 PM
Breast feathers?  It looks like it is laying on its back to me.  Where do you mean?

Buddy killed an obvious jake without a bump on its legs.  FWIW
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: g8rvet on March 27, 2015, 10:07:08 PM
Quote from: g8rvet on March 27, 2015, 10:06:28 PM
Breast feathers?  It looks like it is laying on its breast to me.  Where do you mean?

Buddy killed an obvious jake without a bump on its legs.  FWIW
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Dr Juice on March 27, 2015, 10:15:19 PM
Did it gobble? Looks like a hen to me.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: jbranham63 on March 27, 2015, 10:38:32 PM
Looks like a hen
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: silvestris on March 27, 2015, 11:22:30 PM
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2wg9alflbo71cv2/File%20Mar%2017%2C%209%2056%2009%20PM.jpeg?dl=0

Gobbler feather on left, hen on right.  It is why gobblers look black and hens a little brownish, especially at a distance.

Could be though.  The photos are not the clearest and it is difficult to tell where the end of the feathers are.
Title: Curious
Post by: mudhen on March 27, 2015, 11:53:18 PM
Uneven tail feathers indicates a jake, so maybe Rosie O'Donnell's brother?


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Title: Re: Curious
Post by: g8rvet on March 28, 2015, 12:30:17 PM
I guess I have never really worried about ground checking one.  I have seen a bearded hen, but never shot one and the jakes I have seen killed were obvious. I had a friend that was a young un hunting with his dad and 2 hens came in.  His dad said "hens" and my friend shot.  His dad started getting on his arse for shooting. He said "Dad, it was a jake, I could see the spurs".  Sure enough, there were spurs and a tiny beard.  His dad explained hens can sometimes have spurs so look for a beard! 
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Bammer on March 28, 2015, 01:39:22 PM
The bird is laying chest down in both pics. Never heard a gobble but that doesn't mean much because my hearing is bad. 
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Rapscallion Vermilion on March 28, 2015, 06:35:14 PM
Looks like a bearded hen.   Did you clean it up yet?   If you find eggs, you have no doubt.  Save those wings for a wingbone if it is a hen.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: owlhoot on March 28, 2015, 08:37:21 PM
Bearded hen , buffed feathers , don't look like a jake fan all spread out?

Head doesn't look like a toms at all.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Youngturkey on March 28, 2015, 09:24:17 PM
Last year i killed a gobbler with 9 1/4 inch beard and no Spurs he was strutting and gobbling. I was wondering the same thing. Only think I can come up with is that it's a genetic issue.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: taylorjones20 on March 30, 2015, 05:46:47 PM
Bearded hen for sure.  Tail fan spread out is even in first pic.  Grey head... A buddy of mine killed one a few years ago.  Looks just like this one...
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: jblackburn on March 30, 2015, 06:01:53 PM
looks like a bearded hen to me. buff tipped feathers on its back, a gobbler would have black.  Cut it open and see if there are eggs in it.

Congrats, though.  Hope that's legal in your state, not every state allows bearded hens to be killed . . .
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: Marc on March 30, 2015, 09:59:19 PM
How big was the bird?  Size of an average jake or the size of a hen?

Looking at the plumbing would have told you what sex it was, but i am guessing it is a bit late now...

It looks like a jake to me, and enlarging the pictures you provided, it does not look like the feathers extend up the neck as they do with a hen...  Unfortunately, when I blow up the picture, I am not getting the best image quality...

Interestingly, I was not aware that all hen tail feathers grew in evenly...  I never really thought about it, but I just assumed that a young hen would have uneven tail feathers just as a jake does...  The tail feathers do look a bit uneven to me though.
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: turkey_slayer on March 30, 2015, 10:38:22 PM
That's a Bruce Jenner turkey
Title: Re: Curious
Post by: GobbleNut on March 30, 2015, 11:34:16 PM
If I had to bet my life on it, I would say that it is a bearded hen, as well.  However, I wouldn't be entirely confident that I was safe to live another day.   ;D